Josh O’Connor skilled the splendor of Cannes in 2023, when he was there with Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera. This 12 months, he’s again with two films in competition for the Palme d’Or: Kelly Reichardt’s artwork heist image The Mastermind and Oliver Hermanus’ The Historical past of Sound, during which O’Connor stars with Paul Mescal.
Whereas en path to the New York set of the untitled Steven Spielberg/Amblin/Common movie the place he’s been forged alongside Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, Eve Hewson and Emily Blunt, O’Connor mentioned of Spielberg, “He’s nice. He’s the dream, the most effective on the planet,” however he admits being on set makes him miss dwelling and tending to his fig bushes and greens.
DEADLINE: What can you say concerning the Spielberg film?
JOSH O’CONNOR: I’ll inform you what I’ll say. It’s like old-school Spielberg. I believe folks shall be excited.
DEADLINE: Whenever you say old-school Spielberg, what does that imply?
O’CONNOR: Shut Encounters, E.T.; that world.
DEADLINE: And do you play an American?
O’CONNOR: I assume I’m in my American interval for the time being.
DEADLINE: Which brings us neatly to Reichardt’s The Mastermind.
O’CONNOR: It’s the Nineteen Seventies. The Vietnam Battle was occurring. Kelly’s actually one in every of my favourite filmmakers on the planet. Really. There’s a handful of administrators that I’ve dreamt of working with, and Kelly’s one in every of them. So, I’ve had the most effective time working along with her. It’s within the conventional Kelly vogue. It’s wanting on the world by the those that fall between the cracks and never essentially the folks you’d anticipate. Usually, she’s artists and stuff like that, and it’s acquired that vibe. It’s virtually like she’s wanting on the Vietnam Battle, however averting her eyes.
Josh O’Connor in ‘The Mastermind’
2025 Mastermind Film Inc
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DEADLINE: How so?
O’CONNOR: It’s within the background, actually. It’s about this man James Mooney who’s desperately attempting to assist his household and make a reputation for himself. He’s type of a failed artist. He works as a carpenter.
DEADLINE: Reichardt has spoken up to now about characters situated within the perimeters of society. Is James in that class, do you suppose?
O’CONNOR: I assume in my head, after I hear “perimeters of society,” I might usually decide somebody ostracized not directly or left behind. And in some ways, this character isn’t that. He’s middle-class, he’s from a wonderfully good household, however he’s within the outdoors of society insofar as he lives fairly a plain life, an unfulfilled life. That’s what’s pulling him to make a reputation for himself. It’s virtually extra tragic in that he simply feels forgotten. He simply looks like an everyday Joe. And I assume Kelly’s asking, “What’s worse than being common Joe?” For somebody who has a giant ego, that’s not nice.
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DEADLINE: Does he have a household to boost?
O’CONNOR: He’s acquired two youngsters, two boys and a spouse. Alana Haim performs my spouse in it.
DEADLINE: The place does Reichardt set the story?
O’CONNOR: Exterior of Boston, within the Cambridge space, however we shot in Cincinnati, Ohio, which is architecturally very fascinating for the interval we’re in, the ’70s. Once more, it’s that middletown, quiet suburbia.
DEADLINE: He sounds just like the forgotten white man who in modern phrases might need voted for Donald Trump.
O’CONNOR: When you’re wanting for the time being in time, that’s the relevance. An fascinating angle on it, is that taking pictures someplace like Ohio because the election was simply occurring was a really fascinating place to be, and that’s the place J.D. Vance is from.
I believe, politically, that interval within the ’70s for America and the Vietnam Battle was actually fascinating. Kelly is diverting her eyes to the politics all the time in each movie. It’s there within the background and he or she is speaking about it, however she isn’t. It’s like, she’s by no means crude about it. It’s not apparent like in so many scripts I learn, and in lots of films, and I perceive why. They’re films which can be constructed to, “How can we get this stuff awards?” [With Kelly] a tear can be welling up in a scene and he or she’d be like, “Lower! What are you doing? We don’t cry in these films.” She’s the antithesis of that. She desires to maintain it actual. She doesn’t need to get too earnest about issues. There’s a lightness to it. There’s comedy, however there’s depth.
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DEADLINE: Yeah, I believe Reichardt would fairly be educating movie class at Bard Faculty than chasing awards, proper?
O’CONNOR: That’s not the first objective. She’s not searching for that.
DEADLINE: So is James the chief of the artwork thieves? I see John Magaro, a Reichardt common, can also be in it. Is he within the gang of thieves?
O’CONNOR: The vast majority of the movie is my character on the run. We come throughout John Magaro, who’s an previous pal of mine from artwork college, and there are all types of characters I come into play with. Todd Haynes had this nice quote about Kelly, the place he mentioned, “The factor a few Kelly Reichardt film, is it’s like a street film that by no means fairly hits the street.” They by no means fairly get that pleasure.
DEADLINE: And what sort of art work does he steal? Is it modern? Are they Previous Masters…?
O’CONNOR: It’s somebody who’s the proper reply for this, as a result of it’s somebody who isn’t headline-grabbing in any respect. It’s somebody price a bit of cash, however not fairly price what they need to be price. It’s Arthur Dove [a pioneer of American abstraction]. His art work is form of surreal, but it surely’s additionally, properly, in my view, not that engaging. It’s humorous as a result of he’s good and he would promote for cash, but it surely’s not stealing a Picasso. Even in his grand thievery it’s type of underwhelming.
DEADLINE: Reichardt’s father was against the law scene investigator—do you suppose his career influenced the movie not directly?
O’CONNOR: I keep in mind considering, “Oh, that is sensible to me,” only for somebody who’s led by story to have grown up in that setting. However as soon as we started working it wasn’t talked about an terrible lot. So, I believe it’s within the background. These aren’t tales that come from her father or something like that, however I think about it should’ve had an affect on her.
DEADLINE: Some have commented, “This doesn’t sound like a Kelly Reichardt film.”
O’CONNOR: I might say as a Kelly fan, I watched this film, and you’ll see Kelly Reichardt in it. You may see the entire humor. You may see the messaging that’s not overt or crude. I believe folks gained’t be disenchanted.
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DEADLINE: Reichardt as soon as commented that what actors do “stays very mysterious to me. I try to keep out of their method. We’re collectively seeking a personality.”
O’CONNOR: That actually resonates with me. I believe that’s so true. Though, simply to counter it a bit of bit, I might say, the factor is that to start with, she loves that thriller. She loves that she doesn’t perceive what we do, however I believe she understands greater than she makes out. I believe truly she has a really clear thought of who the characters are. However, like all good director, and I’ve been lucky sufficient to witness this, there’s this actual present you may have as a director the place you say you’ve an thought. And fairly than go to the actor and say, “That is my thought, OK? Do it.” You simply discover a method of permitting the actor to find the identical thought you all the time had within the first place, as a result of we then really feel like we’ve got an possession over it. And that’s to not downplay what actors do in any method. She’s labored with a number of the greats, like Michelle [Williams]. It’s simply that I believe Kelly undervalues her expertise and he or she does have these concepts. What you’re doing is becoming right into a Kelly Reichardt imaginative and prescient, and it’s a negotiation, in fact, however she is by some means imprinting these concepts in us. That’s my perception anyway.
DEADLINE: How does she infuse her movies with the disparate stripes of her life: educating, what she views in artwork galleries, her longtime friendship with Todd Haynes?
O’CONNOR: Initially, she’s an artwork lover. She loves movie so very a lot. She’s a type of filmmakers that has an encyclopedic information of films, notably previous films. We’ve typically forgotten with Kelly, she does train at Bard. She’s an awesome trainer. Once more, that’s the same factor to being an awesome director. She labored with Todd Haynes at the beginning. She’s labored in movie for years in several roles and capacities. She went to artwork college, she’s acquired all that historical past there, and it simply comes by in all of her films. It’s simply Kelly. It’s so clearly her.
DEADLINE: Did she display screen any previous films for you?
O’CONNOR: She despatched me some documentary footage from the ’70s. I can’t keep in mind the title of it, however that was extra simply to get this concept of how households are collectively. There’s a few scenes [in The Mastermind] the place it’s Invoice Camp, Hope Davis, me, Alana, and all of us sat across the desk.
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DEADLINE: The place is Vietnam within the film?
O’CONNOR: It’s form of an undercurrent of the film. We don’t go to Vietnam. We don’t ever actually discuss it. There may be a short second over the dinner desk the place Invoice Camp feedback on it. And the explanation it’s an undercurrent is like, here’s a man of age who isn’t at battle.
DEADLINE: You’re additionally in The Historical past of Sound, which is predicated on a 2018 brief story by Ben Shattuck. You play David and Paul Mescal is Lionel, and so they meet in a Cambridge, Massachusetts bar in 1916 and bond over regional folks songs.
O’CONNOR: Then they go on this journey. The movie follows Lionel who has this synesthesia, the place he can see shade and see and really feel feelings when he listens to music. He additionally has an unbelievable singing voice. And David is like an archivist and has a fascination with accumulating the previous folks songs of America. After which they go on this very stunning journey collectively. And I am going lacking for a very long time.
DEADLINE: David performs the piano. Are you able to play it?
O’CONNOR: I couldn’t play the piano till I did this film. I nonetheless can’t, however I can play it higher than I might. I took just a few classes and I simply discovered ultimately. I’d prefer to suppose the reality is I didn’t have an awfully very long time to prep for this film, and I jumped in between tasks. He’s a really stunning character that’s so significant to me and to the film, in fact, however I didn’t have an terrible lot of time, so I simply discovered these songs on piano.
Josh O’Connor with Daniel Craig in ‘Wake Up Useless Man: A Knives Out Thriller’
John Wilson/Netflix
DEADLINE: The unique brief story is about time and reminiscence and the little issues that matter over time.
O’CONNOR: I believe it’s that factor of what the movie does extremely properly is it performs into that feeling of nostalgia and remorse and loss. I got here in and so they shot all of my stuff, which is generally this touring by America which may be very stunning. In order that was actually simply pretty. We did that for a few weeks, then I left. Then I used to be on Challengers, after which I used to be taking pictures Knives Out [Wake Up Dead Man]. So it was all form of busy and I felt like that film was over. However in fact that they had the entire remainder of the film to shoot. And after I noticed it, seeing what they’d completed, what they created with out me was simply … I used to be so pleased with them. It was such a pleasant feeling. However what’s so stunning about it’s this sense of tune and of music. Whenever you hearken to a chunk of music and it transports you to a sure place or a time, and when you shut your eyes, you may really feel like you’re truly there.
DEADLINE: Shattuck writes concerning the songs they acquire being stuffed with tales of individuals’s lives. Did you are feeling that connection to neighborhood?
O’CONNOR: David is a connector, he pulls folks collectively, however his final intention is to gather these songs. Whereas Lionel, Paul’s character, begins to see that what they’re getting isn’t simply these songs. As you mentioned, it’s neighborhood.
DEADLINE: Did you and Paul Mescal go on any pub crawls in New England? After which, in fact, you labored on Rian Johnson’s newest Knives Out with James Bond [Daniel Craig] and Andrew Scott in precise England.
O’CONNOR: I want we did. I’m so boring these days. I’m in mattress by 9 o’clock. I don’t know what’s occurred to me. However no, I’m afraid I didn’t. However we had a good time. And on Knives Out, James Bond was in it, Andrew Scott, a few of my closest mates. It was pretty. Though I’m once more enjoying an American, we shot it in London. So, it was the primary time I might be dwelling for ages.
DEADLINE: Photos of you in clerical garb within the Knives Out film jogged my memory of Mr. Elton, the village vicar you performed within the Jane Austen movie Emma.
O’CONNOR: I mentioned to Rian Johnson, “My favourite position I believe I’ve ever performed was Mr. Elton.” I keep in mind after I noticed that film, considering, there’s all these good actors, Johnny Flynn, Anya [Taylor-Joy], Mia Goth, Callum Turner, all these guys are doing one film after which me and Tanya Reynolds are doing, I don’t know what we’re doing, but it surely’s not the identical film. However I had the time of my life. Sadly, I’m not allowed to go fairly so excessive on this film.
Josh O’Connor as Mr. Elton in ‘Emma’
Focus Options/Everett Assortment
DEADLINE: Having starred in Guadagnino’s Challengers, are you continue to concerned in his display screen model of Pier Vittorio Tondelli’s novel Separate Rooms?
O’CONNOR: Sadly not. Luca’s working on a regular basis. He’s such a busy bee and rightly so. We’re continuously speaking. He might properly do it, however sadly it gained’t be with me.
DEADLINE: Are you aware what you’re doing subsequent?
O’CONNOR: I’m taking pictures this summer season in Europe with an American director, extra of which I can’t say. However then I’m going to go and do another stuff for a bit of bit. I like my ceramics, I like gardening. My poor backyard is struggling after I go away. And I’m positively wanting ahead to a while to only strive another issues and perhaps get again on stage. It’s been too lengthy. There are conversations round varied locations. Possibly not solely in London as properly.
DEADLINE: Is the thought to work with numerous administrators who aren’t right here within the UK? After all, UK actors have all the time flown the coop and returned dwelling later.
O’CONNOR: I believe there’s a component of that. Like Alice Rohrwacher’s who for me is … the filmmakers I all the time liked had been Pasolini, Rossellini, Bellocchio, to me she’s that. Luca’s a hero of mine. However one in every of my first movies, with Francis Lee, was God’s Personal Nation within the UK. I believe he’s one in every of our greats. And he’s extraordinarily considerate. And due to that, his movies come after they come. You must wait. However I’ll all the time work with him once more. I believe we’ve additionally suffered a bit of bit within the British movie trade with arts funding being minimize. And I believe that’s been tough for locations just like the BFI for supporting younger filmmakers. I don’t suppose that’s the explanation individuals are doing extra movies in America. I believe that’s simply generally what occurs. However I’m all the time looking out to be at dwelling.
DEADLINE: How did Spielberg come-a-calling?
O’CONNOR: About this time final 12 months, I used to be in New York and on the evening of the Met Gala, I acquired a textual content from my agent saying, “Are you able to meet Steven Spielberg tomorrow for espresso?” And I used to be like, “Sure!” And I went to his workplace, Amblin. He instructed me he didn’t have a script, however he instructed me the story of the film and he mentioned, “Would you love to do it?” And I type of feigned, “Let me give it some thought.” However clearly…
DEADLINE: Good joke.
O’CONNOR: It was form of easy. He’s simply essentially the most particular particular person. He appears to have essentially the most unbelievable quantity of vitality I’ve ever witnessed. He comes as much as you, he whispers in your ear like an excited youngster about an thought, a thought, and it’s really inspiring.
DEADLINE: Who’re the forged members you’re employed with essentially the most within the Spielberg?
O’CONNOR: Emily Blunt and myself are form of following that monitor.
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DEADLINE: Are the pair of you associated not directly?
O’CONNOR: In a roundabout way.
DEADLINE: Husband and spouse? Siblings…?
O’CONNOR: I’ve acquired to sprint, I’ve acquired to go to make-up.
DEADLINE: Oh, you’re not an alien, are you?
O’CONNOR: Possibly. [laughing] I wouldn’t want any make-up for that!
DEADLINE: You co-wrote the movie Bonus Observe. Are there additional ideas about screenplays and maybe directing, as a result of years in the past you instructed me you’d prefer to direct?
O’CONNOR: Hopefully. Possibly one thing down the road. I observed that Harris Dickinson’s acquired his film [Urchin] at Cannes, which I’m delighted about. I believe he’s actually impressed me truly go and perhaps strive it. You recognize what it’s like, it will get busy, however it’s positively a dream of mine.
