“It was great talking to him,” Olivia Williams says as we begin our interview, “because I really had the Hollywood experience. I went from living in a damp basement flat in Camden Town, to flying on a private jet to the set of a major Hollywood film, all within days.
During the same year, 1997 to 1998, Williams, a previously employed British theater actress, was doing commercials for Dove shower cream – “They asked me to audition in a bikini…I wanted to give up” – Acted in three. Studio Films: Kevin Costner, Wes Anderson, and M. Night Shyamalan. was a legendary flop. An indie breakout. A huge, global hit. Williams seems to have arrived.
“I went from galloping horses with Kevin Costner — doing my own stunts, thank you very much — to eating carrots with Bill Murray,” Williams recalls. “The film Sofia Coppola made was my experience with Bill Murray.”
But overnight success stories don’t always follow a script. Williams spent the 2000s in “a string of films that I thought were pretty good”, starring opposite Balthazar Getty in (2000), opposite Antonio Banderas in Jonas McCords (2001), and directed by George Above (2001) titled Hickenlooper. “I married James Coburn and screwed Andy Garcia,” Williams says of the role, “and life really doesn’t get any better.” But while she “loved every one of them, they all disappeared without a trace,” she laughs, adding, “That’s my method. Peter Cattaneo did a great job in his second film (2001). Did I do the Martin Amis adaptation (2000) Can’t think why it didn’t happen, not one for the US market, obviously…”
Olivia Williams on the set of
Attila Szvacsek/HBO
In person, Williams is quick and sarcastic, chatty and blunt, but there’s no hint of cynicism, no sign of regret, as she recounts her Hollywood adventures. Although she hasn’t headlined a studio blockbuster since her “lucky, real year” of 1997-1998, Williams has rarely been short of work. From channeling Cherie Blair in (2010) to playing Camilla Parker Bowles in the final season, to her show-stopping cameo in Florian Zeller.
Much of this work has returned to the UK, but over the past decade, Williams has returned to American screens in TV series, such as on WGN America (2014–2015) and on Starz (2017–2019).
“All really interesting [American] The job I was offered was because of that,” says Williams.Scott Roxborough Sam Shaw is a big fan. And Justin Marks, before his incredible success that is, did and cast me because he loved. I just needed the fans to grow up and write movies and TV shows.
Through it all, Williams has managed to avoid being typecast while proving remarkably adept at picking quality projects, slotting in wherever she needs to on the call sheet. “I don’t count lines, I don’t care,” she says. “If there’s a project I want to be involved in, like, I’ll clear the stage to be involved.”
Williams says he didn’t even count his lines, but there are definitely a lot of them. In the new prequel series, set 10,000 years before the events of the Denis Villeneuve films, Williams stars alongside Emily Watson as sisters Tola and Valia Harkonnen, founders of the all-female cult, Benny Gasseret, on Dune. Reigns. The universe from the shadows.
is a rare sci-fi series with a mostly female cast. Along with stars Watson and Williams, Jodi May as the powerful Empress Natalya, Sarah Sophie as Bosnian royal heiress Princess Janez, Shalom Bron Franklin as rebel Freeman Mikaela, there are “extraordinary young actresses” Chloe Leah, Offa Hinds and There are fouls. Cunningham plays Benny Gassert Acolytes in training. Men – including Mark Strong, Travis Fimmel, Chris Mason and Josh Houston – have been cast in supporting roles.
“It’s all about women, it’s all about power. We’re sisters, and we, you know, rule the universe,” Williams explains. “It’s set thousands of years in the future but the parallels with convents and Catholicism are very interesting. Ultimately, it’s about how fearful men are of women who happen to be in an enclosed setting and such. They don’t seem to need men or sex.
As a “lapsed Catholic” who “loves a vample, loves a nun’s dress,” Williams says she jumped at the chance to work with the role and Watson, whom she’s 30. First met at the Royal Shakespeare Company more than a year ago. “I’ve known him since we were in our late 20s. [but] I never even did a scene with him.
Olivia Williams plays the venerable mother Tola Harkonnen in them.
Attila-Szvacsek/HBO
To capture the mindset of the loving sisters who are also bitter political rivals, Williams and Watson made a research trip to the National Portrait Gallery in London and portraits of the English Queen Elizabeth the First and her sister and rival Mary Queen of Scots. Studied Tudor paintings. .
“Sisters can be all kinds of things,” Williams says, “there’s a survival of the fittest, Darwinian feeling for sisters, but also a sweet, sweet love for your sibling, the person you’ve been with for the rest of your life.” knows.”
Devon reframes the canon as explored in the films. House Harkonnen, the villains of the films, are discredited based on lies told by the heroes of the films, House Atreides. Williams is careful to avoid spoilers for the gritty, plot-heavy series, except that the Harkonnen sisters go to “obscene” lengths to achieve their goals of revenge on the family, and until the finale. The character’s “biggest secret” is not revealed. Season 1 Episode.
Fate will be revealed following its premiere on Monday, November 17 on HBO and Max. Williams, for one, says she is fully committed “emotionally and contractually” to continuing to play Tola Harkonnen in future seasons.
Credit : www.hollywoodreporter.com
