PODCAST| Chiara Nicoletti interviews Nicholas Hoult and Joe Alwyn, actors of the film The Favourite.
In a film centered on three women (Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz) in the early 18th century at the Queen Anne’s court, The Favourite by Yorgos Lanthimos, in competition at the 75th Venice Film Festival, Nicholas Hoult and Joe Alwyn play respectively Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, a young, dressed-up and noble aspiring prime Minister and a courtier Samuel Masham. The actors describe their work on their character and how original and refreshing is Lanthimos’ look on a period film.
The Favourite: Early 18th century. England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies the throne and her close friend Lady Sarah governs the country in her stead while tending to Anne’s ill health and mercurial temper. When a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah. Sarah takes Abigail under her wing and Abigail sees a chance at a return to her aristocratic roots. As the politics of war become quite time consuming for Sarah, Abigail steps into the breach to fill in as the Queen’s companion. Their burgeoning friendship gives her a chance to fulfil her ambitions and she will not let woman, man, politics or rabbit stand in her way.