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Tag: hunter-schafer

  • Movie Review: ‘Mother Mary’

    Anne Hathaway in 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    Opening in theaters in limited release on April 17 and expanding on April 24 is ‘Mother Mary,’ written and directed by David Lowery and starring Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, Atheena Frizzell, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay, Alba Baptista, Sian Clifford, and FKA Twigs.

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    Related Article: Anne Hathaway & Adam Driver Starring in ‘Alone at Dawn’ for Ron Howard

    Initial Thoughts

    Anne Hathaway on the set of 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    Anne Hathaway on the set of ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    David Lowery is nothing if not unpredictable. From Disney product like ‘Pete’s Dragon’ and ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ to weird experimental dramas like ‘A Ghost Story’ and ‘The Green Knight,’ the director’s career has taken one wild swing after another. With ‘Mother Mary,’ he pivots back in the direction of arthouse fare, with the story itself (according to Lowery) inspired by his own bifurcated career choices.

    The result is an original, compelling — if not always coherent – hybrid of love story, psychological horror, and pop musical in which Anne Hathaway is outstanding as the title character, a mega pop singer about to make a comeback but unsure of who she is and aching with grief over a fractured relationship. Joining her is Michaela Coel (‘I May Destroy You’), the other half of that relationship, with both women yearning to repair their broken hearts and going to extreme lengths to do so.

    Story and Direction

    (L to R) Director David Lowery and Anne Hathaway on the set of 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Director David Lowery and Anne Hathaway on the set of ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    Mother Mary (we never know her real name) is a massive pop star – modeled after female musical icons ranging from Madonna to Taylor Swift – who’s about to attempt a career comeback after being derailed by a breakdown. On the eve of her first performance in years, she flees from rehearsals in L.A. to the English home and workshop of Sam Anselm (Coel), the fashion designer who created all her stage outfits for a while and with whom she shared a deeply symbiotic friendship (and perhaps more), until Mary’s fame fractured their relationship and put Mary’s costumes in the hands of top designers.

    Estranged for a decade, with Mary asking Sam to make her a new dress for her show, the two circle each other like wary combatants: Mary, so confident, charismatic and larger than life onstage, is a meek, shattered shell of herself, not sure of her music or even her identity anymore, while Sam, having established her own career, is nevertheless barely able to repress her fury at Mary after all these years.

    The two go through a long night of the soul in Sam’s atelier, a centuries-old converted barn full of shadows and mysteries, with ever-present rain and thunder rumbling in the background like restless spirits. As the two explore their past together and separately, a spirit literally comes into play as well – a red entity that, real or not, symbolizes both the creative spirit and sense of loss that both women feel, and that is equally comfort and torment to them both.

    (L to R) Michaela Coel and director David Lowery on the set of 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Michaela Coel and director David Lowery on the set of ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    Lowery stages all this as a mix of horror movie, character study, and pop spectacle, with scenes from Mary’s past stadium gigs filling the screen with light, sound, dancers, and hordes of people, alternating with the moody, dark sequences in Sam’s atelier and brooding home. The scenes between Mary and Sam come across almost as a stage play sometimes, while the narrative involving the spirit (known as the Red Woman, and initially conjured up by a medium played by FKA Twigs) heads into more phantasmagoric, almost Ken Russell territory visually. It’s a bracing, ever-changing cinematic style that certainly makes this Lowery’s most ambitious film yet.

    Yet the hallucinatory, expository nature of the story makes it self-consciously arty – much like ‘The Green Knight’ – which often keeps it at an emotional arm’s length. The result is a movie that is visually stunning, not easy to categorize, but also difficult to fully invest in.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    Anne Hathaway (who has four other movies coming out this year) has been veering between mainstream titles like ‘The Hustle’ and more daring material like ‘Eileen’ in recent years, but ‘Mother Mary’ may be the most immersive performance she’s given in some time.

    As Mary, she must sing onstage (all original songs, penned by Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX and FKA Twigs) and project the veneer and physicality of a major pop star, complete with elaborate choreography which she replicates on her own for Sam in one riveting sequence. But she also exposes the wounded woman inside who is longing to find her creative spark again and grieving for the one true relationship she lost.

    Michaela Coel’s Sam is grieving as well, but turns it into a weapon of scorn, sarcasm, and rage that she coolly wields against Mary like a knife. But Sam herself is lonely and unmoored, and her interrogation of Mary slowly brings back her energy and inner light. Both women are fantastic in the film, giving such dominant performances that there’s little room for anyone else to shine – except for FKA Twigs, who shows off some eerie physical work in her one major scene, in which she opens the way for the Red Woman.

    Final Thoughts

    Anne Hathaway in 'Mother Mary'. Photo: A24.
    Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.

    ‘Mother Mary’ is a deliberately experimental narrative, flashing back and forth in time and space, and despite what may seem like a conventional premise it delves into the mystical, spiritual, and existential in often bold ways, bolstered by its two fearless leading ladies.

    While a feast for the eyes and ears, the film is perhaps not as moving as it could be, thanks to its dislocating narrative shifts. Yet the bond between Sam and Mary, strained and torn as it is, is still made powerful by the work of the two actors. ‘Mother Mary’ is ultimately about healing one’s soul and rediscovering one’s muse, a potent message from a filmmaker who seems to have done just that.

    ‘Mother Mary’ receives a score of 80 out of 100.

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    What is the plot of ‘Mother Mary’?

    Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel) on the eve of her comeback performance.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Mother Mary’?

    • Anne Hathaway as Mother Mary
    • Michaela Coel as Sam Anselm
    • Hunter Schafer as Hilda
    • Atheena Frizzell as Emily
    • Kaia Gerber as Nikki
    • Jessica Brown Findlay as Tessa
    • Isaura Barbé-Brown as Kyla
    • Alba Baptista as Miel Contrera
    • Sian Clifford as Jade
    • FKA Twigs as Imogen
    'Mother Mary' opens in theaters on April 17th. Photo: A24.
    ‘Mother Mary’ opens in theaters on April 17th. Photo: A24.

    List of films directed by David Lowery

    Buy Tickets: ‘Mother Mary’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Anne Hathaway Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Cuckoo’

    Hunter Schafer in 'Cuckoo'.
    Hunter Schafer in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    Opening in theaters on August 9th is ‘Cuckoo,’ directed by Tilman Singer and starring Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick, Mila Lieu, Jan Bluthardt, and Marton Csokas.

    Related Article: Director Tilman Singer Talks ‘Cuckoo’ and Working with Hunter Schafer

    Initial Thoughts

    Hunter Schafer in 'Cuckoo'.
    Hunter Schafer in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    German filmmaker Tilman Singer made a splash a few years back on the festival circuit with his horror feature debut, ‘Luz,’ and now he’s returned with a second entry in what could shape up to be one of the more loopy, esoteric filmographies in the genre if he sticks with it. ‘Cuckoo’ starts off on a weird note and gets even stranger from there, finding a nice balance between a serious sense of dread and an underlying tone of camp for most of its running time.

    It begins to run into problems in its third act, and while we shy away from movies over-explaining everything, ‘Cuckoo’ could use a bit more clarity down the homestretch. But it’s still a satisfying watch in many ways, thanks especially to excellent work from Hunter Schafer and the magnificent Dan Stevens.

    Story and Direction

    'Cuckoo' director Tilman Singer.
    ‘Cuckoo’ director Tilman Singer.

    Hunter Schafer (best known for her main role on ‘Euphoria’ but also recently showing up in ‘Kinds of Kindness’) plays Gretchen, a 17-year-old girl who is mourning the death of her mother. She’s forced to accompany her father (Martin Csokas), his wife (Jessica Henwick), and their mute young daughter Alma (Mila Lieu) to the Bavarian Alps, where her architect father has been hired to redesign a resort owned by Herr König (Dan Stevens).

    The Alps are beautiful, mysterious and vast, the aging, nearly empty resort broods on the side of a mountain, and Herr König himself is a ready-made mix of slippery charm and underlying menace who offers Gretchen a job at the hotel’s front desk. Grieving, angry, and bored (she also plays bass in a rock band that she’s been obliged to leave behind), Gretchen takes the gig – and immediately strange things start to happen.

    A woman wanders into the lobby in a sort of trance and begins to vomit, Alma herself has some kind of seizure that seems to actually cause time itself to glitch (a callback to an enigmatic scene that opens the film involving a different character), and worst of all, Gretchen is attacked one night while riding her bike by a woman in a hood with glowing eyes who emits a piercing, animalistic shriek. Herr König seems to both dismiss what’s happening while knowing full well what’s going on, and Gretchen’s one attempt to escape – with a young hotel guest (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey) who takes a shine to her – ends in a serious car accident that puts the teen in the hospital.

    Greta Fernández and Hunter Schafer in 'Cuckoo'.
    (L to R) Greta Fernández and Hunter Schafer in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    Up to this point, ‘Cuckoo’ has been building up a steady underlying sense of weird, queasy malevolence, thanks to the atmospheric setting, Singer’s use of silence and darkness, and the growing feeling that Gretchen is trapped in some of kind of waking nightmare where logic doesn’t quite apply. The late involvement of a former cop named Henry (Jan Bluthardt) who’s investigating his wife’s death points to the mystery eventually getting uncovered – which only partially happens.

    While the film’s third act is more action-oriented – as the injured Gretchen teams with Henry and moves to rescue a character she had previously shown little concern for – the explanation for what is happening at the hotel, the area around it, and a nearby medical lab in which Herr König is also involved remains frustratingly opaque. Without spoiling anything, it does tie into the bird of the film’s title, but in a way that’s still maddeningly unclear. As we said earlier, films don’t have to clarify everything; in fact, when it comes to horror, the lack of a clear rationale for the events of the story or the menace behind them often makes the narrative more terrifying.

    But Singer keeps the full contingent of secrets in ‘Cuckoo’ just out of reach, which doesn’t work as well once the film switches from atmospheric slow burn to wild-and-reckless homestretch. The movie accumulates an accelerating stream of bizarre moments on top of what we’ve already seen, yet none of it comes together in a way that quite makes sense. The result is still a fun, creepy ride, but lacks a satisfying resolution.

    The Cast

    Hunter Schafer in 'Cuckoo'.
    Hunter Schafer in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    Not having seen ‘Euphoria,’ we can only go on our recent experiences with Hunter Schafer on the big screen, and ‘Cuckoo’ shows her to be a confident, fearless actor with lots of presence and emotional weight. Gretchen surfs a full range of reactions and feelings here, from grief to loneliness to rebelliousness to terror, and Schafer pulls them all off while keeping the character grounded, intelligent, and empathetic. It’s an impressive lead performance that bodes well for Schafer’s future beyond her breakout work on ‘Euphoria.’

    Opposite her is the great Dan Stevens, who is having a hell of a year between this, ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ and ‘Abigail.’ A resourceful, wide-ranging, and chameleonic actor, Stevens plays Herr König with a nice mix of low-key authority and gleeful malevolence, gradually making the performance bigger as the story goes off in stranger directions. Like Schafer, he is (and has been for a while) a compelling presence onscreen, and he’s uniquely suited to playing charming villains with outrageous accents. Although he’s hampered in some ways by the way his character (poorly, it must be said) explains what’s happening in his pastoral little kingdom, Stevens continues to deliver in what has become one of the most formidable under-the-radar acting resumes around.

    The rest of the cast is small and relatively unknown, but our only disappointment is that Jessica Henwick – so terrific in ‘Iron Fist,’ ‘The Matrix Resurrections,’ ‘Glass Onion,’ and ‘The Royal Hotel’ – gets underused here as Gretchen’s stepmother Beth.

    Final Thoughts

    Dan Stevens in 'Cuckoo'.
    Dan Stevens in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    ‘Cuckoo’ takes its cues from ‘70s and ‘80s horror cinema, particularly indie and/or European efforts like David Cronenberg’s ‘The Brood’ (big Cronenberg energy here, in fact), Dario Argento’s ‘Phenomena,’ Nicolas Roeg’s ‘Don’t Look Now,’ and Jorge Grau’s ‘Let Sleeping Corpses Lie.’ All those films operate in a territory that veers back and forth between realism and nightmare, an aesthetic that Tilman Singer is clearly influenced by and successfully channels.

    That atmosphere can only take you so far, however, and Singer’s build-up of surreal story beats, genuinely unnerving imagery (as in the scene where Gretchen is chased on her bike) and thick atmosphere leads to a climax that is more perplexing than transcendent, with a wobblier grasp of the film’s brew of terror and camp. That may be where he wants his strange bird of a movie to ultimately land, but as a result ‘Cuckoo’ doesn’t quite sustain the horror heights that it aims for.

    ‘Cuckoo’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘Cuckoo’?

    After reluctantly moving to the German Alps with her father (Marton Csokas) and his new family, Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) discovers that their new town hides sinister secrets, as she’s plagued by strange noises and frightening visions of a woman pursuing her.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Cuckoo’?

    • Hunter Schafer as Gretchen
    • Dan Stevens as Mr. König
    • Jessica Henwick as Beth
    • Marton Csokas as Luis
    Dan Stevens in 'Cuckoo'.
    Dan Stevens in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    Other Recent Horror and Thriller Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Cuckoo’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Hunter Schafer Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘Cuckoo’ Exclusive Interview: Director Tilman Singer

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    Opening in theaters on August 9th is the new horror-thriller ‘Cuckoo’, which was directed by Tilman Singer (‘Luz’) and stars Hunter Schafer (‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’), Dan Stevens (‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’), Jessica Henwick (‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’) and Marton Csokas (‘Sleeping Dogs’).

    Related Article: 10 Things We Learned At ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Press Conference

    Hunter Schafer in 'Cuckoo'.
    Hunter Schafer in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Tilman Singer about his work on ‘Cuckoo’, developing the screenplay, the themes he wanted to explore, the visual effects, and working with Hunter Schafer.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

    'Cuckoo' director Tilman Singer.
    ‘Cuckoo’ director Tilman Singer.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about developing the screenplay and the themes you wanted to explore as a director?

    Tilman Singer: I mean, the idea grew out of a mood that I had at the time. I finished up the movie I shot before called ‘Luz’. I wasn’t in a good space at that time. I thought nobody’s going to watch that movie that we were making then. So, I had this kind of grim mood. I watched a documentary about the cuckoo bird and how they breed and that they put their eggs into the nests of other bird species. I couldn’t let go for quite a while. Then I started thinking about the themes, very abstractly. But I knew there’s something about family, about a circle, about a generational circle. It may be a violent one or one of love, but that’s what slowly evolved while thinking about my characters.

    Dan Stevens in 'Cuckoo'.
    Dan Stevens in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    MF: Can you talk about the time looping effect you used in the film and how you executed that?

    TS: I mean, we shot scenes basically a couple of times with different levels of distress for the characters. So, we basically shot things repeatedly, but with a higher stress level and with more sweat on them and stuff like this. Then of course it’s an edit thing. Along with that came an idea for an effect that our cinematographer, Paul Faltz, said he wanted to shoot through a mirror and have that mirror shake on two axes, so you get a parallax view. So, the camera can look behind the actor so it’s not only shaking the screen. We couldn’t pull that off for every scene. We didn’t have the time for it. So then later we tasked an effect artist to recreate that. They got the plan from Paul, from the cinematographer, who took a mirror, one of those lighting mirrors, put two or three electrical drills on it that were sort of vibrating the mirror like this. Then when he drew them a sketch of this, they were like, “Oh, okay. We get it. We know what you did.” Then they could recreate it and we could use it for the scenes where we didn’t have it.

    Hunter Schafer in 'Cuckoo'.
    Hunter Schafer in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about working with Hunter Schafer and what Hunter brings to a role like this?

    TS: Well, what Hunter brought to the role was, first herself, the way she connected to the role, to the movie, it was immediately clear that we were thinking and speaking about the same thing, and had this beautiful understanding, which it’s hard to get and you can’t really talk about it, because it’s kind of abstract. It’s kind of based on emotions and feeling or whatever you want to call it. So, she had that, which was most importantly to begin with. But then I saw her tape back then. I couldn’t go to Los Angeles to meet people because it was COVID times, and they shut down the borders. So, we had to rely on tapes, which kind of sucks, especially for the actors. It’s not a thankful thing to record yourself. But the way Hunter was able, even in this situation, to tap into something, an emotional bubble or pool or whatever you want to call it, within herself, in a relaxed but not casual way, was an extremely impressive talent that she has and that I could immediately see. I could see how she’s emotionally, mentally connected to the script. Sure enough, when she showed up on set, we shot some easy things before, like in the first day, as you do, everybody gets to know each other. But then she had to do difficult, heavy lifting, emotion scene, I think day two or three. That’s when I knew, “Oh, this is not only going to go great, but also be really special, what she’s bringing.” Sure enough, she is the movie. She is the story. Her character, her presence is that.

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    What is the plot of ‘Cuckoo’?

    After reluctantly moving to the German Alps with her father (Marton Csokas) and his new family, Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) discovers that their new town hides sinister secrets, as she’s plagued by strange noises and frightening visions of a woman pursuing her.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Cuckoo’?

    • Hunter Schafer as Gretchen
    • Dan Stevens as Mr. König
    • Jessica Henwick as Beth
    • Marton Csokas as Luis
    Hunter Schafer in 'Cuckoo'.
    Hunter Schafer in ‘Cuckoo’. Photo: Neon.

    Other Recent Horror and Thriller Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Cuckoo’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Hunter Schafer Movies on Amazon

  • ‘Euphoria’ to Finally Shoot Season 3 in January

    Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Barbie Ferreira, Maude Apatow, Zendaya in 'Euphoria' season 2.
    (L to R) Sydney Sweeney, Alexa Demie, Barbie Ferreira, Maude Apatow, Zendaya in ‘Euphoria’ season 2. Photo: Eddy Chen/HBO.

    Preview:

    • After long delays, ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 will shoot in January.
    • Creator Sam Levinson has written the season.
    • Actors such as Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi will return.

    ‘Euphoria’ fans have had to be remarkably patient, as the show has seen some severe delays in getting back to shooting.

    Now, though, there is light at the end of the tunnel for those who have been watching the (mis)adventures of Rue (Zendaya) and the rest, as HBO has announced that creator Sam Levinson will kick off production on Season 3 in January next year.

    Here’s the statement from Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO programming and head of HBO drama series and films:

    “I am thrilled that we are ready to begin production on ‘Euphoria’ in January. We could not be happier with our creative partnership with Sam and this incredible cast. We look forward to bringing this new season of ‘Euphoria’ to life for the fans.”

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    What’s the story of ‘Euphoria’?

    Zendaya in 'Euphoria.'
    Zendaya in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.

    For those who have somehow missed the cable channel sensation, ‘Euphoria’ follows a group of high school students as they navigate love and friendships in a world of drugs, sex, trauma and social media.

    The series is an adaptation of an Israeli show of the same name, and all episodes are written by Levinson, who also directs a lot of the show.

    Related Article: ‘Euphoria’ Creator Sam Levinson to Delay Production on Season 3

    What has happened to delay ‘Euphoria’s Season 3?

    Sydney Sweeney in 'Euphoria.'
    Sydney Sweeney in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.

    In March, a report from The Wrap brought word the delay is happening because ‘Euphoria’ creator/show-runner Sam Levinson has decided –– probably smartly, given the age of his cast –– that the new season should take the characters beyond high school.

    While the second season didn’t end with graduation (instead a school play went badly wrong and a shootout left at least one character dead), the new season will follow the leads’ lives post-school.

    And that change means new script work and extra time for development. Hence the delay.

    Despite its star-making success, the show has not been without issues, including dealing with the pandemic while shooting its first season and strikes following its second. Indeed, Levinson had been writing the third season when the writers’ strike began last year. The actors’ strike also compounded the issue.

    Barbie Ferreira, who plays the character of Kat, has announced she won’t return for the new season, and Angus Cloud, whose character Fezco was arrested at the end of Season 2, tragically died last year.

    Levinson also co-wrote and produced ‘The Idol’ for HBO, which arrived last year to scathing reviews and has been cancelled after one season.

    Who will return for ‘Euphoria’ Season 3?

    Jacob Elordi on HBO's 'Euphoria.'
    Jacob Elordi on HBO’s ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.

    ‘Euphoria’s cast, the majority of whom have become stars since it began (and whose busy schedules also present a challenge to timing), includes Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Storm Reid, Alexa Demie and Eric Dane.

    When will ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 land on screens?

    HBO has yet to confirm when the new season will land on screens, but depending on how shooting goes, it could be arriving before the end of 2025.

    Colman Domingo in 'Euphoria.'
    Colman Domingo in ‘Euphoria.’ Photograph by Eddy Chen/HBO.

    Other Movies Starring the Cast of ‘Euphoria’:

    Buy Zendaya Movies On Amazon

    Buy Sydney Sweeney Movies On Amazon

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  • ‘Kinds of Kindness’ Interview: Joe Alwyn and Mamoudou Athie

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    Opening in theaters in limited release on June 21st before opening wide on June 28th is the new anthology film from Oscar-nominated writer and director Yorgos Lanthimos (‘The Favourite’ and ‘Poor Things’) entitled ‘Kinds of Kindness’.

    The new movie tells three separate and different short stories, all performed by the same cast of actors which includes Oscar-winner Emma Stone (‘La La Land’), Jesse Plemons (‘Civil War’), Willem Dafoe (‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’), Margaret Qualley (‘Drive-Away Dolls’), Hong Chau (‘The Whale’), Joe Alwyn (‘Catherine Called Birdy’), Mamoudou Athie (‘Elemental’) and Hunter Schafer (‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’).

    Joe Alwyn and Mamoudou Athie talk 'Kinds of Kindness'.
    (L to R) Joe Alwyn and Mamoudou Athie talk ‘Kinds of Kindness’.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Kinds of Kindness’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Joe Alwyn and Mamoudou Athie about their work on ‘Kinds of Kindness’, their first reaction to the unusual screenplay, the challenges of playing three different characters in three separate stories, working with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, and collaborating with director Yorgos Lanthimos on set.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    Joe Alwyn in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    Joe Alwyn in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Joe, can you talk about your first reaction to reading this screenplay and what did you think of the idea of telling three different stories all with the same cast?

    Joe Alwyn: When I first read it, it’s unlike anything I’ve read. I was so intrigued, so baffled, and so excited. The fact that it was split into these three stories as an anthology, I really liked it. It almost felt like an experiment. I don’t know if I completely got it or if I have yet completely got it. But I also really liked his idea of having, as you say, the same cast playing different roles in each one. It felt like a theater troop and there was something playful about that. I was just excited to be invited back into Yorgos’s world. I knew I’d say yes before I’d even read it.

    Mamoudou Athie in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    Mamoudou Athie in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Mamoudou, was it challenging playing three different characters in the same movie?

    Mamoudou Athie: Honestly, that was the least challenging thing about it. I mean, that’s just kind of part of the job. It just happened to be protracted in a period where you’re doing it back-to-back to back. But it didn’t feel like any special task. It was just three different characters that I had to work on, which I feel like we’d all done. I mean, in drama school numerous times we were working on three different things at once, and it just so happened that these all somehow tied together in the same universe. But other than that, it was creative situation for the environment and that’s it.

    Mamoudou Athie in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    Mamoudou Athie in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Do you have a favorite character or segment that you worked on?

    MA: Well, obviously I have the most to do on the second, so that gave me a lot of opportunity to explore and work with Yorgos and Jesse. So, I guess it’d been the second.

    Yorgos Lanthimos on the set of 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    Yorgos Lanthimos on the set of ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Joe, what is it like being an actor on a Yorgos Lanthimos set?

    JA: I mean, he’s brilliant. He doesn’t, in my experience, try and tackle things the way that you might conventionally think he would, or a director would. So, there isn’t really conversation about character or themes or intention or the things that you might expect. But he’s quite blunt and quite direct in a way of getting what he wants in quite a simple, instructive way, which is useful. I think he really encourages a sense of play. He keeps things very light. So even though the stories and characters are often going into dark corners, there’s a real lightness and you feel safe, you might not know exactly what it is that’s going to come out the other end, but you feel safe and willing and wanting to jump in and give it a go.

    Yorgos Lanthimos and Mamoudou Athie on the set of 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    (L to R) Yorgos Lanthimos and Mamoudou Athie on the set of ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Mamoudou, what was your experience like collaborating with Yorgos on set?

    MA: Oh, he’s the man. I mean, I remember being very intimidated. He’s one of my favorite directors, period. I came in with a lot of reverence. I remember leaving the project like, “Oh, I should have been a lot more irreverent” because it was just so much fun, and it didn’t have to be anything. I imagine the script as kind of like a tome or a bible, but there’s a lot of leeway and there’s a lot of play, and it was just a very fun set. There was a lot of laughs, and I was surprised by how many times we were just cracking up on set.

    Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    (L to R) Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, Mamoudou, what was it like working with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons on this project?

    MA: I’ve had such respect for them, and it’s always nice when people live up to what you hope. Jesse is a real actor, a real actor’s actor, he’s committed and same for Emma. Just the commitment to the work itself. Everything else is secondary. But also, it was fun and easy, and we had just chill conversations. It was just the best working environment with two actors that I could hope for.

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    What is the plot of ‘Kinds of Kindness’?

    ‘Kinds of Kindness’ is an anthology film, with three separate stories that are only loosely connected. The first tells of a man (Jesse Plemons) whose life is dominated by his boss (Willem Dafoe) in extreme ways; the second follows a cop (Jesse Plemons) who is convinced that his wife (Emma Stone), who returns home after being missing and presumed dead, is not who she says she is; and in the third, two people (Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons) hit the road on behalf of a strange cult to find a woman (Margaret Qualley) who’s prophesized to have incredible powers.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Kinds of Kindness’?

    • Emma Stone as Rita / Liz / Emily
    • Jesse Plemons as Robert / Daniel / Andrew
    • Willem Dafoe as Raymond / George / Omi
    • Margaret Qualley as Vivian / Martha / Ruth and Rebecca
    • Hong Chau as Sarah / Sharon / Aka
    • Joe Alwyn as Appraiser / Jerry / Joseph
    • Mamoudou Athie as Will / Neil / Morgue Nurse
    • Hunter Schafer as Anna
    • Yorgos Stefanakos as R.M.F.
    Emma Stone and Joe Alwyn in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    (L to R) Emma Stone and Joe Alwyn in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    Other Yorgos Lanthimos Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Kinds of Kindness’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Yorgos Lanthimos Movies on Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Kinds of Kindness’

    Emma Stone in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    Emma Stone in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters June 21 is ‘Kinds of Kindness,’ directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Mamoudou Athie, Hong Chau, and Hunter Schafer.

    Related Article: 20 Best Emma Stone Movies

    Initial Thoughts

    Jesse Plemons in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    Jesse Plemons in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    For his ninth feature film, ‘Kinds of Kindness,’ Greek director and co-writer Yorgos Lanthimos (working again with his frequent writing partner, Efthimis Filippou) returns to the surreal horror/comedy of earlier works like ‘Dogtooth,’ ‘Alps,’ and ‘The Lobster.’ Not that you could call his recent, Oscar-winning films like ‘The Favourite’ and ‘Poor Things’ conventional, exactly: both still incorporate Lanthimos’ sense of the absurd, his visceral approach to sex and physical violence, and a heightened reality into more linear, accessible narratives.

    For ‘Kinds of Kindness,’ however, he’s gone back to the more enigmatic storytelling of his earlier films, skirting the line between dark comedy and outright horror (although more on the comedic side than, say, ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’). Perhaps in a sly wink to the format that spawned cult horror favorites like ‘Dead of Night’ (1945), ‘The House That Dripped Blood’ (1971), ‘Creepshow’ (1982) and more recent entries like ‘Ghost Stories’ (2017) and the ‘V/H/S’ series, ‘Kinds of Kindness’ is an anthology film, telling three loosely connected stories starring the same troupe of actors in different roles.

    The result is a long (nearly three hours) yet continuously entertaining cinematic hall of mirrors, at times frightening, revolting, and hilarious, with Lanthimos’ ensemble of actors – led, for their third feature together, by Emma Stone – clearly enjoying the exercise. Some viewers may find Lanthimos’ style here too much of a slow burn, while others may be frustrated by the unreality that intrudes in each story and his often cold view of the characters. But this is a rewarding, eerie, and unpredictable look at human behavior and the dark lengths to which people will go to win approval or acceptance.

    Story and Direction

    Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos on the set of 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    (L to R) Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos on the set of ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    The single thread that connects the three tales is a character named R.M.F. (Yorgos Stefanakos), who appears at key points in all three narratives yet whose presence is never fully explained. The character also provides the title for each segment. In the first, “The Death of R.M.F.,” Jesse Plemons plays Robert, a man who seems to have it all: a beautiful house, a loving wife (Hong Chau), and a successful career with a boss, Raymond (Willem Dafoe), who seemingly loves him like a son. But early on it’s made clear that Robert’s life is actually controlled by Raymond, down to what he eats, what he reads, and even when he has sex with his wife.

    After Raymond gives Robert a task that Robert is simply unable to do, Robert is fired – and his life spirals downward from there. His wife leaves him, he has to sell off prized possessions, and he becomes increasingly desperate in his efforts to win back Raymond’s affection. Things are only complicated when he begins a relationship with a woman (Emma Stone) who also seems to have come under Raymond’s sinister wing.

    The control that our employers have over our lives – aren’t we all on call all the time? – is very much taken to an extreme in ‘The Death of R.M.F.,’ but a theme here that recurs mainly in the third segment is our seemingly inescapable need to be accepted. Robert goes to terrible lengths to get back into Raymond’s good graces, and his spiral into near-madness is as disquieting as it is darkly humorous.

    Yorgos Lanthimos and Mamoudou Athie on the set of 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    (L to R) Yorgos Lanthimos and Mamoudou Athie on the set of ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    There’s a different kind of rejection afoot in ‘R.M.F. is Flying,’ the second and probably least effective of the three stories. Plemons again takes center stage as Daniel, a cop whose wife Liz (Stone) has gone missing on some sort of scientific ocean expedition. He watches videos of get-togethers with their best friends (played by Mamoudou Athie and Margaret Qualley), although the videos are not exactly of backyard barbecues. And then Liz is found and returns home – but Daniel soon begins to suspect that the woman in his house is not his wife.

    There is plenty of atmosphere and the same dark humor in this segment, but even for a movie that does not rely on normal logic, its story doesn’t cohere as well as ‘The Death of R.M.F.’ or the third segment, ‘R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich.’ Yet Daniel’s psychological descent, combined with Liz’s apparently odd behavior, is a metaphor for the dynamics in any human relationship: how well do we truly know the person next to us, that we are spending our life with?

    Emma Stone steps up to the lead role in ‘R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich,’ playing a woman named Emily who has abandoned her husband and daughter and joined a bizarre cult led by Omi (Dafoe) and his wife Aka (Chau). She and fellow cult member Andrew (Plemons) are tasked with searching for a person prophesized to have miraculous powers, who will become a leader of great importance to the cult.

    Willem Dafoe in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    Willem Dafoe in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    ‘R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich’ sort of comes full circle, focusing on the lengths that people will go to in order to feel like they’re part of something greater than themselves. It’s heavily implied that the women in the cult are allowed only to have sex with Omi, and must undergo purification rituals and face exile if they have sex with others, debasing themselves to stay within Omi’s good graces. There are contrivances along the way (Emily’s need to drive recklessly seems to exist only to serve the plot later on) and, unlike the first two segments, ‘Sandwich’ ends with an abrupt twist ending straight out of O. Henry.

    Cumulatively, the stories suggest a world where reality can fray at the edges and unnatural forces can creep in, especially in the second and third tales. Unlike the lush period details of ‘The Favourite’ or the colorful fantasia of ‘Poor Things,’ ‘Kinds of Kindness’ is set in a modern-day milieu, splitting its time between bastions of wealth (Raymond’s offices and home in the first segment) and lackluster, depressing settings (Daniel’s wood-paneled home in the second story, the outside of a hospital late at night).

    As in his previous work, Lanthimos is matter-of-fact in his portrayal of violence and sex: the former is abrupt, unpleasant, and inevitable (including one hard-to-watch scene where someone chops off their finger), while the latter isn’t erotic in the usual sense, but primal, urgent, and messy. Lanthimos and DP Robbie Ryan frame it and light it all simply and functionally, often going from wide shots straight to immersive close-ups involving a face or body part.

    Kudos also to Jerskin Fendrix for his minimalist, ominous score, which alternates between single plinks on the piano (a la ‘Eyes Wide Shut’) more thunderous, doom-laden chords, and apocalyptic choral bursts. The music both heightens the atmosphere and comments on the action, the latter often to subtly hilarious effect.

    The Cast

    Margaret Qualley, Jesse Plemons and Willem Dafoe in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    (L to R) Margaret Qualley, Jesse Plemons and Willem Dafoe in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Kinds of Kindness’ is clearly a film made for actors to stretch themselves as much as possible, with all the main actors (with the exception of Hunter Schafer) playing different roles in each segment. The MVP in this case is Plemons, who plays two different needy, insecure men in the first two stories yet manages to create two complete, wholly distinctive performances (also very different from his frightening cameo in ‘Civil War’ earlier this year). He changes himself again in the third story, where he’s more of a supporting player, and his work throughout is nothing less than a tour de force.

    Emma Stone, of course, is outstanding as always, with a supporting role in the first segment, a larger one in the second, and the lead in the third. Her character is more enigmatic and less fleshed out in the second story, but she is riveting in the final tale as a deeply damaged woman who has withdrawn so much from the world that she cannot even find any spare warmth for her daughter.

    Willem Dafoe is excellent as a malevolent father figure in all three stories (especially in the first and last), while Hong Chau, Margaret Qualley (who does her meatiest work in segment three), Mamoudou Athie, and the rest weave seamlessly in and out of each section of the film like the members of a seasoned stage company able to take on any role in the repertory.

    Final Thoughts

    Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    (L to R) Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    If you have found Yorgos Lanthimos’ work troublesome or even harrowing to sit through in the past, you might have a tough time watching ‘Kinds of Kindness’: there is cruelty (mostly to humans, but also briefly to an animal), callousness, sexual assault, and sadistic behavior. It steps in and out of reality, sometimes jarringly, and it can be frustrating in the way it doesn’t lay out the meaning of everything you see.

    Yet the film is also bracing, mind-bending, and utterly unpredictable from start to finish, with the film not feeling its length at all as one gets caught up in the nightmarish surreality that Lanthimos constructs and maintains. Ironically, kindness is found only sparingly in these stories, but that may be more like the real world than anything else.

    ‘Kinds of Kindness’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘Kinds of Kindness’?

    ‘Kinds of Kindness’ is an anthology film, with three separate stories that are only loosely connected. The first tells of a man whose life is dominated by his boss in extreme ways; the second follows a cop who is convinced that his wife, who returns home after being missing and presumed dead, is not who she says she is; and in the third, two people hit the road on behalf of a strange cult to find a woman who’s prophesized to have incredible powers.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Kinds of Kindness’?

    • Emma Stone as Rita / Liz / Emily
    • Jesse Plemons as Robert / Daniel / Andrew
    • Willem Dafoe as Raymond / George / Omi
    • Margaret Qualley as Vivian / Martha / Ruth and Rebecca
    • Hong Chau as Sarah / Sharon / Aka
    • Joe Alwyn as Appraiser / Jerry / Joseph
    • Mamoudou Athie as Will / Neil / Morgue Nurse
    • Hunter Schafer as Anna
    • Yorgos Stefanakos as R.M.F.
    Emma Stone in 'Kinds of Kindness.'
    Emma Stone in ‘Kinds of Kindness.’ Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

    Other Yorgos Lanthimos Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Kinds of Kindness’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Yorgos Lanthimos Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Virtual Press Conference

    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ will be in theaters on November 17th.
    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ will be in theaters on November 17th.

    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ is a prequel to the ‘The Hunger Games‘ trilogy and tells the tale of a young Coriolanus Snow before he became president of Panem and dives into the history of the Games.

    The movie is directed by Francis Lawrence, who also helmed ‘The Hunger Games’ films ‘Catching Fire’ and ‘Mockingjay’, parts one and two. ‘The Balland of Songbirds and Snakes’ premieres in theaters on November 17, 2023.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending the virtual press conference for ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’. Talent in attendance were Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, and Josh Andrés Rivera.

    Here are 10 things we learned from the ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ virtual press conference:

    1. The cast were huge fans of ‘The Hunger Games’ novels and movies prior to being cast 

    Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    (L to R) Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    The cast elaborates on their love for the novels and movies and even dressed up as characters inspired by the franchise.

    Rachel Zegler: I did read all of the books, and I saw all the movies as they came out, and it was a really lovely kind of bonding experience for my mom, my older sister and I, because we all read them together and watched them together and it was so wonderful.

    Co-star Hunter Schafer talked about loving the costume designs described in the novels so much she created her own.

    Hunter Schafer: I read the books in middle school and was deeply obsessed, and then saw the first movie and got obsessed with the costumes, and I made my own literal Capitol person costume for Halloween one year. I was drawing my own graphic novels of the book. It was a real deep obsession for a while, so it feels really full circle to be here now doing this.

    2. Tom Blyth on stepping into Donald Sutherland’s shoes in portraying a young Coriolanus Snow

    Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    Blyth, who has been a fan of the books and movies since its first release, elaborates on seeing Sutherland’s performance as President Snow and finding out his history in the prequel novel.

    Tom Blyth: Watching what Donald Sutherland did with (Coriolanus Snow), that was kind of like, deliciously evil. Then getting to kind of rewind the history tapes and look at why he became like that, and also just question his morality and get to go through that up and down that he goes through in the book. Yeah, I mean it was an absolute dream for me as an actor.

    The actor talks further about whether Sutherland’s performance had an impact on how he formed a younger version of the character:

    Tom Blyth: Very early on, I kind of put that to the side and Francis and I talked about making it my own, and also just kind of asking what drives him now as opposed to what drives him later on when he is president and a dictator and a tyrant.

    Blyth continues:

    Tom Blyth: I think what the fans are drawn to as a character is seeing that he’s not just one thing, he ends up as a tyrant, but 64 years before that he was something else entirely. The interesting part is seeing what he goes through to get there. To your point, I think by the end, I wanted him to be more like the President Snow that we know. But at the beginning, he’s something completely different and younger.

    3. Rachel Zegler finds similarities in Lucy Gray Baird and Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen

    Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Lawrence
    (L to R) Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” AP Photo/Lionsgate, Murray Close.

    When asked whether Zegler took any lessons from Jennifer Lawrence’s performance of Katniss and applied them to her own, she says:

    Rachel Zegler: I just think as actors watching Jennifer’s performance in the original trilogy is watching a masterclass performance in general. When it came to the approach of Lucy Gray, I kind of felt like I didn’t have to. I came to what Tom was saying, it kind of puts an unnecessary pressure because it’s a different character at a different time of Panem. I feel like Lucy Gray is a war-torn teenager who’s had everything she knows ripped from her, yet she’s still making the best of it.

    The actress talks about Lucy Gray’s impact on Snow and how that haunts him later on in life when he encounters Katniss.

    Rachel Zegler: I do think that there’s elements of Katniss within her and that makes it all the more fun to go back and watch the original trilogy and see how Coriolanus remains haunted by Lucy Gray even in his late life because there are echoes of her within Katniss Everdeen.

    4. Tom Blyth and Josh Andrés Rivera were the first cast members to meet

    A scene from 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    A scene from ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    Rivera plays Sejanus Plinth, who viewed Coriolanus as a close friend. The actors were the first to meet among the cast and formed a bond that carried into their scenes.

    Josh André Rivera: We had the real luxury of having that chemistry already be there a bit when we first had to film, because the first scene we shot actually was when Coryo has to rescue Sejanus in the arena, which, if you remember is quite vulnerable and intense, and to have that be your first day is a bit intimidating. It was definitely really nice that we had the luxury to get to know each other beforehand, because I think that manifested a good amount, personally.

    Tom Blyth recounts how Rivera accidentally saved him from a potential peanut allergy.

    Tom Blyth: One of the earliest scenes in the movie, which is the reaping day scene where all the students and mentors are gathered and then told that it’s the reaping day and that we’re being given mentees, basically. In the scene originally he was supposed to give me some cookies because he realizes that Coryo was hungry and that his family aren’t doing that well, even though they’re keeping up appearances. Josh, every time, went to give me the little packet of cookies and I’d put my hand out to reach them and it would feel really light, and I’d be like, okay, great, I’m supposed to eat them in the scene, and I’d go to open it and there’s no cookies left because Josh has been eating them on set.

    5. Who is Tigris Snow?

    Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    In ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’, we get to see a younger Tigris Snow. She’s a cousin of Coriolanus and is his main support when he is selected as a mentor for the 10th Hunger Games. The character of Tigris Snow can also be seen in ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’, portrayed by Eugenie Bondurant.

    Hunter Schafer: I distinctly remember her character in the books, and then seeing that character, because she was so striking in the ‘Mockingjay’ movie. But clearly there’s a pretty big jump from this movie to that Tigris, and I am kind of thankful for that because it allowed us to, in the same respect Tom was talking about, create our own take on this Tigris on a visual level and on a character level. It allowed so many of the literal layers of stuff that she has accumulated, by the time we meet her in Mockingjay, to let those fall away for this and kind of just bring a bit of myself into this Tigris, but also having the resource of the book, which is a blessing.

    Schafer elaborates that Tigris’ love for fashion is similar to her own.

    Hunter Schafer: I think I feel aligned with how she moves throughout the world and uses fashion as an armor, and I also just admire her values towards family and family first, and kind of operating on the fact that she’ll do anything for them.

    Related Article: Francis Lawrence and Nina Jacobson Talk ‘The Hunger Games’ Prequel

    6. Who is Sejanus Plinth?

    Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    (L to R) Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth and Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    Played by Josh Andrés Rivera, Sejanus Plinth and his family comes from District 2 and is a student at the Capitol Academy. He forms a close friendship with Coriolanus during the Reaping and the 10th Hunger Games.

    Josh Andrés Rivera: Something I really like about him, and that definitely drew me in when we started filming, too, was the amount of friction he has with so many of the characters. Just as far as portraying something goes, that just tends to be the funner kind of thing to do is just having a lot of people disagree with you and try to convince everyone that you’re right. A lot of times, just as an actor, is really fun. His overall belief system and how that contrasted the world that he was in was really yummy.

    7. Rachel Zegler sang live for every take during filming

    Honor Gillies as Barb Azure, Konstantin Taffet as Clerk Carmine and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    (L to R) Honor Gillies as Barb Azure, Konstantin Taffet as Clerk Carmine and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    In the film, Zegler sings a hauntingly beautiful rendition of “The Hang Tree,” first heard in the 2014 film performed by Jennifer Lawrence. The actress talks about her decision to sing live for every take during filming.

    Rachel Zegler: it was kind of my choice to sing live on set. I had done it before on my first film, and I feel really confident in that sphere of performance, in general. That was what I kind of came out of the womb doing on stage, so getting to do that for my peers and on set for my crew and the creative team was something really special that I felt like I could bring to the table. When you’re working on sets like that, or when you’re even watching movies, it kind of takes you out of the world when all of a sudden somebody starts lip-syncing, and it just kind of takes you out of it.

    The actress felt it was important to the character of Lucy to sing live:

    Rachel Zegler: I felt really blessed that Francis and Nina (Jacobson) trusted me to do that, and getting to bring that into the acoustics of the hob or the stage at the reaping and all of the other places, I don’t want to spoil that Lucy Gray gets to sing, it just adds a completely different tone to the scenes. I felt like it was really important, not only to me, but also to the character that I would be doing a disservice if I didn’t perform live every take. It was a lot, and it was very strenuous, but I trained to do it, and I felt really confident with the outcome, and I hope audiences do too.

    8. The cast’s favorite costumes and set pieces from the movie

    Viola Davis as Dr Volumnia Gaul in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    Viola Davis as Dr Volumnia Gaul in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    The Capitol of Panem has always been filled with dazzling and fascinating fashion. Costume designer Trish Summerville (‘Catching Fire’) returns for the prequel movie.

    Rachel Zegler: I was definitely curious to see what Trish Summerville was going to do with the rainbow dress because, really, the only description it gets in the book is that there are pink, blue, and yellow ruffles, and that’s it. I was really wondering how she was going to bring it to life, and it was even better than I could have possibly imagined. I think it really speaks for itself, but then also with the rest of her costumes because the rest of her outfits really don’t get described too much in the book. I think Trish just took the Covey love color line and ran with it and in such a beautiful direction.

    The cast also recounts seeing locations from the book brought to life by production designer Uli Hanisch.

    Tom Blyth: The Hob as a location, for me, was just next level of direction. It was so well done. Actually, what I love about reading a book and then seeing a film adaptation is that sometimes it totally meets your expectations, and you’re like, oh yeah, that’s cathartic because it’s exactly what you had in your mind. Then sometimes your expectation is challenged, and you see something that you’re like, oh, that’s not what I thought at all, it’s even better, it’s even cooler.

    9. What music did the cast listen to when getting into character?

    Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    (L to R) Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Courtesy of Lionsgate Films. Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    Music plays a huge part in ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ The cast talks about what song or artists got them into character or in the right headspace for a scene.

    Hunter Schafer: I think there was one scene where I had to get emotional, and “Sparks” by Coldplay always like…

    Rachel Zegler: That does it?

    Hunter Schafer: Yeah.

    Blyth has several songs on his playlist depending on the scene:

    Tom Blyth: I have a pretty extensive Coryo playlist. Music is a big way in for me. I think “Money Power Glory” by Lana Del Rey is the first song on the playlist, and then it goes to “Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles because that song has always since I was a kid, just made me feel really kind of like kooky, and crazy, it feels unhinged, and so when he undergoes his transformation, that was a big one. Then all the way to Wagner’s “Flight Of The Valkyries” or whatever it’s called when he is feeling epic and royalty. I don’t know, it goes all over the place.

    Josh Andrés Rivera: I listened to a lot of Silk Sonic. I don’t know that it got me into character, but I really liked that album.

    10. The cast talk about what strategies or weapon they would bring into the Hunger Games if they were to complete

    Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.'
    Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    Rachel Zegler: I feel like I’d have to go the route of Lucy Gray. We were just talking about this earlier, as you do, and I think I would have to win the affections of Panem and then hide and get a lot of sponsors so that I don’t die of hunger, but hide and wait everyone out.

    Hunter Schafer: I’m going to go with camouflage because I have a little experience with paint, so I feel like I can go Peeta on them and be a rock or something.

    Tom Blyth: I think I like in the movies, in the original franchise, when Peeta does the face paint. I like to think I could do that, but I definitely couldn’t, so I probably would rely on my climbing skills because I’m pretty good at climbing. So, I’d probably climb trees.

    Josh Andrés Rivera: I would probably try to make friends with the strong boys and just see how far I can coast under their shoulders before they backstab me eventually. We will worry about that when we get there.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’?

    Years before he would become the tyrannical President of Panem, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the female tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy Gray’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’?

    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’
    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ will be in theaters on November 17th, 2023.

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  • Jason Schwartzman Recruited for the ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel Movie

    Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Adrien Brody in 'The Darjeeling Limited.'
    (L to R) Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and Adrien Brody in ‘The Darjeeling Limited.’

    As pre-production continues on ‘The Hunger Games’ prequel movie ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’, studio Lionsgate has announced that Jason Schwartzman will play a key role in the movie, joining leads Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth.

    Francis Lawrence, who directed three of the ‘Hunger Games’ movies based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling book series (‘Catching Fire’, ‘Mockingjay – Part 1’ and Mockingjay – Part 2’) is back behind the camera for this new one, which has seen script work from Michael Arndt and, more recently, Michael Lesslie.

    The story, based on Collins’ prequel novel, is set roughly 60 years before the events in the original book trilogy. It finds 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Blyth) as the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler), the girl tribute from impoverished District 12.

    But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy’s race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake.

    This latest bit of casting is certainly a fun one: Schwartzman will play Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, the host of the 10th annual Hunger Games and dubbed the “voice of Panem.” Lucretius is the ancestor of Caesar Flickerman, who was played (with giant wig and gleaming white teeth) by Stanley Tucci in the original series of films). Schwartzman feels like a great call for this role – he can do charm and he can do smarm, and a Flickerman certainly needs a helping heaping of both. Not to mention a real knack for showmanship.

    Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Lawrence
    (L to R) Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” AP Photo/Lionsgate, Murray Close.

    Probably best known for his long collaboration with Wes Anderson (he’s appeared in movies such as ‘Rushmore’, ‘The French Dispatch’, and ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ for the idiosyncratic director, and occasionally works behind the scenes with him too), Schwartzman has also appeared in the likes of ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. The World’, ‘Saving Mr. Banks’, ‘Bewitched’ and ‘Marie Antoinette’. He’s usually memorable, and if Lucretius will likely be a relatively small role, we’re confident he’ll do something interesting with it.

    Schwartzman is one of the more established names recently recruited for the movie, as we last heard of a group of newcomers and rising stars – Jerome Lance, Ashley Liao, Knox Gibson, Mackenzie Lansing, and Aamer Husain – playing a variety of tributes and mentors.

    Then there’s ‘Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer, who scored the role of Tigris Snow. She’s Coriolanus’ cousin and confidante, who advises him in everything — from his role as mentor to the core of his moral compass.

    ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ is scheduled to hit theaters on November 17th next year.

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