Oscar Isaac claims that his work on The Two Faces of January was one of the most rigorous, and yet fulfilling experiences of his career thus far. The performer, due to star in the forthcoming Star Wars production, was full of high praise for this more recent endeavour, talking at the film’s London press conference, alongside co-stars Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, and writer/director, Hossein Amini.
“It was the most extensive pre-production I’ve ever done,” he said, before praising the debut filmmaker for his methods and techniques. “We just sat for two days and went over the script and I got to ask, line by line, ‘what is this?’ ‘what’s here?’ After that we all got together and just figured it all out, and it’s because of that we were able to create so much nuance and layer it, and not just get in there and be like, ‘here’s the character, I hope this works’.”
Amini explains that taking such an approach is down to his appreciation and respect for an actor’s input. “I find that actors are the best collaborators in developing a part. I know my writing gets better from spending a lot of time talking to the actors,” he said.
It’s a project that Amini has been working on for two decades, as he’s been fervently pursuing this adaptation of one of author Patricia Highsmith’s lesser known novels. “This is a crime thriller about three very ordinary characters who are very much like us,” he continued. “The characters stayed with me for over 20 years, I kept reading it and rereading it and reimagining it differently. It’s a book I love, still.”
Amini tells us that his job was made far easier thanks to the depth and richness of the characters Highsmith had created. “You can’t do this as a screenwriter unless you have three brilliant characters at the heart of it, and that’s what Highsmith is so great at. She transcends the crime genre. It’s not one of her best, but she just creates these characters, I could never have come up with.”
Mortensen shadowed that of Isaac’s sentiments in regards to the effective, collaborative process. “Not too many writer/directors are that open about their script. Especially first-time filmmakers. Someone who has lived for years and has been fine-tuning a script for so long and all of a sudden, things change when you’re shooting, but if you’re smart, like Hoss is, you’re open to changes.”
The actor also admitted that actually shooting on location was another factor in luring him in to this project. “With technology you can shoot and make it look like you were in these places, but to actually be there is great. Old-fashioned, movie making experience – even though we were shooting with modern techniques and in digital, but the way it was shot from the lens, to the costumes, to the approach, everything, and Hoss’ sensibilities, you feel like you’re watching a great old movies.”
Meanwhile, Dunst, who plays the fascinating Colette – caught in a romantic triangle with her husband Chester (Mortensen), and beguiling stranger Rydal (Isaac), was also full of high praise for Amini’s work on the screenplay.
“It’s one of the best written materials I’ve read in a long time. It’s hard to come across a well written script,” she claims. “I loved the script so much and wanted to be part of a good film. I think that’s all you want. All you have is the experience as an actor, you don’t know what happens at the end of the day with the film, if it’s great, we all get to celebrate together and have a wonderful time. But that’s all you have, and I had a wonderful time working on this film.”
As the film certainly pays homage to classic film noir of old, and in particular Alfred Hitchcock, Dunst tells us that she would have fancied the challenge of working with the notorious director. “I hear he was a real piece of work, obviously, but I’ve worked with some real pieces of work in my time. I could handle Hitchcock.”
Eventually the conversation shifted to other projects, and following Mortensen telling us that he had turned down two different parts in last year’s blockbuster Man of Steel, it’s an upcoming blockbuster in the form of the new Star Wars picture, which is currently stealing all of the headlines – and Isaac is one of the collective to have so far been named in the case. He expressed his joy to HeyUguys, at being involved in such a glorious project, telling us when the work properly begins.
“We start end of this month,” he said. “Yes, it’s incredibly exciting. I grew up from a family of huge, huge fans, my uncle and cousin would collect the toys, have Star Wars parties. So when I told them they had the biggest nerdgasm you’ll ever see. Literally, there is nothing I could possibly have said, or will ever say, that will top that and make them happier. So yeah, very excited.”
Isaac will undoubtedly be hoping that good spirit from the making of The Two Faces of January will extend into his forthcoming projects, though he did have time to admit one little hiccup from the Greek-set production. “I got sick from shellfish,” he said. Suppose it can’t all be perfect.
The Two Faces of January is released on May 16th, and you can read our review here.
