Emma Thompson recently spoke up about rehearsing completely nude scenes with the cast members of her latest movie Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. Thompson is a popular figure among Hollywood actors, being active in acting for 40 years now. The talented actress began her film career in 1989 in Kenneth Branagh's Henry V. Thompson has since taken iconic roles such as Professor Trelawney in the Harry Potter series, Baronness Von Hellman in Curella, and Karen in Love Actually. She has been nominated for many awards, winning two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, three BAFTA awards, and collecting one Primetime Emmy.
Thompson's most recent film, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, premiered on January 22 at the Sundance Film Festival. The comedy-drama film was directed by Sophie Hyde and written by Katy Brand. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, focuses on Nancy Stokes (Thompson), a retired widow seeking new romantic experiences. Stokes eventually hires a young sex worker called Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack) to help her break out of her shell.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, required Thompson to be fully nude at times, which she admits was a bit intimidating. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Thompson revealed how she got over her nerves: by rehearsing naked with McCormack and Hyde. She revealed that it was a challenge, but one that was important to overcome. Read Thompson's full quote below:
“Sophie, Daryl, and I rehearsed entirely nude and talked about our bodies, talked about our relationship with our bodies, drew them, discussed the things that we find difficult about, things we like about them, described one another’s bodies. It’s very challenging to be nude at 62. [My character] stands in front of a mirror alone and she drops her robe. Nothing has changed in the dreadful demands made upon women in the real-world world but also in acting. This thing of having to be thin is still the same as it ever was, and actually in some ways I think it’s worse now.
Thompson adds that being nude on screen was "extremely challenging" as audiences are not used to "seeing untreated bodies on the screen." Although, she also adds that the experience was a fun one, as she and her fellow cast members laughed off the awkwardness. She and McCormack bonded outside of work, too, walking around London's Hampstead Heath and finding their way through the muddy and slippery terrain.
This is not the first time Thompson has spoken candidly about the realities of age and sexuality in Hollywood. She called out the hypocrisy of relationship portrayals in many films, arguing that it's not uncommon to see older male stars paired with women 30 years younger than them, but seeing older women with younger men is almost unheard of. With Good Luck To You, Leo Grande, Thompson seems set to tackle that problem head-on.
Source: Entertainment Weekly