Ms. Colman, let's start with a question that is only marginally related to your new film, Woman in the Dark. Is it true that your colleague Dakota Johnson personally gave you your first tattoo after the premiere in New York?
That is absolutely correct.
But only a very small one.
I had thought for a long time that I would find a small tattoo quite funny.
And if I already have one made for me, why not from a friend?
Dakota and I had already discussed this while filming in Greece, but the stick-and-poke set had been removed from her on arrival.
But at the film festival in New York there was no getting around it at the party after our premiere.
In this case, the camaraderie in the ensemble was very special anyway, as you can hear.
It was also just very special filming that we shared with each other.
We shot in late summer and early autumn 2020 on a Greek island.
In the evenings we often sat together on the beach.
It was a kind of idyllic paradise, and we were all very aware that we were experiencing something that was very different from what the rest of the world had then.
We consider ourselves incredibly lucky and did not take this for granted.
All the actors and actresses, including the director Maggie Gyllenhaal and her team, were on the island for the entire duration of the shooting?
That's the way it is.
And we followed very strict rules and precautions.
At the beginning we were all in quarantine - and then no more people came to the island or down until the end of the shoot.
Which is why all the islanders, such as the owner of our hotel, worked as extras on the film.
The atmosphere was really very familiar and happy.
How important are such lightness and a good mood when you are working on an emotionally and psychologically difficult story?
In my opinion, it is no coincidence that the atmosphere on the set is often exuberant, especially when it comes to particularly serious stories.
And, of all things, working on comedies can be downright serious.
When I've been crying in front of the camera all day, I usually find it very cathartic to be able to be really silly after work.
The director of "Frau im Dunkeln" is the actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, who shot her first own film here. Does it make a difference for you at work if someone suddenly sits behind the camera who actually comes from your job?
First of all, I have to say, of course, that Maggie was the most important reason for me to accept this film. I've been a big fan of hers for a long time - and instantly hooked when I read her script. And I would say that her experience as an actress had a big impact on how she worked as a director. She never asked us to do anything she wouldn't do in front of the camera. It makes a big difference. And she knew exactly what to do to make us feel safe and secure, which is absolutely crucial. However, many of her qualities as a director owe specifically to her personality and experience. There are also enough actresses and actors who at some point direct and then really don't have it.
Feeling safe - is that a condition for you to do a good job?
Everyone likes to feel safe, right?
And in order to be able to get out of myself, I have to have the feeling that I can trust the people around me.
If that's the case, a feeling of insecurity can also come into play.
In the sense of: taking risks, trying out new things and exploring limits.