Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, who star as Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine de Beauharnais in the upcoming historical drama “Napoleon,” shared their unique approach to filming intimate scenes in a recent interview with Empire magazine. The actors agreed to surprise each other during unscripted physical interactions, aiming to avoid clichés often associated with period dramas.
Both Phoenix and Kirby expressed a willingness to go beyond the expected and create genuine, unanticipated moments in their portrayals of the iconic couple. The Oscar-winning actor revealed that Kirby gave him permission to slap, grab, pull, or kiss her during their scenes together. In turn, he offered her the same creative freedom.
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“We had this agreement that we were going to surprise each other and try and create moments that weren’t there because both of us wanted to avoid the cliché of the period drama,” Phoenix explained.
One such unscripted moment occurs when Phoenix’s Napoleon slaps Kirby’s Josephine. The scene was inspired by the real words from the couple’s divorce in the church, making it a poignant and authentic addition to their performances.
Rather than sticking to the traditional reenactment of historical events, Phoenix and Kirby embraced their creative partnership to challenge and surprise each other on set. They saw this approach as an opportunity to explore the depth and complexity of their characters‘ relationship.
The trust and collaboration between the two actors allowed them to delve into the emotional complexities of the doomed couple, taking them to “dark places” together as they embodied Napoleon and Josephine. Kirby emphasized the importance of feeling safe with a creative partner, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in their roles.
Directed by Ridley Scott, the film promises to be a spectacle-filled action epic, capturing Napoleon’s rise to power and tumultuous relationship with Josephine. Scott’s signature large-scale filmmaking combined with the actors’ commitment to authenticity and surprise promises an engaging and immersive cinematic experience.
“Napoleon” is set to hit theaters on November 22, with global streaming availability on Apple TV+ at a later date. As fans eagerly await the release, the candid revelations of Phoenix and Kirby about their creative process have only heightened expectations for this eagerly anticipated historical drama.