Robert Eggers cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Werwulf because of his dance background and he is “super proud” of his “harrowing” performance in the film.
Robert Eggers is “super proud” of Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s “harrowing” performance in Werwulf.
The 42-year-old director cast the Nosferatu actor as the cursed farmer in his new movie because of his dance background and he was very impressed with the nuance he brought to the role.
He told Empire: “Aaron has a dance background and is incredibly physical and athletic, and I knew that he could do the kind of body work that he does in this film, in collaboration with [movement artist] Marie-Gabrielle Rotie, who worked with Lily on Nosferatu.
“I can’t think of another actor of his caliber who could really do it, with the pathos and pain that this character needed to have, and also a kind of traditional masculinity, while still feeling internally fragile. It’s a balance of a lot of things. His performance is truly harrowing. I’m super proud of what Aaron did. It’s quite extraordinary.”
Robert and Aaron reunited with Nosferatu’s Lily-Rose Depp in Werwulf, and the director praised his actress – who plays the farmer’s wife – for rising to the challenge of being the “heart” of the film.
He said: “There were things about [Nosferatu’s] Ellen that were particularly challenging in a way that this character wasn’t, but also this character is so far from Lily, physically and in her general way of holding herself.
“So to be this mediaeval farmer’s wife, this mother who is super grounded, was a challenge which she embraced and was super into. It’s a really remarkable performance, and she’s the heart of the movie, she really is.”
Eggers had a lot of “fun” casting the movie, though it wasn’t easy because he was looking for “very extreme” looks.
He said: “Very extreme looks. Casting this movie was incredibly fun and rewarding, and at times really difficult. It was definitely the most challenging movie to cast so far. He was a little later, but it needs to feel like Bruegel.”
The director believes Werwulf needs to be seen in cinemas.
He said: “This is a slow-burn horror that’s about the tension and the anticipation and the mystery and the darkness, and… we don’t want to give it away.
“But… this film is immersive, and needs to be experienced full-immersion, on the big screen. If you’re not smelling all the s*** and mud in the street, then you’re not experiencing this movie properly.”
Eggers’ Werwulf is set in 13th-century England and sees a remote village terrorised by a blood-thirsty, mythical creature and is due to be released in December.
Robert Eggers praises Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s ‘harrowing’ turn in Werwulf
