Actors Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart, and Harris Dickinson discuss their directorial debuts.
In the heart of Cannes, France, the Cannes Film Festival celebrated the directorial debuts of three stars: Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Stewart, and Harris Dickinson. Their films, while different in nature, share a common thread—an fulfillment of long-held dreams to step behind the camera. All three films are part of the Un Certain Regard section of Cannes, which has launched the careers of renowned directors such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Lynne Ramsay, and Molly Manning Walker.
Harris Dickinson, a rising actor known for "Babygirl," "Where the Crawdads Sing," and the Palme d'Or-winning "Triangle of Sadness," has been laboring on his film "Urchin" for years. At 28, Dickinson speaks of his ambition to direct, which compelled him to turn down acting roles. "Urchin was everything I could think of. It just flowed out of me. It was all I could think about," he said. "It's easy to say no when you have something that takes your focus, you know? Nothing that came up would make me doubt my own film, which is a sign that I should have done it then." The film, co-starring Frank Dillane, tells the story of a homeless Londoner struggling with drug addiction.
Johansson, a two-time Oscar nominee for her acting in "Marriage Story" and "Jojo Rabbit," is now one of the most recognized stars worldwide. Her success as an actress has opened doors to new roles, including producer and now director. "At some point, I stopped worrying about not working or not being relevant—which is quite liberating," said Johansson. "I think that's something all actors feel for a long time before they stop. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have had the self-confidence to direct this film." Her film, "Eleanor the Great," played in New York, featuring June Squibb as a 94-year-old woman who assumes the Holocaust survival story of her deceased friend. Stewart described the process as a labor of love that took eight years and a "really accelerated push."
Stewart, an Oscar nominee, debuted her directorial journey last week with "The Chronology of Water," an adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch's 2011 memoirs detailing her survival from sexual abuse and her pursuit of solace in competitive swimming and later writing. Stewart expressed doubts about offering many practical tips to her lead actor, Imogen Poots, but Poots countered that Stewart is exceptionally present and adept at picking up on subtle changes in the atmosphere. "Kristen is incredibly present, but at the same time, she has this ability to respond to a light shift in the atmosphere, when it says, 'Hold on a minute,'" said Poots, causing Stewart to laugh. "There's a crazy mind at work, and it's a skill set that comes in the form of an intense curiosity."
The awards for the Un Certain Regard section will be announced on Friday, a day before the Cannes Film Festival concludes. The reviews for these films showcase diverse storytelling and directorial approaches at the Cannes Film Festival.
Entertaining processes unfold as the directorial ventures of celebrities, such as Harris Dickinson, Scarlett Johansson, and Kristen Stewart, take center stage in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. Movies-and-tv offerings like Dickinson's "Urchin," Johansson's "Eleanor the Great," and Stewart's "The Chronology of Water" exhibit unique storytelling and diverse directorial approaches, contributing to the entertainment industry's intrigue and anticipation.
