LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� When enjoys working with a filmmaker, he鈥檒l often jump at the chance to do it again.
The list of directors with whom the 69-year-old has worked with more than once is extensive, including and, now for a third time, 鈥淚f it鈥檚 good, you come back,鈥� Dafoe said plainly.
The pair spoke with The Associated Press about Eggers鈥� adaptation of 鈥淣osferatu鈥� that hits theaters Wednesday, some of the challenges they faced making 鈥� their first project together released in 2019 鈥� and the unique relationship that exists between actors and directors.
The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: Willem, I read that you called Robert after you saw What did you say?
DAFOE: I want to meet you and I want to know who this filmmaker is.
AP: What is it about him that keeps bringing you back?
DAFOE: Well, if it鈥檚 good, you come back. When I saw 鈥淭he Witch,鈥� I thought, 鈥淲ow, this is a film about a period that I鈥檓 not particularly knowledgeable about, but I enter it so easily. This is relevant. It鈥檚 rooted. It鈥檚 my story. I鈥檓 with these people.鈥�
That鈥檚 quite an incredible trick because a lot of period films, they鈥檙e always pointing to themselves. They鈥檙e always sending messages. They鈥檙e always showing. This had a kind of energy and the kind of physicality and sensuality that I thought, 鈥淲ho does this? I gotta see this guy.鈥� And then I had a wonderful experience in 鈥淭he Lighthouse鈥� and I played a part that was really fun in So, when he wants to do this passion project and offers me this beautiful role of Professor Von Franz, I say, 鈥淥f course.鈥�
AP: Robert, did you always envision Willem for that role?
EGGERS: Yeah, I mean, I don鈥檛 see how you could have anyone else but Willem Dafoe in this role.
AP: Did you have a favorite role of his before the two of you worked together?
EGGERS: That鈥檚 pretty tough. But since you might ask about it, I do love 鈥淪hadow of the Vampire,鈥� where he plays Max Schreck. When I first saw 鈥淣osferatu鈥� as a 9-year-old, the VHS I had was made from a degraded 16-millimeter print and there was a kind of magic to it because it felt unearthed from the past and it felt, like, real. And when you watch the restored versions of 鈥淣osferatu,鈥� you can see Max Schreck鈥檚 bald cap and the greasepaint of his makeup. But in the version that I saw, he seemed like a real vampire, and that鈥檚 how a lot of people experienced 鈥淣osferatu.鈥� And so there was a legend that Max Schreck was a real vampire. And so, Willem Dafoe, in 鈥淪hadow of the Vampire,鈥� plays Max Schreck as a real vampire. And it is an incredible performance.
AP: We have this notion of instant connections, be them friendships or romantic relationships. Does that exist at all between directors and actors? Or does it always take time to build trust?
EGGERS: It takes time to build trust for sure. But that instinct for me actually was really that first meeting. I was kind of blown away that one of my heroes wanted to meet with me. But then the conversation became really easy, quickly. And now I kind of know when I鈥檓 having a meeting with an actor, if it goes like that, there鈥檚 a good thing here, you know? And if I鈥檓 very aware of like their celebrity and it becomes like a thing, it鈥檚 not going to go well.
DAFOE: We had a lot in common. There was a language he spoke about performing, about creating things. I understood it. I thought, 鈥淚鈥檓 home,鈥� you know? And as far as the trust, there鈥檚 always unforeseen challenges and difficulties. And then you see how they field them, and that鈥檚 how you build trust. So clearly, something like 鈥淭he Lighthouse鈥� had its challenges. Thank God. I love a challenge. Otherwise, you tend to, you know, lose your way or think outside of the frame too much. And look, he鈥檚 a nice, sweet guy, but he鈥檚 really concentrated. And I like that. That kind of discipline, that kind of passion. It makes my work that I do valuable because then I want to do his bidding. I want to, you know, be an extension of him.
AP: Do any specific challenges from 鈥淭he Lighthouse鈥� come to mind?
(Both laugh)
DAFOE: I would say a scene where I鈥檓 buried alive, I鈥檓 speaking poetic language, and it鈥檚 really cold, cold, cold. But you know what? All those elements I love because they push me to a place that I鈥檝e never been before. And it鈥檚 not just about overcoming obstacles. It鈥檚 really about getting outside of yourself and getting beyond your experience and having something happen to you that鈥檚 meaningful and curious and taps into a sense of wonder. That鈥檚 what you鈥檙e looking for. So sometimes you鈥檝e got to push it. And he鈥檚 responsible. It鈥檚 not like he beats me up or anything. But that鈥檚 a good example of something that鈥檚 tough.
AP: Robert, does it annoy you as much as it annoys me that Willem doesn鈥檛 have
EGGERS: Yeah. I mean, I think Willem is not in it for the Oscars but he certainly deserves one for sure.
Krysta Fauria, The Associated Press
