“Poor Things” is a searing satire on men that may end up winning Emma Stone a second Oscar.

Emma Stone first heard about “Poor Things” in a conversation with Yorgos Lanthimos while they were filming “The Favourite.” “What Yorgos was explaining to me was unique and… extremely inspiring for a woman: imagining a world where your mind is not conditioned by growing up and learning how to act a certain way,” says the actress, who is also one of the producers “Poor creatures”. About the role of Bella Baxter Stone says:

I was very excited and scared – but for the right reasons. Bella has no shame, no trauma, or even any history. She is not raised by a society that places such restrictions on women. It can be incredibly freeing and there really isn’t any research that can be done on something like this.

“Poor Creatures” in cinemas. Emma Stone: Bella is like a sponge

The heroine of the film, which hits Polish cinemas on January 19, learns the world from scratch with the greed and joy of a child after being brought back to life. He takes his first steps under the watchful eye of his “creator”, Dr. Baxter (Willem Dafoe). At some point, he breaks free from his control and sets off on a journey across all continents. He travels the world in the company of a dissolute lawyer, Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), discovering various places, things, people, experiences and emotions. – Bella draws from the men she meets, the women she meets, the environment she is in and what she eats. She’s like a sponge, says the actress. She fails to prevent herself from making mistakes, and as her autonomy grows, she becomes a greater challenge for men.

An extremely important part of Bella’s story is her sexuality. Her character has never been told that there is anything wrong with enjoying sex and having the freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want. Stone says the fear surrounding the exploration of female sexuality was one of the many reasons she wanted to play Bella:

There is a different mentality about sex in Europe and America, which surprises Yorgos. Having known him for almost seven years, it also amazes me as an American. We can see so much violence and pain inflicted on people in America en masse, but the nudity and sexuality are shocking to us. While in Yorgos’ mind it’s the opposite.

– It was like unlocking and accepting what it means to be a woman and what courage and freedom mean. When it comes to social issues, we are used to thinking, “Do people like me?” She doesn’t think about it, he explains.

Poor creatures Disney+ promotional materials

The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, and recently also won Golden Globes for best comedy or musical film and for Emma Stone. The American critics’ award for best actress also went to Stone. EnergaCamerimage Audience Award – to the director. These are just some of the laurels that the film “Poor Creatures” has already won. It has received 11 BAFTA nominations and will certainly win several Oscars. It is already being said that if Emma Stone does not receive her second Academy Award (she received the first one for “La La Land”), it will be a surprise.

Bella and the men

In addition to themes of sexuality and social limitations, “Poor Creatures” explores the need for control that the male characters want to have over Bella. Screenwriter Tony McNamara describes the film, based on the book by Alasdair Gray, as a searing satire about men. – In “Poor Creatures” we look at men’s attitude towards women and the angle from which they look at them, how they believe that women are there to serve them – he explains.

“It’s about the development and liberation of a woman who grows up in a very repressive male society,” adds Willem Dafoe, who plays Dr. Baxter, Bella’s creator. – This is largely the source of this comedy, because her relationships with the male characters are very honest and expose the fear that men have towards women – notes the actor. – He begins to try to possess her, to raise her in the only way he learned from his father. But you can see that in some way Baxter matures through his interaction with her. And she finally starts to understand that she needs to let go and let her experience the world, and he really supports her,” Stone emphasizes.

Willem Dafoe – Poor creatures Atsushi Nishijima/Disney+ promotional materials

Mark Ruffalo is also in the cast of “Poor Things”. The actor says that he plays a role here unlike any he has played before – and it’s not just that he had to play with an English accent for the first time. “I was euphoric when I read the script, it was wicked and full of raunchy, irreverent humor,” Ruffalo recalls. – George Bernard Shaw said you have to make people laugh long enough to shove the medicine down their throats, and… I think Tony fits into that sort of tradition. He is a truly beautiful, eloquent and profound writer, says Ruffalo. Emma Stone adds:

For me, Duncan is the embodiment of toxic masculinity. He is controlling, insecure and has a deeply ingrained alpha male mentality. The fact that he is played by Mark is a brilliant casting move by Yorgos. I wouldn’t expect to see someone as spiritual and sensitive as Mark playing this type of person, and he does it brilliantly.

“There are completely ordinary films that disappear in the viewer’s memory after leaving the cinema. There are also unique and multi-level productions in which everyone will see something different. For some, ‘Poor Creatures’ will be a pornographic festival of ugliness. For others – a magical presentation of biblical events. Certain there is only one thing here: ‘Poor Creatures’ by Yorgos Lanthimos is cinema like we have never seen from him before” – . The film is already in cinemas, so you can check it out for yourself.