Creatures of Habit with Pedro Pascal & Halina Reijn
Feb 6, 2025
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Pedro Pascal, beloved for his roles in The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, shares insights into his film Babygirl and his deep love for movies. Halina Reijn, the creative force behind Babygirl, opens up about her artistic process and the challenges of honest storytelling. They discuss travel quirks, connecting over their experiences with films like The Social Network. The duo also reflects on vulnerability in film and personal memories tied to childhood movie experiences, highlighting the therapeutic power of storytelling and the courage it takes to embrace intimacy.
Halina and Pedro discuss the importance of portraying emotional complexity in characters to challenge conventional narrative expectations.
The conversation sheds light on the role of vulnerability and trust in creative processes, emphasizing how personal experiences shape artistic expression.
Deep dives
Long-Distance Connection
The episode features a long-distance conversation between writer-director Helena Rhein and actor Pedro Pascal, who shares his excitement for upcoming A24 films. They introduce the episode by discussing their friendship, which began in an amusing way involving a runaway dog in New York City. The two offer a glimpse into their lives, with Helena sharing her recent trip to Amsterdam for an award and Pedro reflecting on his travel habits. This personal context sets the tone for a deep dive into their creative discussions, showcasing their camaraderie and humorous banter.
Themes of Vulnerability in 'Baby Girl'
Helena's film 'Baby Girl' is highlighted as a deeply vulnerable exploration of complex human emotions, rather than a strict morality tale. Pedro expresses admiration for how the film treats its characters with care, allowing them to experience moments of raw honesty and tension, which resonates with viewers. The film juxtaposes entertainment with underlying emotional currents, creating varying reactions among audiences, from laughter to tears. Both discuss the importance of portraying ambivalence and complexity in characters, challenging conventional narratives that demand clear-cut heroes and villains.
Embracing Artistic Ambiguity
Throughout their dialogue, Helena and Pedro address the challenges of creating art that embodies life’s complexities, including the healing power of storytelling. Helena reveals her intent to guide audiences through ambiguous emotions without providing easy answers or moral judgments. They reflect on how audiences often seek clarity in characters' choices, indicating a discomfort with the inherent ambiguity of real life. By embracing this complexity, Helena hopes to foster connections among viewers and inspire deeper conversations around difficult subjects.
Personal Journeys to Authorship
Helena shares her evolution from being an actress to becoming a writer-director, emphasizing a desire to create spaces for vulnerability and authenticity in art. She discusses how personal experiences, including the loss of her father, shaped her approach to storytelling and her role as a leader on set. Pedro highlights the importance of safety and trust in both directing and acting, recognizing that a supportive environment allows actors to fully express themselves. This conversation reflects their mutual journey towards understanding their artistic identities and the need to tell honest, relatable stories.
Topics covered include: Halina learning about ASMR, Pedro’s obsession with travel and sleep schedules, watching The Social Network for the 600th time, anticipating your fears, a discomfort with nesting, Pedro feeling torn open after seeing Babygirl, doorways to vulnerability, refusing to be a moralist, real intimacy as the most frightening thing, traumatic early viewings of Watership Down, wanting to be a miracle child, Pedro lying about starring in Twin Peaks as a kid, unconventional artist parents, playing all of the greatest characters of theatre history around the world simultaneously while writing a movie being a total control freak Scorpio, and Halina’s exes calling her to ask how Pedro dances that well.
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