Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley Reunite in Sweary ‘Wicked Little Letters’

Olivia Colman poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere for the film "Wicked Little Letters" on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 in London. (VAP)

11:10-21 February 2024 AD ـ 12 Sha’ban 1445 AH

Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley Reunite in Sweary ‘Wicked Little Letters’

Olivia Colman poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere for the film "Wicked Little Letters" on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 in London. (VAP)

Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley play two very different neighbors in new film "Wicked Little Letters", a comedy mystery based on a real life British scandal from the 1920s, which saw people receiving expletive-laden notes.

Set in an English seaside town, the movie follows Colman's pious and conservative Edith and Buckley's loud and rowdy Irish migrant Rose as they become friends.

When Edith starts receiving anonymous poison pen letters, Rose is arrested and charged with the crime. Other locals begin receiving similar letters, causing a national uproar and ensuing trial.

"I think because of the poison pen letters, the obvious parallel is modern day trolling on a much bigger scale," Colman told Reuters of the movie, in a joint interview with Buckley.

"There's also a parallel between the perception of what a woman should be."

The cast includes Timothy Spall as Edith's stern father Edward and Anjana Vasan as police officer Gladys Moss, who unlike her male superiors, suspects something is amiss and rallies other women to investigate who the real letter writer is.

The film is based on real events that happened in the town of Littlehampton.

"This is true. It was debated in parliament and the newspapers did all cover it, and the whole nation was gripped. Who could possibly be using swearwords like that?" Colman said, adding it was "quite hard to not giggle" on set when some of the letters' profane and absurd language was read out.

Buckley said working with Oscar-winning Colman was one of the appeals of joining the cast. Both starred in 2021 drama "The Lost Daughter".

"It was just the subversion of what you think a British period drama is and these two women that are on either side of a coin who are actually similar in many ways but go on a journey of expressing what they need to express," she added.

Asked if as celebrities it was hard not to read comments about them online, Colman said: "Neither of us are on social media... I think I would care (what people wrote) and that's why I don't want to know. I'm not thick skinned enough to cope with that."

"I don't really want anybody knowing anything about my private life, they see enough of me," Buckley added.

"Wicked Little Letters" is released in UK cinemas from Friday.

‘Comeback’ Queen Demi Moore ‘Has Always Been Here,’ Says Director

US actress Demi Moore poses with the Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy award for "The Substance" in the press room during the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on January 5, 2025. (AFP)

11:37-7 January 2025 AD ـ 08 Rajab 1446 AH

‘Comeback’ Queen Demi Moore ‘Has Always Been Here,’ Says Director

Demi Moore's Golden Globe best actress win for "The Substance" has, almost overnight, transformed the 1990s megastar into a seemingly unlikely favorite for the Oscars.

In her acceptance speech Sunday, the 62-year-old -- who once generated headlines as much for her love life as for her hit films -- said she had long been dismissed as a "popcorn actress," and had never "won anything as an actor."

But for Coralie Fargeat, the French director who also wrote Moore's new, blood-drenched body horror film, there is nothing surprising about the late-career reappraisal her leading lady is now enjoying.

"It was so moving to see Demi on that stage," Fargeat told AFP, the morning after Moore's big win.

The movie allowed audiences "to see who she is as an actress, and not project any more the stereotype that if you're beautiful, you can't be a good actress."

"It is being called a comeback. But she has always been here," Fargeat added.

Society's obsession with pigeonholing and pinning expiration dates on women is the core premise of "The Substance."

In the film, globally distributed by MUBI, Moore's character Elisabeth is a fading movie star, who is abruptly fired from her hit TV fitness show as she turns 50.

Out of desperation, she injects herself with a mysterious serum which allows her to live in a younger version of her body -- as long as she returns to her older form every week.

Inevitably, the allure of remaining young proves too strong, especially after Elisabeth's stunningly youthful alter ego is catapulted to fame by creepy male executives.

- 'Dream' -

Fargeat had long been a fan of Moore's acting work, which included hits like "Indecent Proposal" and "Ghost," as well as more divisive fare like "G.I. Jane."

"I could like or not like the movies, but I think she always delivered pretty great performances," said the director.

But Moore's real-life career also incarnated "this iconic star" represented by her character in "The Substance."

"Someone who has been totally valued for this dream, this fake promise that if you're young, beautiful, you're going to be happy and successful," said Fargeat.

"And when this goes away, it's like all your life is going away."

Even so, Moore's pitch-perfect casting as Elisabeth nearly did not happen.

Fargeat at first assumed Moore would not be interested in a role requiring countless, grotesque scenes of gore and decay.

But the director picked up a copy of Moore's 2019 memoir "Inside Out," which laid bare the actor's battles with ageism and misogyny, as well as addiction, abuse and very public divorces.

"When I read her book, I really saw that she was ready to take the level of risk that the movie requested," said Fargeat.

"The film is really about women's bodies. I wanted to tell my stories [in] the flesh," recalled Fargeat.

Fargeat also admits she was a demanding and meticulous director on set, requiring "a lot of takes."

Moore has spoken about losing 20 pounds (nine kilos) and contracting shingles due to the intense strain of filming, while co-star Margaret Qualley described being in the movie's prosthetic suits as "torture" that triggered panic attacks.

"If the lead performance isn't ready to go that far, the whole movie falls apart," said Fargeat.

Moore "took the risk to follow the vision of the movie... that's very, very brave and courageous," she said.

- Oscars race -

With the Globes win, more attention will come to "The Substance" -- both from wider audiences, and Oscars voters, who are picking their final nominees on ballots due this week.

Fargeat herself could earn nods for best director and best original screenplay, and "The Substance" is tipped by many pundits to make the best picture list.

But few would now bet against Moore for best actress.

"From the beginning, I believed that this can happen," said Fargeat. "That's what cinema is about -- creating things that people are not expecting."

"I'm just immensely proud to have created this part."

Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley Reunite in Sweary ‘Wicked Little Letters’

Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley Reunite in Sweary ‘Wicked Little Letters’

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‘Comeback’ Queen Demi Moore ‘Has Always Been Here,’ Says Director

‘Comeback’ Queen Demi Moore ‘Has Always Been Here,’ Says Director

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