Those aren’t typically words a filmmaker wants to hear from audiences who’ve seen their movie.
ButAri Asteris bothered by those adjectives at all.
“I’ll take it,” says the director, previously responsible for the horror filmsHereditaryandMidsommar.
Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster on the set of ‘Beau Is Afraid’.A24
And that I’m happy with, I think that’s great.
I like that it seems to be something that people have to contend with and wrestle with.
It’s really across the board."
Nathan Lane, Joaquin Phoenix, and Amy Ryan in ‘Beau Is Afraid’.Takashi Seida
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You made bothHereditaryandMidsommarfor A24, but this is a very different, and bigger, film.
What kind of discussions did you have with the folks there about it?
ARI ASTER:Well, there weren’t so many discussions about the nature of the film.
Did they have any notes?
This didn’t seem like a film that was overburdened by studio notes.
No, for better or for worse, there weren’t a lot of notes.
The challenge was always to get it as short as I could.
There was always a lot of encouragement to chisel it down as far as possible.
I’m very pleased with the final shape of the film.
It feels to me like it’s very complete.
It is, again, for better or for worse, what I set out to make.
Could you talk a little bit about the physical look of Joaquin in the film.
Is that something you had inmind?
Is itsomething you devised with him?
The look was definitely something that we worked on together.
Joaquin gets very involved very early on, [asking], “What is the hair?
What are his clothes?
Not only what is his appearance but how does he carry himself?
How does he walk?
What is his voice?”
Was that a coincidence or were you leaning into that?
I don’t know why, but I always wanted the cast to be comprised especially of theater actors.
I mean, all these guys are screen actors too, like Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan certainly.
It’s arguable whether they’re screen actors or theater actors first, right?
And Parker Posey, she’s on the stage a lot and she’s wonderful.
Then I saw her in a red carpet video where she was just being Patti.
She’s the best.
She’s so funny, and so game, and really committed.
It felt like a no-brainer once I saw that video.
Like, whynotuse her?
And so that was a joy.
What can of reaction did you get from the audience?
I have no idea.
I’m so in my own head and I’m so hyper-aware of every nuance of every interaction.
I can’t even speak to it.
Do you know what you’re doing next?
I have an idea what I’m doing next, yeah.
You don’t care to share it with me?
Well, it’s nothing personal.
It’s not you, it’s me.
Beau Is Afraidis in theaters now.
Watch the film’s trailer above.
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