The genre-defying crime drama Emilia Pérez is now streaming on Netflix, following a highly successful run on the festival circuit. Directed by French visionary Jacques Audiard (Rust and Bone), the film mixes the drama of high-risk drug trafficking with introspective character development, often portrayed through musical numbers. Karla Sofía Gascón leads the cast of Emilia Pérez as the titular character, who undergoes gender affirmation surgery with the help of Rita, by Zoe Saldaña, a lawyer tired of the daily grind and seeking to make a difference in the world.
Despite filming mainly in France Emilia Pérez takes place in Mexico and sees its characters travel to Israel, Switzerland, Thailand and beyond. These trips help Emilia bury her old self, a cartel boss named Manitas, and start over with her dream of redeeming herself for the crimes of her past. While trying to reconnect with her widow Jessi (Selena Gomez) and take care of her children, she also falls in love with one of the drug trafficking victims who made her rich. Epifanía (played by Adriana Paz) arrives at Emilia’s door looking for answers about her husband’s disappearance, but soon the two women find in each other a comfort they never imagined possible before.
TelaRant interviewed Paz about the contradictions in her character’s first scene, as well as how she approached the beautiful yet eccentric musical numbers in Emilia Pérez. The actor also praised Audiard’s collaborative directing style and described some of the work she and Gascón did to further explore Emilia and Epifanía’s relationship.
Emilia Pérez takes a while to fully understand, even for the actors
“It was kind of an experiment, but it was good because nothing was too tight.”
Screen Rant: This film is a fascinating experience on every level, and I can’t help but wonder how it was introduced to you. How did Jacques Audiard describe it and what was the script like at first reading?
Adriana Paz: I thought, “What is this? This is so complicated.” In fact, I didn’t understand some scenes. I couldn’t even imagine [it]and I had to read the script twice more. When I saw the film, I realized that I didn’t understand [fully] until I saw the scene, and it was even better than I could have imagined.
Screen Rant: When your character Epifanía is first introduced, it’s a very tense moment where we don’t know if she wants to attack Emilia or seek comfort from her. Can you talk about her first impression of Emilia and how that relationship grows?
Adriana Paz: Yes, that was something Jacques and I wanted to work on. I think this scene is full of contradictions inside and out; that moment with the knife, and you don’t know what’s going to happen. “Is she going to kill Emilia?” And then you realize you don’t, but you’re not sure. This emotional rollercoaster that Epifanía goes through is full of contradictions.
It was very difficult for me during this journey, but at the same time it is very easy to work with Karla and Jacques because Jacques allows you to try to improve in many ways. He’s guiding you and also discovering things that you can bring to the table. And he’s humble enough to say, “Okay, that thing you did, I didn’t imagine. Let’s go this way.”
It was kind of an experiment, but it was cool because nothing was too tight. [It wasn’t] like, “You have to do this, and this is what we talked about.” Jacques’ path is the opposite. It’s challenging, but at the same time full of relief and freedom.
Adriana Paz describes the emotional purity of the music in Emilia Pérez
“You feel the story and the emotions, but when the music comes, it’s beyond your brain.”
Screen Rant: The musical numbers in this film are so unique because they’re really about expressing emotions rather than sounding out notes. How did you approach that aspect and were you afraid of having to sing your lines?
Adriana Paz: I love singing, so I was nervous, but also very happy to have the opportunity to sing and be coached by this incredible team. I think it’s not like any other musical… I love musicals, but in other musicals the music is part of the scenes and the story, and in Emília it’s not.
We weren’t looking for perfection. We were looking for the perfect emotion, or the perfection of the music and the thrill of being together, not just having the perfect note or the perfect movement. Damien Jalet isn’t that kind of choreographer, but this was amazing because I think the choreography and music really support the story. You feel the story and the emotions, but when the music arrives, it’s beyond your brain. It’s going through the skin and goes straight to the heart. It’s like, “Oh my God. What’s going on?” And becomes a whole [sensory] experience.
More about Emilia Pérez (2024)
From renegade author Jacques Audiard comes Emilia Pérez, an audacious fever dream that defies genres and expectations. Through liberating song and dance and bold visuals, this odyssey follows the journey of four remarkable women in Mexico, each in search of their own happiness. Fearsome cartel leader Emilia (Karla Sofía Gascón) enlists Rita (Zoe Saldaña), an underappreciated lawyer stuck in a dead-end job, to help fake her death so that Emilia can finally live authentically as herself. Written and directed by Audiard (Rust and Bone, A Prophet), the Cannes-winning double feature also stars Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Édgar Ramírez.
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Source: Rant Plus Screen