Brie Larson & Lenny Abrahamson talk 'Room'
“People bring their own childhoods to the film: surprising things affect different people,” begins director Lenny Abrahamson when discussing his new film Room.
Abrahamson’s latest work is an adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s bestselling literary sensation of the same name that is told from the perspective of a five-year-old boy about his confinement in a single room with his young mother Ma for seven years.
Taking on the role of Ma is 26-year-old Brie Larson. Her performance has already gained much critical attention having earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress, as well as nominations in the same category for a BAFTA and SAG awards. Later this week it is expected she will be nominated in the same category at the Academy Awards.
Larson was cast as Ma seven months before film production began. During this time, Larson declined any other offers of work and spent her time researching and preparing for the role. Larson spoke with trauma specialists, nutritionists, stayed out of the sunlight for four months and did not wash her face for weeks before shooting. “I just focused on figuring her out because there was so much to it that I couldn’t wrap my brain around. You’re trying to find it every moment of every day, and it’s hard to have a perspective on it because you’re so deep inside of it.” She continued, “I imagined she’s not in a state of atrophy where she’s just given up. She’s trying to stay alive, and the only defense to protect herself and her son is her own body.”
Abrahamson is best-known by audiences for having directed teenage-drama What Richard Did (2012) and the surreal tragicomedy, Frank (2014) starring Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson.
He has described his latest film as his most challenging to date. “The biggest task in putting Room together was to hold it back,” he says. “Everybody’s different: it’s not enough that somebody tells you how or what you feel; that’s why we have literature and art.”
Larson and Abrahamson were adamant that they would use media coverage as their research rather than speaking with victims of a similar experience out of respect for their privacy. “People can’t describe their experiences often and, if they do, those descriptions become bloodless after a while: the constant repetition of the same story affects memory itself,” explains Abrahamson.
Recalling casting Larson, Abrahamson said that it was after seeing SXSW hit Short Term 12 (2013) that he wanted to work with her. “She feels like such a real person,” he explains. “She’s not this extraordinary actor-ly creature: you can imagine if you put ‘the creature’ into Room you’re looking at somebody that has been born to play the tragic heroine, and we didn’t want that.” As well as advocating her talent Abrahamson said knew she was right for the role because she understood the motivation behind the character of Ma. “Everything stems from Ma: we wanted a normal girl who was taken out of her life, and that was Brie.”
The other key performance in Room is the character of Jack. It is through this young boy – trapped within the confines of their dwelling – that the audience empathises with their plight. Taking on this challenging part is nine-year-old Jacob Tremblay. “Jack is such a dramatic role – it’s not like he’s required just to sit there and be believable,” states Abrahamson. “Brie had to be so generous because it’s about him and making Jacob comfortable, but she still had to work on her character.”
Larson was keen to discuss what it was like working with her young co-star. “It’s refreshing to be around someone who thinks making a movie is just the most fun thing ever,” Larson explains. She went on to discuss how she developed a trust with Tremblay and how it was by far the most rewarding part of the experience. “There’s a beautiful thing that happens when you’re happy to be at work and genuinely excited to do challenging things like the escape scene,” she explains, “It was very hard for us to say goodbye together at the end of shooting – he wouldn’t let me.”
Larson also expressed her admiration for Abrahamson. “Lenny is extremely compassionate, and that was what I felt like this movie needed,” she explains. “The set up for this was pretty dramatic in itself, so we needed to find the heart and center of it and Lenny was it.”
Donoghue, who caused a literary storm when the novel was published in 2010, is also responsible for the screenplay. “A journalist once said to me ‘do you know how unusual it is for a filmmaker and author to have this relationship?’ And I thought no because she’s generous, insightful and so collaborative.” Larson adds, “She never had specific things that she wanted. She never had a strong vision that Ma should be a certain way. She was open to what my interpretation was.”
Abrahamson was aware that he was dealing with a subject matter that had real-world relevance and as such felt a degree of responsibility exploring the nature of trauma. “I felt completely consumed by it in a way that it was such an overwhelming experience.” The same could be said of Larson, who was not shy about voicing the demand of how this role came to be. “It was very exhausting and emotionally draining. We all know how it feels when you’ve had a good, therapeutic cry – you just want to take a nap. For me, it’s the first scene of the day,” she laughs.