May December: Charles Melton & Todd Haynes Both Praise This One Thing In the Netflix Film
Todd Haynes, the filmmaker behind Carol and Velvet Goldmine, is back with a dark comedy drama that tells an unexpected story. In Netflix’s May December the tone is as unpredictable as its script, which, the director tells Collider’s Steve Weintraub, “walks you around your expectations“ and puts you “at odds with your own presumptions“ as the story unfolds.
Loosely based on a real case, May December enlists the talents of Academy Award-winners Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore to tell the story of actress Elizabeth Barry (Portman) and her time spent with convicted rapist, Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Moore), who’s currently residing with and raising children with her victim, Joe Yoo, played by Charles Melton. In order to prepare for her role as Atherton-Yoo, Elizabeth spends time with Gracie, studying her mannerisms, her temperament, and her life to better understand how to get into her head. While learning about this family unit, Gracie and Joe begin to see the cracks in their controversial relationship.
While discussing the movie, Haynes and Melton share what it was like exploring Samy Burch’s first feature-length screenplay, and how even they couldn’t pin down the two leads. Melton shares the connection he feels with his character, Joe, and how he discovered an approach to acting that he enjoys while on set. Haynes reveals which May December scene he was most anxious about filming after reading the script, working on a tight, 23-day schedule, and recalls why Carol was the film that went through the most transformation in the editing room.
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