The reason why was, I thought it was very interesting to deal with the way the normal world comes into contact with the unknown. With the occult, or things outside of what one would call rational, normal experience. And so films like ‘Don’t Look Now,’ ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ - even in a way ‘2001’ is about the scientific world coming into contact with something that is outside. That has some kind of dimension.
I think the thing that distinguishes both films, because they are about where the real world meets incidents of beliefs that challenge rational, skeptical people, part of the architecture of those films is that you start with very naturalistic environments and real people. That’s why we ground the character of Caroline in the hospital in the beginning. She’s a real person, and it’s about character. I think these kinds of films, like ‘The Shining’ and ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ require great actors. And great actors are attracted to these films maybe more than, say, a horror genre film. There are in that quest [to play] real people in extreme situations.”
On casting the go-to romantic comedy girl, Kate Hudson, in “The Skeleton Key:” “I saw [something] in the character of Kate Hudson, as opposed to the roles that she’s played. When I met her, I was struck by how similar she was to the character of Caroline. In fact, she’s said herself that she thinks that this part was the closest to who she thinks she really is.
Caroline is an empowered female leading role. She’s being forced by external events to shed off some of the frivolity of a 25-year-old. There’s a kind of sense of reality, you know, of her family, her father…a sense of the real world. I think, particularly after Kate had the baby, she was able to bring even more of that maturity.
When I first met her, she was talking like a 35-year-old rather than a 25-year-old. She’s very direct, very confident about what she thinks. She’s very mature in the sense that she listens to other people. She engages with other people, is a strong character, and has a very serious side. I was just struck by how like the character she was. I think the fact that she was more recognizable, perhaps, because of her romantic comedies - that empathetic side was a nice counterpoint to the character that, in other hands, might have been too expected. And maybe too solemn.”
Director Iain Softley on casting an actor of John Hurt’s stature in essentially a non-speaking role: “This is the question I like answering most: John Hurt’s agent pursued me for the role. It seemed to me self-evident, on three or four levels really. One, if you’re an actor of John’s caliber, the challenge of playing the multi-dimensional aspect of Ben; of being able to be skillful enough to communicate that with just your eyes. The eyes, of course, are the most expressive tool in an actor’s repertoire when it comes to film.
I can’t remember reading a review of an actor in any film ever saying what an amazing voice they have. I’ve read reviews where they’ve said the voice is over the top. The voice really is a significant tool for a theater actor, which John is. In terms of his film career, it’s really his eyes. I think he’s elevated the role and obviously he saw the potential for that.
I completely concur in terms of John Hurt’s ‘stature’ — but he’s maybe a little bit unrecognized in Hollywood. ‘The Elephant Man’ was, I guess, an independent film, but he hasn’t really been embraced in the way that say Anthony Hopkins has, or fellow British actors. Alan Rickman, for example, has a sort of theater background. I think John is excited about film and he thought this was a great opportunity for him. He took it with both hands and kicked it out of the park.”
PAGE 2: Director Iain Softley on Shooting New Orleans and Battling Killer Mosquitoes
