Sixteen years after being lost in the development woods of Hollywood, filmmaker Todd Field finally returned this year with his masterwork “TÁR,” a film that we named the Best Film Of 2022 in our staff best-of list. Set in the international world of Western classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár (played by Cate Blanchett), widely considered one of the greatest living composer-conductors and the first-ever female music director of a major German orchestra. From there, the movie explores power dynamics and their abuse, cancel culture, consequences for our actions, and more, all without too much editorial judgment—it’s a movie that asks many questions but doesn’t always provide easy answers (read our review here).
“TÁR” is magnificent because of its actors too, not only Cate Blanchett but her crucially-cast co-star Nina Hoss who plays Sharon Goodnow, Tár’s wife. But as Hoss states in this exclusive featurette we’re proud to present today, she’s much, much more than that. Sharon is also the first-chair violinist of the orchestra that Tár runs, an already powerful position that complicates their relationship and power structure as the first chair, in many ways, acts as the conductor whisperer for the rest of the symphony and its players.
“The whole orchestra looks to the first chair,” Hoss explained. “Somewhat like a translator between the orchestra and the conductor. And that was interesting for me for Sharon because she has a power.”
“So I wanted someone who was—a) she’s one of the best actors on the planet, but b) you would believe she could be the concertmaster of the greatest orchestra on earth, “Field said of casting Hoss in the role and how essential she and her role are to the film.
Of course, when power turns sideways on Lydia Tár in the film and the consequences of her actions demand accountability, Hoss’ Sharon character is mixed up in all of it. Not just as a spouse seeing their family, reputations, and careers being torn apart, but as that first chair who may have been complicit in Tár’s power abuses and how and when she may have turned a blind eye to it all in the name of holding onto that hierarchy of power.
“In the last scene between the two of them, something has shifted,” Hoss said about the relationship between Sharon and Lydia. “Sharon has to protect the family, but also her position. It’s one of the most stunning scripts I’ve ever read.”
There are undoubtedly deep complexities and complicated dimensions to Field’s “TÁR,” and Blanchett and Hoss certainly bring such virtuosity to the nuance of it all. “TÁR” is in theaters now via Focus Features. Check out this exclusive “Nina Hoss as Sharon Goodnow” featurette below.
