What was the collaboration effort like between all of you?
AW: I knew from working with Richard before [on “Girls”] that it was going to be a very collaborative process. The great thing about Richard is that he only does things that he’s extremely passionate about, so when you’re talking about the material you know he has given it a ton of thought and that he only wants to make the best movie he could make so we all went in with the same goal.
LB: It was one of the most collaborative experiences I ever had. When I first went to meet him and Alison, the three of us went through the script and looked at what we thought still worked about the story. At the time you have to be honest about what’s going on socially when you’re creating art because what you’re going to be filming is going to ring true of the current era while also being conscious of what is it going to be saying down the line. I really appreciate Richard being so collaborative in the prep process and the filming and even in the post he was very giving as a director.
RS: I don’t write novels, I write movies which are a collaborative process. Bringing people in who were strong and opinionated and passionate about making a movie is what makes the process really fun and the movie work in my mind.
How did it compare to working together on “Girls?”
AW: It was interesting because on “Girls” we did an episode together that was kind of just the two of us throughout so we had that experience of working intensely on every single scene together. So I knew that we could do that and the fact that it was in a different city with a different crew was just an exciting opportunity to work with people Richard wanted to work with. Knowing you have that kind of working relationship with your director is such a gift going into something like this and it’s not something to take for granted. We have a shorthand and by the time we were shooting the movie, we could kind of read each other’s minds.
RS: It was totally different because on “Girls” we were in the hermetically sealed world of Lena Dunham and it was her vision and she’s a brilliant visionary who created a very cool world to work in but both Alison and I were part of that world and while we had a lot of freedom it was ultimate Lena, Jenni Konner and Judd Apatow’s vision. With this, we got to build it from the ground up. It is my vision and Alison came in as a partner with me from the ground floor whether it was approval for casting, coming in the editing room, knocking holes in the script and figuring out solutions. It was a totally different working relationship in which we were truly partners.
How did you build the dynamic between the two characters?
AW: I’ve been a fan of Logan’s for a really long time and love her in “Dear White People” and I find her electric and mesmerizing to watch. I just love whenever she’s on screen, I love watching her. So I was a fan and was hoping I’d like her as much as I thought I might when we finally met and that was definitely the case. She is a very smart actor and very thoughtful. Even before we started shooting I knew we’d have a happy rapport and feel very connected with each other. It was such an easy partnership and considering what we go through as actors of those characters it was an added bonus because it meant we could drop right it when we needed and jump back out and be giggling over something silly in between takes. That kind of levity and friendship is what kept us sane throughout the shoot.
LB: I loved working with Alison. When I first heard of the project I knew that she was attached early on and that made me excited because when I read the script I could picture her in the role and how the two of us would get along. It was very easy to bond with her and the reason why it was so easy to portray and get into was because these characters had such a mutual admiration and respect for one another.
How was it getting to play a character who constantly got to play with audience expectations?
LB: It was honestly satisfying because I felt like I got to do multiple films. It’s hard when you walk into a role and you’re labeled the antagonist or protagonist so to have a film where that dynamic is constantly shifting felt like it subverted all of the art that I was used to consuming.
With this and “Get Out” are you developing a bit of an affinity for the horror genre?
AW: I don’t really know how to categorize it yet. This is movie number two so I don’t have a big enough sample size yet. I think that in my gut what I’m drawn to is a script that is interesting to me and one that I can’t put down. Those are the two biggest factors. Also, if it gets too involved in a conversation that apart of greater themes that are happening in society, in our world – or my world – then it makes it so much more interesting and gives the project a sense of urgency and feeling like I’d be contributing to the cultural conversation in some way. It just so happens that the first two movies that appealed to me in that way were part of the psychological thriller genre.
“The Perfection” is available on Netflix now.
