If your introduction to Yorgos Lanthimos was last year’s Academy Award-winning Poor Things, you may have been a little jarred by the “absurdism” of the world. But if you first watched Lanthimos’ Dogtooth in 2009… you’d still be pretty jarred, actually. No matter the situation or time period, what remains constant for the writer-director is his ability to keep an audience off-kilter just enough to “open up your imagination in a new way.” The same can be said for his latest, Kinds of Kindness, which reunites him with Oscar-winner Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe.
In addition to Stone and Dafoe, the movie also stars Jesse Plemons (Civil War), who earned the Cannes Best Actor award for his performance, Margaret Qualley (Poor Things), Hong Chau (Asteroid City), Joe Alwyn (The Favourite), Mamoudou Athie (Elemental), and Hunter Schafer (Euphoria). The ensemble takes on various roles in each of the three stories Lanthimos weaves together about the human psyche, showcasing all manner of connection, conniving, and control.
Both Stone and Dafoe are not only recurring characters in Kinds of Kindness, but also in Lanthimos’ filmography. During this interview, they share their insight into the filmmaker’s distinct vision, what about his views they find fascinating, and why audiences might find his stories a bit “strange.” Stone and Dafoe also share their favorite Stanley Kubrick films, and Stone shares how the dance scene in this movie differs from the now-iconic dance sequence in Poor Things.
You can watch the full conversation in the video above or read the transcript below.
A man seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop questions his wife’s demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning and a woman’s quest to locate an extraordinary individual prophesied to become a renowned spiritual guide.
COLLIDER: First of all, congrats on the movie. I wore this shirt because I’m a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick.
WILLEM DAFOE: We were just talking about him. Seriously. Two seconds ago.
EMMA STONE: As you were walking in, we were just talking about Kubrick.
Do you have a favorite Kubrick film?
DAFOE: That’s fucking hard. Oh god, the crazy thing about Kubrick is he did such different films.
STONE: I have to choose The Shining because it was such a resonant movie for me in the moment that the impact that it had on me when I watched it feels the most impactful. Now you watch it, and you go, like, “Oh, look at the film, blah, blah,” but I was younger when I saw that, and, I don’t know, that kind of feeling sticks with you. But I love all of them.
DAFOE: Barry Lyndon’s pretty great.
STONE: Yeah.
He’s made a few good films.
STONE: Yeah. Like The Shining. [Laughs]
DAFOE: Some of the early ones, too!
STONE: What’s your favorite?
I think 2001: A Space Odyssey. There’s no right answer. I could mention each film that he made and then give a reason why it’s the best.
STONE: [To Dafoe] That’s what you were saying, basically, right? They’re all so different.
DAFOE: 2001 I remember distinctly seeing when I was a kid, and it was like my introduction into art.
STONE: That’s how I felt about The Shining.
DAFOE: It was like, “I think this is important, and it’s really special. I don’t know what the fuck it means, but it’s pretty cool.” How can you make something that doesn’t have a use? That was my introduction to the beautiful uselessness of art.
STONE: “The beautiful uselessness of art.” That’s amazing. You need to trademark that.
