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Tag: sarah paulson

  • Movie Review: ‘Hold Your Breath’

    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    Premiering on Hulu from October 3rd, ‘Hold Your Breath’ represents the second film is as many months that focuses on a mother desperately trying to keep her children safe from an evil presence outside their home, even as not everyone completely believes that it’s true.

    With Sarah Paulson offering a commanding central performance, the movie is sometimes a little too slow burn for its own good but has a convincing sense of dread.

    Related Article: Sarah Paulson Talks New Psychological Thriller ‘Hold Your Breath’

    Will ‘Hold Your Breath’ make you hold yours?

    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    Though it was written before the pandemic, there’s a certain timeliness to ‘Hold Your Breath’s story of fears about something nasty from the outside getting into your home. And then there is the dual concept of motherhood as a driving survival instinct and the potential that the lurking threat is more a mental health issue than concrete evil, as explored recently in Halle Berry-starring horror thriller ‘Never Let Go’ (there is even a shared idea of attaching yourself by rope to your abode, though here it’s more a navigational aide).

    ‘Hold Your Breath’ tackles the character work in more accomplished fashion than ‘Never Let Go,’ though that’s primarily thanks to the efforts of writer and director Karrie Crouse and of star Sarah Paulson, who make her role more well-rounded than director Alexandre Aja’s effort.

    Script and Direction

    Ebon Moss-Bachrach in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Ebon Moss-Bachrach in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    Karrie Crouse wrote the script and joins forces with creative partner/husband William Joines to jointly direct the new thriller.

    If there’s a major issue with ‘Hold Your Breath,’ it’s that it really pushes the idea of the slow-burn thriller to such a degree that it feels like the gas is set to “low.” Long takes and sedate scenes do help to grow the dread levels, but the result is also a tone verging on frustrating, even with the odd shock dotted throughout. If you’re looking for a rollicking thriller with dynamic pacing, go elsewhere, but the movie still has plenty to offer.

    Striking visuals –– achieved primarily with practical effects and some digital assistance, give the movie a claustrophobic, windswept quality, making the 1930s setting fully believable and helping the power the story, which carries its themes of mental health, paranoia and suspicion effectively.

    Performances

    Sarah Paulson is the standout here, but she is aided by the actors playing her daughters and a creepy turn from ‘The Bear’s Ebon Moss Bacharach.

    Sarah Paulson as Margaret Bellum

    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    Paulson has been putting in excellent, awards-worthy performances for years, and while ‘Hold Your Breath’ seems unlikely to bother trophy lists outside of genre categories, it’s worth noting how committed and intense her portrayal of Margaret is.

    She’s a woman facing the challenges of the man-made climate disaster of the 1930s, her family’s farm suffering the impact of howling dust storms and withering crops. Add to that the absence of her husband, away looking for work and the need to protect her daughters from the terror she suspects is swirling within the dust and you have a compelling central character whose anguish is both relatable and believable.

    As the tension ratchets up, Paulson makes every turn work, and Margaret remains sympathetic even in the face of her increasing desperation.

    Amiah Miller as Rose Bellum

    Amiah Miller in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Amiah Miller in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    A veteran of ‘War for the Planet of the Apes,’ Miller here has a slightly more thankless role than Paulson, playing the elder daughter largely called upon to worry about her younger sibling and act terrified at whatever is happening at any given moment. Still, she does well in the role, imbuing Rose with a real sense of burgeoning responsibility and making her fear understandable in the face of what happens to the family.

    Alona Jane Robbins as Ollie Bellum

    The younger Bellum daughter has more to her than Rose; as a Deaf girl (played well by Deaf actor Robbins), she’s even more at threat from the dangers lurking beyond the doors. Robbins combines a healthy amount of fear in the part with mastering some unfamiliar, period-specific sign language, and while she isn’t asked to do much than react for the majority of the running time, she handles the role with aplomb.

    Ebon Moss-Bachrach Wallace Grady

    Ebon Moss-Bachrach in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Ebon Moss-Bachrach in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    The role of Grady, the mysterious man discovered by Margaret lurking in the Bellum farm’s barn and claiming to know her husband, is a solid one for Moss-Bacharach. It might not have the nuance of ‘The Bear’s Ritchie, but it offers him the chance to play a similarly conflicted character. Is he a threat? He certainly appears to be, yet he also seems to be able to heal both Rose’s breathing issues and the family’s slowly-starving cow.

    Supporting cast

    Around the central family and Wallace, there are a few notable performances, including Annaleigh Ashford as Esther Smith, Margaret’s sister-in-law who initially seems to be suffering delusions of her own and puts her family at risk. Ashford is suitably nervy in the role, playing well off of Paulson. Arron Shiver as Sheriff Bell is an upright and decent support as the local lawman, while the various other women of the tiny community are good at the mixture of busybody concern and suspicion that such period pieces often contain.

    Final Thoughts

    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    It won’t push the needle much in terms of this year’s horror offerings, but the visuals are good enough that you do wish it had seen the inside of a theater instead of heading straight to streaming.

    A powerful main performance and some excellent effects work make this one worth checking out.

    ‘Hold Your Breath’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

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    What is the plot of ‘Hold Your Breath’?

    In 1930s Oklahoma, a young mother (Sarah Paulson ) haunted by the past becomes convinced that a mysterious presence in dust storms is threatening her family and takes extraordinary measures to protect them.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Hold Your Breath’?

    • Sarah Paulson as Margaret Bellum
    • Amiah Miller as Rose Bellum
    • Annaleigh Ashford as Esther Smith
    • Alona Jane Robbins as Ollie Bellum
    • Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Wallace Grady
    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    Other Sarah Paulson Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Sarah Paulson Movies on Amazon

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  • ‘Hold Your Breath’ Exclusive Interview: Sarah Paulson

    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    Available on Hulu beginning October 3rd is the new psychological thriller ‘Hold Your Breath,’ which was directed by Karrie Crouse (‘Westworld’) and Will Joines.

    The film stars Sarah Paulson (‘Ocean’s 8’, ‘Glass’), Amiah Miller (‘War for the Planet of the Apes’), Annaleigh Ashford (‘Bad Education’), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (‘The Bear’).

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with acclaimed actress Sarah Paulson about her work on ‘Hold Your Breath’, her first reaction to the screenplay, why she wanted to make the film, her character and her relationship with her daughter, preforming in sandstorms, working with two directors, and how acting opposite Ebon Moss-Bachrach on this movie made her appearance on ‘The Bear’ easier.

    Related Article: ‘Glass’ Star Sarah Paulson Was “Obsessed” with ‘Unbreakable’

    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and why you wanted to be part of this project?

    Sarah Paulson: Well, my first reaction when I read the screenplay was, yes, I would like to do this. It was partly because I was really excited about playing a woman living in this time-period. I hadn’t read a lot about the Dust Bowl. Of course, I knew about it in terms of our country’s history and what was happening during that time and why it happened. But I was really interested in portraying a woman in that time-period and playing a mother. What hit me the most significantly about it was this idea of, yes, it is a psychological horror film, but it was the psychological component that was more interesting to me. The monster as it were, is the air itself and of course, created by our own over-harvesting of the land. It created this terrible situation for so many people in that part of our country at that time that it just seemed to me like a very potent space to create a movie like this. Also, just very clearly as it was written on the page, the juxtaposition of the stark beauty of the landscape of the film was very evident and present on the page. I thought that that would be a kind of wonderful world to inhabit as well.

    MF: Can you talk about the hard life that Margaret lives and the difficult choices she makes to protect her family?

    SP: I think one of the things that was interesting too about it was just that this is a woman who was essentially on her own, and this happened to a lot of women at this time during the Dust Bowl. Their husbands had to go off and try to find some way of making money, and the women were left home alone to fend for themselves. It was really challenging. I don’t know, I felt like I couldn’t imagine how I would fare in that same environment. So, there was heroism to her real commitment that was connected to her desire to take care of her children. It was not about her own survival, but it was about making sure that her family was safe and taking on a role traditionally reserved for the man of the house, that she had to do this on her own. That was very interesting to me as well.

    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    MF: Was it difficult shooting the sandstorm sequences?

    SP: Well, that was what was so fun about it to me. A lot of them are practical and that made it exciting to play because I wasn’t having to simulate responding to dust in my eyes, my mouth and my nose. I would come home at night, and I would find things in my ears you can’t even imagine, in terms of dirt and dust in my nose, my eyes, my scalp, and under my fingernails. I kind of loved it because it meant I wasn’t having to pretend or simulate the difficulty of that. I was inside it. There were a couple of times where I asked the prop department to put more dust in the air and to make the fans blow faster and harder and to hit me more directly with them so that I would have more to work against it. I have to say it was an enormous amount of fun. Listen, as actors, we are all encouraged and need desperately to use our imaginations, but anytime you can be looking at an actual blazing fire versus an imagined one is going to be, for me anyway, much more potent than imagining a fire they’re going to put in later with visual effects. The same thing with the dust. It’s like looking up into a big, bright blue sky and imagining there’s a dust storm. That is not the same as looking up and the special effects department has got so much swirling in the air that it is scary. I just think it enhances something from an acting standpoint because anytime something can feel more real to me, I would argue and hope that therefore it would encourage a more real response from me and a more truthful performance.

    MF: Can you talk about Margaret’s relationship with her daughter and working with actress Amiah Miller?

    SP: Well, I loved Amiah so much immediately. Amiah and I share an agent, so I got slipped her audition before I think it even made its way to our directors. I wrote to them immediately and said, “I think there’s just no question that this is our girl.” They had the same reaction when they saw her audition. It was just so self-possessed, emotional, full and real. She was just a joy to work with. I’m sure she’s going to be a big fat superstar, and I hope she’ll still take my call. It’s always exciting. I mean, Amiah hasn’t had a ton of work experience. So, it was a lovely thing. Yet she’s at the precipice of becoming a grown woman. So, it was wonderful to be able to watch her navigate what it was like to be on a set and how she was able to navigate probing these emotional places in herself. She was just such a consummate professional and an incredible scene partner who was always just right there with me, emotionally, always, and never afraid to meet me right where I was and encouraged me to be just that much more truthful. I just can’t say enough about her. I loved being her mother, even if it was only for a moment.

    Amiah Miller in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Amiah Miller in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    MF: Have you ever worked with two directors at the same time before and what was your experience like working with Karrie Crouse and Will Joines?

    SP: Gosh, have I had that experience before? I don’t know that I have. I really loved it because it was also very fascinating for me to watch them try to figure it out. It was always interesting who would tend to come up and give me a note versus who would give Annaleigh Ashford a note. It was different, and it was so interesting how they chose to divvy up their responsibilities. I think also what I really loved was Karrie wrote the script and Will has so much admiration for her, respect and love for her, but real admiration and reverence for what she created. He always wanted her to have what she wanted and what she had imagined or dreamt of when she was writing it. So, it was a very beautiful thing to watch them work together so cohesively and with such support of one another, and they’re each other’s biggest fans and champions. They were absolutely a unit the entire time. I never felt that thing of, “Someone’s going to have a big fight when they get home tonight”. It was never like that. They were really like one. It was like being directed by one person.

    Ebon Moss-Bachrach in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Ebon Moss-Bachrach in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about working with Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and did you shoot ‘Hold Your Breath’ before you appeared on ‘The Bear’?

    SP: This movie was first, and it was wonderful that it was first because we get to do a lot of harrowing, dark, fraught things together. Then I got to go be on the set of ‘The Bear’, which is an incredibly intimidating set to walk onto because I was such a rabid fan of the show. I’d seen every episode more than once. We got to do all that stuff that was intense together and then it was wonderful to me that I had that time with him because we got to know each other a little bit, even though we knew each other in New York as young actors in a real cursory way. But then because I shot that first and then we did ‘The Bear’ afterwards, I was just saying how it was a very intimidating set to walk onto because I had watched ‘The Bear’ with such fervor and I was so obsessed and possessed by it and had watched each episode multiple times. I was really walking onto that set as an enormous fan. So, it was very comforting to me to look across the room at Ebon because I knew him so intimately because of the way we worked together, it really mitigated some of my terror being around all those superstars on that show.

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    What is the plot of ‘Hold Your Breath’?

    In 1930s Oklahoma, a young mother (Sarah Paulson ) haunted by the past becomes convinced that a mysterious presence in dust storms is threatening her family and takes extraordinary measures to protect them.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Hold Your Breath’?

    • Sarah Paulson as Margaret Bellum
    • Amiah Miller as Rose Bellum
    • Annaleigh Ashford as Esther Smith
    • Alona Jane Robbins as Ollie Bellum
    • Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Wallace Grady
    Sarah Paulson in 'Hold Your Breath'. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.
    Sarah Paulson in ‘Hold Your Breath’. Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

    Other Sarah Paulson Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Sarah Paulson Movies on Amazon

     

  • First Teaser for ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’

    Preview:

    • Prime Video’s ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ has launched its first trailer.
    • The show stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine.
    • The series launches on February 2nd.

    Once upon a time, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith‘ were Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, playing married assassins whose relationship had begun to feel stale. But when they discover their shared, hidden sides, things spice back up –– even if neither might survive it.

    In taking that idea, ‘Atlanta’ creator and co-star Donald Glover has given it a slight twist (see below), recruiting Maya Erskine to play Mrs. Smith to his Mr.

    From the looks of the first teaser, the show certainly manages to bring both the funny and the action levels, so this is one we’re anticipating.

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    What’s the story of ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’?

    Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.'
    (L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

    While it has a similar basic concept to the 2005 Doug Liman movie (famously the project where Pitt met and ended up married to co-star Jolie), the new series puts a fresh spin on the story.

    Here, Glover and Erskine play two lonely strangers who land jobs working for a mysterious spy agency that offers them a glorious life of espionage, wealth, world travel, and a dream brownstone in Manhattan.

    The catch? New identities in an arranged marriage as Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith. Now hitched, John and Jane navigate a high-risk mission every week while also facing a new relationship milestone. Their complex cover story becomes even more complicated when they catch real feelings for each other. What’s riskier: espionage or marriage?

    Who also appears in ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’?

    Maya Erskine in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.'
    Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

    ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’s cast is full of solid character actors and people known for blending comedy and drama. The ensemble includes Alexander Skarsgård, Eliza González, Sarah Paulson, Sharon Horgan, Ron Perlman, Billy Campbell, Úrsula Corberó, Paul Dano, Michaela Coel, John Turturro, Parker Posey and Wagner Moura.

    Related Article: Donald Glover To Write Lando Series With His Brother Stephen Glover

    Who has made ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’?

    Donald Glover in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.'
    Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

    Glover co-created the series with Francesca Sloane, one of his ‘Atlanta’ colleagues. Christian Sprenger, a fallow ‘Atlanta’ veteran, is the main director.

    Originally, ‘Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge was aboard to co-write and co-star, but because of creative differences, she left the show in 2021.

    Here’s what she told The Hollywood Reporter about it:

    “I worked on that show for six months fully in heart and mind and really cared about it — still care about it. And I know it’s gonna be brilliant. But sometimes it’s about knowing when to leave the party. You don’t want to get in the way of a vision. Creative collaboration is like a marriage, and some marriages don’t work out.”

    When will ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ be on our screens?

    All eight episodes of the show will debut on Prime Video on February 2nd.

    Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.'
    (L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
    Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.'
    (L to R) Maya Erskine and Donald Glover in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
    Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith.'
    (L to R) Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith.’ Credit: David Lee/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

    Other Donald Glover Movies:

    Buy Donald Glover Movies On Amazon

  • FX Sets ‘Impeachment’ as Next ‘American Crime Story’ With Monica Lewinsky Producing

    FX Sets ‘Impeachment’ as Next ‘American Crime Story’ With Monica Lewinsky Producing

    Sarah Paulson in American Horror Story
    FX Networks

    “American Crime Story” will tackle the sex scandal that nearly took down Bill Clinton’s presidency in its third season.

    FX announced that Ryan Murphy’s anthology will return after a year and a half absence with “Impeachment: American Crime  Story.” And Monica Lewinsky, the former intern at the heart of the scandal, is on board as a producer.

    “Impeachment” will star Beanie Feldstein (“Booksmart”) as Lewinsky, frequent Murphy collaborator Sarah Paulson will play Linda Tripp, while Annaleigh Ashford (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace”) is Paula Jones.

    Sarah Burgess wrote the script based on Jeffrey Toobin’s bestselling “A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.” Murphy optioned the book in 2017, but hesitated to go forward without Lewinsky’s involvement.

    “I told her, ‘Nobody should tell your story but you, and it’s kind of gross if they do,’” Murphy told The Hollywood Reporter. “‘If you want to produce it with me, I would love that; but you should be the producer and you should make all the goddamn money.’”

    Production on “Impeachment” is set to begin in February, and the limited series is slated to premiere September 27, 2020.

  • Sarah Paulson Reportedly Not Starring in ‘American Horror Story: 1984’

    Sarah Paulson Reportedly Not Starring in ‘American Horror Story: 1984’

    Sarah Paulson in American Horror Story
    FX Networks

    Here’s a scary thought for “AHS” fans: Sarah Paulson won’t be one of the stars of “American Horror Story: 1984.”

    Sources have told Variety that the Emmy-winning actress doesn’t have a major role in the anthology series’ upcoming ninth season. While Deadline reports that she’ll have a smaller part, it seems she won’t be the presence on the show that fans have been accustomed to it recent years. Paulson started as a recurring character in the debut season of the series, “Murder House,” and has been a regular in every installment since then, often playing multiple characters.

    There’s been no comment on the news from either Paulson’s camp or 20th Century Fox Television, the studio behind the show. What we do know for sure, though, is that the actress is very much in demand. Her upcoming FX series “Mrs. America” is currently in production and she’ll star in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series “Ratched.” Paulson also has multiple film on the way, including “The Goldfinch,” “Abominable,” and “Run.”

    Needless to say, many “AHS” fans are shocked to hear she’s out, as their tweets show:

    Paulson isn’t the only “AHS” staple to step away from the series this season. Evan Peters shared in April that he would “sit a season out” for the first time. Things are going to be different in “1984.”

    “American Horror Story: 1984” premieres Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX.

    [via: Variety; Deadline]

  • ‘Glass’ Star Sarah Paulson on the Film’s Big Twist

    ‘Glass’ Star Sarah Paulson on the Film’s Big Twist

    Universal/Disney

    Given the film’s boffo box office, chances are that you have already seen “Glass,” M. Night Shyamalan‘s conclusion to the superhero saga that started with “Unbreakable” and continued with “Split” (so, of course, Bruce Willis, James McAvoy and Samuel L. Jackson are back). And, given that this is a Shyamalan film, it ends with a pretty colossal twist.

    We spoke with Sarah Paulson, who costars as the psychiatrist tasked with unraveling the truth behind the supposed heroes, about what she knew about thw twist and what her favorite element of it was. Beware, because, of course, SPOILERS.

    Moviefone: How much did Night tell you about your group, The Clover Folk?

    Paulson: [laughs] The Clover Folk! The secret society? You know, he told me but it was all there on the page. That’s all that was there. The biggest question was which hand was the tattoo going to go on. And I have not seen the movie so I wonder if this is a thing people will notice on repeated viewings, but we did versions where you see the tattoo before we see the tattoo with Bruce at the end of the movie. I don’t know if, when I’m looking at Sam’s X-rays, we did versions where you could see a little bit of it. I don’t know where Night ended up with that in the edit.

    But that was the main discussion – where do we put it, where are we going to see it? Let’s do versions when we see it here and he’ll decide if we ever see it when he’s editing it.

    That’s so interesting. Now I want to go back and look for it.

    I know. I wonder… Because if you’re not really looking for it, you wouldn’t notice.

    You weren’t pulling down your shirt sleeves or anything?

    No, it was very much an issue during costume fittings, to make sure all of my sleeves were, on its own, able to conceal it without much effort and if we wanted to reveal it, we could.

    Did he ever indicate that this was an idea that he’d had from the beginning, with this group that shadows these heroes?

    Well, listen, the man had almost 20 years to think about it. So whatever he decided, he decided long ago, but because he has so much invested in this, because the characters are so beloved to him, he would sometimes be like, “No, I do want to see the tattoo beforehand!” or “No, I don’t want to see the tattoo!” He wanted to be able to have the option in the edit.

    What was your favorite aspect of this element?

    I like playing everything about her. It’s always fun to place a person with a secret. At the same time, if you have a secret, you’ve got to be really good about concealing it. I haven’t seen the movie but I’ve talked to people who have and they’ve said, “You think there’s something mysterious about her but you don’t think like this happening.” You’re never sure if she’s good or bad.

    “Glass” is now playing everywhere.

  • ‘Glass’ Star Sarah Paulson Was ‘Obsessed’ with ‘Unbreakable’

    ‘Glass’ Star Sarah Paulson Was ‘Obsessed’ with ‘Unbreakable’

    Universal/Disney

    This week sees the release of “Glass” and with it culmination of M. Night Shyamalan‘s shared cinematic universe, which began with “Unbreakable” back in 2000 and continued, to everyone’s surprise, with 2016’s “Split.” And while the big draw is obviously the scenes shared between Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson and James McAvoy, there are new characters introduced in this final chapter, the biggest of which is Dr. Ellie Staple, a psychiatrist treating all three of them for what she perceives as their delusional tendencies. As portrayed by the always-brilliant Sarah Paulson, the doctor is sharp, efficient and harboring (of course) some very huge secrets. She wants to unlock their potential by destroying the notion that any of them are special; it’s an intriguing concept brought to fully-formed life by Paulson.

    We were lucky enough to talk to Paulson about her character, her relationship to the franchise before signing on, and whether or not she’d want to continue playing in the “Unbreakable” sandbox.

    Moviefone: Were you a fan of these movies before you had signed on?

    Paulson: I was obsessed with “Unbreakable.” “Split” I saw in the theater, reluctantly, because the trailer scared the sh*t out of me and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go there. But my friend Pedro Pascal said, “Come on! We’re going to go!” So we went and I was absolutely entranced by it and I remember Bruce Willis was sitting there, the audience went bananas. And I turned to Pedro and said, “Wait wait wait – what does that mean?” He broke into the most sly smile and said, “It means this is the sequel to ‘Unbreakable.’” I went, “Whaaaat?” and started freaking out. So “Unbreakable” is my favorite of Night’s movies, so it was exciting to watch it three more times before starting this movie just to really immerse myself in that world.

    It’s interesting that you were scared of “Split,” considering you do so many scary things.

    I know, everyone says that. But it’s funny because one really has nothing to do with the other. It’s so fascinating to me, because creating fear for someone who is already frightened, isn’t that hard to imagine. It’s really at the ready for me, because everything terrifies me. It’s a very real thing, folks. Very real.

    You hear about Night’s movies being very secretive and huh-hush. So what was that experience like for you on “Glass?”

    Well I said yes to it before I read it because I met with Night. I was shooting “American Horror Story: Cult” and this movie called “The Post” at the same time — that was in New York and ‘Cult’ was in Los Angeles and Night was coming to LA. He had asked my agent if he could meet with me and I had not a moment of free time because the schedule was so crazy, so he came and had lunch with me in my trailer at work. He didn’t really tell me much about the movie but when he left we exchanged phone numbers and he said, “Listen, in the spirit of full disclosure, I don’t know that this part will even be played by a woman, it might be played by a man. I just want you to know that, since I’m still writing it.” So I thought, There’s nothing I can do about that. You lose a part to another actor, what can you do? But if you’re looking for a man, I’d like to imagine I could pull that off for you but I’m not sure if I can.

    But eventually he called me and said, “I want you to do it.” And I said without having read the script. So that’s really the truth – I didn’t know anything about the movie until I was handed the script by a little man in a backpack and a baseball hat, knocked on the door of the hotel I was staying at and handed me the script. I’m sure he practically waited outside while I read it.

    I was worried the last five pages might be missing or I’d heard that he sometimes gives you multiple endings, and you don’t know which one is true. But I got the full script, the whole story was there and the ending included.

    So when he first met you did he lay out the character at all?

    He did. He said the role would be of a doctor who is helping these patients and all three of the characters are from “Unbreakable” and “Split.” I said, “Wait what?” But, again, he said, “It may be a man, it may be a woman, I’m not sure.” But I was like, “You’re telling me that I could be in a movie connected to ‘Unbreakable’ and ‘Split’ and I have to wait until you decide if it’s a man or a woman? Okay. I’ll try to sit tight. Sure.”

    Universal/Disney

    You’ve played characters who have multiple identities or have played multiple characters in the same project, but what was it like working with James during those scenes where he’s toggling between those characters?

    That’s one of the more extraordinary things I’ve ever borne witness to. And that’s the truth. I’ve worked with arguably some of the greatest actors in the world and I have been lucky enough to look into their faces while they’re working and it’s really special. This was like an Olympic event it felt like. And someone should hand him a gold medal. He literally goes in and out of these personalities without taking a breath. It was awe-inspiring and totally irritating because, really, nobody should be that talented, it was kind of annoying.

    When you finally got to do some scenes with Sam and Bruce did you let them know that you were obsessed with “Unbreakable?”

    No I tried to keep it cool because being around Samuel L. Jackson is intimidating enough. The man is about 7-foot-10 and you’ve seen him in every movie that’s ever been made basically. He’s just a legend. But of course he’s the nicest man alive and you both start talking about how much you love “Game of Thrones” and the next thing you know, you’re best friends. I’m the queen of not being able to keep my cool. I tried my best to keep it a little bit under wraps so as not to totally embarrass myself. But it’s not easy for me. It’s not my safe space.

    This movie does open up the world of the “Unbreakable” universe. Has Night talked to you about coming back?

    Well, nothing would make me happier, I have not heard one peep about that. Maybe I can ply Night with enough booze tonight at the premiere where he’ll say, “Well maybe if I were to do it …” But what I think matters is just that people go to this movie and if they go to the movie … If people go to the movie, then they make other movies. So …

     And that’s not all – check back on Monday for more with Paulson, including a breakdown of the movie’s big twist.

    “Glass” is out everywhere, starting tonight.

  • Sandra Bullock and Sarah Paulson See Horrors in ‘Bird Box’ Trailer

    Sandra Bullock and Sarah Paulson See Horrors in ‘Bird Box’ Trailer

    Sandra Bullock in Bird Box
    Netflix

    Keep that blindfold on!

    “Bird Box” doesn’t have the best horror film ring to it, but it does have the best cast:

    Sandra Bullock
    Sarah Paulson
    John Malkovich
    Trevante Rhodes

    The Netflix thriller is directed by Susanne Bier, fresh off her Emmy wins for “The Night Manager.”

    You can let it scare you on the darkest night of the year — December 21.

    It’s still another story set in a post-apocalyptic world, based on an acclaimed novel. There aren’t too many other comparisons to “The Passage,” but since that apocalyptic series just shared its first trailer too, it feels like one more must be on the way this week to make it an official trend.

    Here’s more on “Bird Box”:

    “Never lose sight of survival.

    When a mysterious force decimates the world’s population, only one thing is certain: if you see it, you take your life. Facing the unknown, Malorie finds love, hope and a new beginning only for it to unravel. Now she must flee with her two children down a treacherous river to the one place left that may offer sanctuary. But to survive, they’ll have to undertake the perilous two-day journey blindfolded.

    Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock leads an all-star cast that includes Trevante Rhodes, with Sarah Paulson, and John Malkovich in #BirdBox, a compelling new thriller from Academy Award winner Susanne Bier.”

    So it’s like “A Quiet Place” but with sight instead of sound? Or “A Quiet Place” is “Bird Box,” which was written first, with sound instead of sight?

    Check out the trailer:

    “Bird Box” will play in select theaters and stream on Netflix December 21.

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  • ‘American Horror Story’ Returns to ‘Murder House’ in Special 78 Minute Episode

    ‘American Horror Story’ Returns to ‘Murder House’ in Special 78 Minute Episode

    American Horror Story, Jessica Lange
    FX

    Welcome home, Michael.

    “American Horror Story: Apocalypse” is the crossover season for “Murder House” and “Coven.” We’ve already seen several “Coven” witches, but not too much from the “Murder House” contingent — besides an older version of Antichrist baby Michael Langdon (Cody Fern).

    That changes with Episode 6 — airing this Wednesday, October 17. That special supersized episode will take us back to Murder House. The episode is literally called “Return to Murder House,” and it was directed by none other than Sarah Paulson.

    This week, we’ll revisit baby Michael’s family — Vivien Harmon (Connie Britton) is Michael’s biological mother, with Tate Langdon, aka Rubber Man (Evan Peters) as the father. Vivien’s husband Ben (Dylan McDermott) and daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga) will also return.

    And of course we’ll get to see Constance Langdon (Jessica Lange), who raised baby Michael.

    AHS normally runs an hour, but this Wednesday’s Episode 6 will run for 78 minutes (or 55 minutes without commercials), starting at 10 p.m. on FX.

    Check out the promo:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EpZK3vrPno

    [Via: THR]

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  • ‘AHS: Apocalypse’ Teaser Reveals Sarah Paulson’s New Character, Warns ‘Decimation Is Upon Us’

    ‘AHS: Apocalypse’ Teaser Reveals Sarah Paulson’s New Character, Warns ‘Decimation Is Upon Us’

    Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Apocalypse
    FX

    Sarah Paulson is playing three characters in “American Horror Story: Apocalypse.” So if you’re an actress struggling to find roles, blame her. Kidding! Blame Ryan Murphy. Kidding! Blame no one, because this is what she deserves.

    “Apocalypse” is “AHS” Season 8, and it’s the long-awaited crossover season of “Murder House” and “Coven.”

    Sarah Paulson will be bringing back her “Coven” character Cordelia Goode, as well as “Murder House” character Billie Dean Howard. She’ll also play a new character called Venable, and the latest AHS teaser shows her off:

    “Now is your chance to be one of the few remaining. This is your chance to survive. We’ll find you soon.”

    If you head to that link — thebeginningisnear.tv — you should see a page with this information:

    AHS: Apocalypse page
    FX

    So “Apocalypse” is apparently well named. It’s like “The Hunger Games” and she’s the new Effie. May the odds be ever in Jessica Lange’s favor.

    Season 8 will feature Cody Fern as the older Michael Langdon, aka the Antichrist baby from “Murder House.”  So you have to imagine he’ll have some connection to whatever “Decimation Is Upon Us.”

    According to EW, Sarah Paulson is also making her directorial debut with Episode 6, which will also feature the return of Jessica Lange.

    https://twitter.com/AHS8Apocalypse/status/1032322747890851840

    “American Horror Story: Apocalypse” premieres September 12 on FX.

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