Pedro Almodovar Explains Why Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke Are Perfect for ‘The Strange Way of Life’

A different way of life, Pedro Almodóvar’s new short, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year, represents an exciting challenge for the director, as it is his second work in a language other than Spanish and his first foray into an inspired environment. Western parts of Old Hollywood. With this work, the director continues to explore recurring themes in his filmography such as complicated romantic relationships, the past and betrayal.

The short film, which is only 31 minutes long, is supposed to be “The Answer”. Almodovar for the film Secret on the HillA project he rejected 15 years ago, eventually directed by Ang Lee. His reason for rejecting it was clear: although it told a gay love story, it lacked the sexual elements necessary for the filmmaker to portray mainstream love. with A different way of lifeThe Spanish director seeks to create his own story, expressing his vision in a very authentic way and staying true to his style.

The work presents the sheriff (Hack) of a small town in the middle of the desert, who notices that Silva, his childhood friend (Pascal), has returned to town without explanation. It is later revealed that the two men have different interests surrounding a criminal case involving a young man who killed a woman. As they go on a collision course, they both remember the passionate love they had in the past. Silva seems more interested in remembering it, but Jake definitely wants to leave his story behind.

Almodovar went in-depth with EL PAÍS about casting Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal for the lead roles. The director Sheriff described the characters of Jake and Silva as the perfect portrait of these two talented actors. He expressed his happiness for the part because he needed two actors who were completely opposite even physically and represented two different cultures. In his own words, “One is cold, hermetic Anglo-Saxon, the other is the opposite: hot, bitter … not afraid to speak of his desires.” For the director, Pascal and Hawke were the perfect choice: “They’re perfect for the roles,” and he says of their work on screen: “They’re both super.”

Director of classics like All about my mother And Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown He was also excited about the opportunity the project offered Pedro Pascal to showcase his versatility as an actor. He recognized that most of Pascal’s success came from his portrayals of epic characters (as seen in the HBO series game of thrones And The Last of Us lacked the tenderness this new character needed. Almodóvar felt that the film would allow him to show Pascal’s performance in a different way.

As for Ethan Hawke, Almodóvar admitted that the actor exceeded his expectations. Although he noticed differences in the way Hollywood and Spanish actors worked, they adapted to collaborate better. The director was nominated for an Oscar for his film Co-mothers He noted that he made them rehearse more than they were used to, and in front of the camera, both actors showed surprising growth from rehearsals. The experience of working with them was, in the director’s words, “excellent.”

The short, currently in theaters, is a worthy addition to Almodóvar’s repertoire and shows his interest in exploring different ways of telling stories. Although the western atmosphere sometimes feels unbelievable, and the tension between the actors can increase for a long time, in 30 minutes it tells a solid story with a very clear message that reminds us of the constant task of the director: to show us the different “weird”. Lifestyles”, and makes us feel the same feelings as its protagonists.

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