George MacKay On Perfecting The Howl & Prowl Of ‘Wolf’ [Podcast Interview]

For years, George MacKay has been one of the most fascinating and versatile actors working out of the U.K. Having made his acting debut in 2003, in P. J. Hogan’s magnificent adaptation of “Peter Pan,” MacKay quickly went on to give diverse but invariably gripping performances in films such as “Defiance,” “The Thief Lord,” “The Boys are Back,” and “Private Peaceful,” all before he turned 20. More recently, MacKay electrified the screen with two top-tier performances in 2019, first as Ned Kelly in “True History of the Kelly Gang,” and then as Lance Corporal Schofield in Sam Mendes’ groundbreaking “1917.”

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MacKay’s latest project, filmmaker Nathalie Biancheri’s “Wolf,” arrives in theaters this weekend (December 3). MacKay plays Jacob, a boy who believes himself to be the titular animal, contending with his own visions and beliefs while receiving psychiatric treatment for his condition. “Wolf” is a stunning, deeply unique film with a central performance from MacKay that allows him to dive deep into his craft as he howls and prowls around while being torn back and forth between his fantasy wilderness and the cold reality of the clinic that is treating him.

‘Wolf’ Trailer: Lily-Rose Depp & George MacKay Believe They’re Wild Animals & Fall In Love In Upcoming Drama

MacKay sat down with us to talk about “Wolf” and how he inhabited Jacob. “Over the last few years, so much socially and personally is being redefined by us questioning how we’ve been in the past as a species, to each other, and how we speak about that,” said MacKay. “We look to animals because I think, at the end of the day, so much of what we’re kind of discussing at the minute are articulations of very primal wants and needs to survive, very human versions of those primal desires or requirements.”

MacKay also discussed the artistic intent of the film, including its bold style and unconventional sensibilities, and why they needed to be played straight. “That was led by Nathalie [Biancheri],” said MacKay. “Her taste in cinema and as a person is to take people seriously, and the art that she’s been inspired by is pretty out there. I think the collaborators that made the film all share those tastes. Michal [Dymek, the director of photography] and the camera team, they’re from a similar ethos of ‘strange is good, when it’s taken seriously.’ If you make fun of it, you’ve immediately punctured it.”

An integral way in which “Wolf” immerses audiences in Jacob’s journey is the distinctive way Dymek captures MacKay’s work, which sometimes proved to be a challenge for the actor, but one which fits the narrative. “[Nathalie] shared the idea that, in the clinic and in the therapy sessions, and when he was in a sort of more synthetic environment, the camera would be static, and when he was in his wolf state, it would be handheld and fluid,” said MacKay. “That affected the performance because the camera couldn’t move, so you couldn’t make a choice to go where you wanted to. That echoed how Jacob was feeling in that scenario.”

Finally, upon reflecting how “Wolf” aided his growth as a performer, MacKay added, “I realized [before] how much I’m in my head, how I’ve almost revered thoughts. I stand by that in certain times. I think everything needs a lot of thought and discussion, but sometimes the noise in your brain can get in the way. The calm of being in your body, being a little less in your thoughts, is something I’ll definitely take away from [making ‘Wolf’].”

During our interview with George MacKay, we dive deep into all things “Wolf,” including the moment MacKay found the physical cadence of Jacob, how he developed his version of a wolf’s howl, his experience working with movement coach Terry Notary, and more, down below!

“Wolf” hits theaters this Friday, Dec. 3

Additional reporting by Kaleena Steakle.

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