46 CinÉireann / Issue 9
Director Lenny Abrahamson and stars Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter and Ruth Wilson were in Dublin for the European premiere of Abrahamson's latest film, The Little Stranger, at Light House Cinema.
The Little Stranger is written by Lucinda Coxon, based on the novel of same name by Sarah Waters. Will Poulter plays Roderick Ayres, a disfigured Royal Air Force veteran, who has inherited the 18th century Hundred Halls, where he lives with his mother (Charlotte Rampling) and sister (Ruth Wilson). The film follows Dr. Faraday (Domhnall Gleeson) the son of a housemaid, who has built a life of quiet respectability as a country doctor. During the long hot summer of 1948, he is called to a patient at Hundreds Hall, where his mother once worked. The Hall has been home to the Ayres family for more than two centuries. But it is now in decline and its inhabitants are haunted by something more ominous than a dying way of life. When he takes on his new patient, Faraday has no idea how closely, and how terrifyingly, the family’s story is about to become entwined with his own.
CinÉireann caught up with all four on the red carpet.
CinÉ: You're at the stage where you can choose your own roles so why this one?
Domhnall Gleeson: Number one was Lenny. He called me and told me about a script and I was "Yes". That was all I needed. Then secondly it was a different sort of character for me. So that was a chance to explore something different. And then as it went on more and more people came to the project: Ruth, Charlotte, Will, Liv. These people are great people. As it went on it just got better and better.
I believe that when Lenny sent you the script that he had a different character in mind for you, but that you really wanted this role. Why Faraday?
There was something different about Faraday. He just had an anger and he seemed so repressed. He seemed so desperate for love. He seemed lonely. We have all felt all of those things at times. And also I knew that it would be a chance to work with Lenny every day. That's what you want. The best people you want to be around all of the time. Lenny is the best people, and on this, I got to be around him a lot. It's a special thing.
Was there something nice and familiar about being back working with Lenny again after Frank?
What's amazing about it with Lenny is that it didn't feel less special as time went on. A lot of the time the more you do something the less it feels special because you get used to it. Every day working with Lenny
Unravelling the supernatural
Talking The Little Stranger
Words: Niall Murphy