“We just went for it.”
says Kroll, sharing stories from the film’s shoot and world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
To quote a lyric,Harry StylesandNick Krollhave kissed in the kitchen like it’s a dance floor.
Olivia Wilde and Nick Kroll in ‘Don’t Worry Darling’.Warner Bros. Pictures
Or, if not a kitchen, a midcentury-decorated living room.
But Kroll tells EW the moment wasn’t scripted, or even discussed with Styles before it happened.
“We just went for it,” he laughs.
“It was not like, ‘Hey, in this next take, let’s kiss.’
It was spur of the moment.
As it was, frankly, in Venice as well.
But I definitely think my stock went up with my nieces and nephews.
And every teenage girl and boy around the world.”
“That scene is really supposed to be the height of fun, loose Rat Pack energy.
Olivia let us play and improvise.
That just organically happened.
And then they used it in the movie.”
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So, you and Harry, engagement announcement coming any day now?
NICK KROLL:[Laughs] Ironically, Harry was the first person to find out I was engaged.
Because while we were filming, my wife and I got engaged.
And I was talking to the cast, like, “How should I do it?”
And I had this long conversation about what to do, and then proposed the next day.
Harry happened to text me being like, “Has it happened yet?”
And I was like, “Yes, and she said yes.”
Andthenwe told our parents, so literally, he’s an active part of my marriage.
We’ll see what happens from here.
All of your cast mates except Harry are fairly experienced actors.
Tell me more about that working relationship.
You would never know that he has not done a lot of acting.
He’s such a natural performer.
It was such a stacked cast.
He’s so creepy and good in the movie, andGemma Chanplays his wife slightly creepy but elegant.
I’m playing opposite Olivia, who directs the movie.
I’m playing her husband.
It’s high praise to be cast to play the husband to the director in the movie.
Watching her navigate directing and acting at the same time was very impressive.
Everyone across the board is very good at what they do.
You would never know Harry’s been in, like, two films.
When you’re a talented, smart person, it’s not surprising he’s good at acting.
Speaking of playing Olivia’s husband, how did that work with her pulling double duty?
She was so collaborative about how things would happen.
She wanted people to give input across the board, actors and all of her department heads.
She wanted to work in a collaborative fashion.
But I also knew that she was going to be busy dealing with a lot of stuff.
I don’t think I have to worry too much about you."
If I need something different, I’ll tell you."
To her credit, when she’s in the scene, she’sinthe scene.
Then when they call cut, you’re like, “Oh, right.
You’re also directing everything happening.”
That’s a very hard thing to do.
I’m always trying to throw my weight around.
If anyone knows anything about me and show business, I like a lot of power plays.
I like playing games with people.
It’s definitely how I’ve gotten to where I am.
No, the truth is, it was such fun.
It was also in the dead of COVID, pre-vaccine.
It was a very weird time to make a movie.
The movie is creepy, and it’s a thriller.
And underneath, the glossy exterior to this film is a much darker story.
I think some of that unease and creepiness of COVID is somehow inside of this movie.
Even though it’s not directly so.
You play this businessman who’s a bit of a jerk.
I’m still waiting for Jon Hamm to sign off on me.
As a fan ofMad Menand the era, it’s so beautiful to look at.
We shot in theKaufmann House, which is one of the first midcentury modern architectural pieces.
I don’t think a movie had ever been shot there.
It’s the scene where Chris Pine is giving his big speech at his and Gemma Chan’s house.
The colors are unbelievable.
Underneath that, though, is this really creepy underbelly that is always just beneath the surface.
That push and pull was was really fun to exist in.
With that push and pull, did the entire cast know the full picture of what the story was?
Or did Olivia divvy things up among the cast?
Who knew what when?
We were all on the same page.
There were no secrets to who knew what in how this world works.
Did you both come in with a new energy?
What was it like playing off off of each other inhabiting this new space for both of you?
The film premiered in Venice, from which you generated some very amusing social content.
What was that experience like?
In this particular year, whether it was real or not, it felt like the world was watching.
You’re, like, watchingTimothee Chalametwearing a backless shirt walking the red carpet.
And it seems like everyone knows that for some reason.
And then it’s like, Alright, I guess I’m going to head right into that.
It’s a total trip.
I met Steve Buscemi at this festival and became friendly with him.
As much as we all love you making us laugh, do you want to more dramas?
Oh, of course.
I’ve done a few films not like this.
Weirdly, I’ve played a lot of 1960s characters inLovingandOperation Finale.
I haven’t been in a thriller before.
And it’s much more personal, much more vulnerable than anything I’ve done on stage before.
It’s not about being a douche or playing a character.
It’s very different than even people who are fans of my comedy have seen.
When Olivia talked to me about it, my character’s name is Dean.
You’re the guy keeping the party going.
Everyone has fun with Dean.
And I want you to have that camaraderie with the guys and have that fun vibe."
That was really helpful.
But then underneath that, you’re basically in a cult.
And it was right when all of the NXIVM, all of those cult stories, were coming out.
It was very fun for me and Olivia to play just under the surface a couple of cuckoo birds.
