Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
(Were talking Blair Waldorf levels of backstabbing.
)The Favouriteis, in other words, fun.
At the center is a trio of women thats drawn comparisons toAll About Eve.
Sarah (Rachel Weisz) is the only person who can both soothe her and subdue her.
For money and a title, Abigail jockeys for Annes attention.
He talked to Vulture about the movies secrets and schemes, and whether hes good at keeping secrets himself.
I want to start with talking about the use of the fish-eye lenses.
Can you tell me how you arrived at that?Many factors led me to it.
But on this film in particular it just felt more appropriate.
From the beginning, I wanted to juxtapose those really big, empty spaces with close-ups of the people.
Weirdly enough, although you see more of a space, it feels more claustrophobic.
You see everything, but youre actually seeing what theyre enclosed in.
Right, these three women are mired in this complicated relationship, but theyre trapped in these massive rooms.
Did you ever think youd make a period film at all?Many years ago?
I never knew that I would even be making English-language films.
I never knew that I would be making a period film, for sure.
This one was surprising to me.
But I think things take their own course.
I dont make long-term plans for sure.
So what was important to you to get right about these women?
I like that the movie allows them to be sort of mysterious.
Sometimes theyre mysterious, sometimes not very sympathetic, sometimes the opposite.
Of course, we had to take a lot of liberties with history or what we knew about it.
Theres so many shots in the movie of just Emma observing Rachel and observing Olivia, just watching.
Shes so expressive with her eyes.
What, for you, was important about those shots?It was exactly that.
It can feels very self-conscious sometimes, and not real at all.
Its not how we observe people.
We dont know that were observing or understanding some of us, or most of us, anyway.
And you’re able to tell a lot about her character without her having to do a lot.
Do you like to gossip?Me, personally?
Well, like any normal person would.
Its not a main thing that I do.
Are you good at keeping secrets?I think I am, yeah.
What was it like shooting that?I really enjoyed that scene.
I was surprised by how much Joe and Emma were into it and really went for it.
They were diving around and tackling each other.
It was really exhilarating to watch that, and kind of dangerous at the same time.
You felt a certain kind of tension with that thing going on in front of you.
So, that was something that has stayed in my mind.
Thats so funny.We would clean the dress up as soon as they got up.
So, we did very few takes and then we would clean them up afterwards.
And I guess for practical reasons you kind of have to.
I wanted it to change throughout the film, and I think thats how we did it.
It will be through all three of their viewpoints.
I dont know how you [make the category choice].
But I just would love to not have to make that choice.
I mean, the rabbits were 17 for sure.
Im not sure about the ducks, how many there were.
In the beginning he was walking around with a rooster.
It was just an interesting idea for a pet that someone might have at that time.
We were kind of flirting with all those ideas that felt out of place in a palace.
So why wouldnt someone also be walking a rooster around?
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
