Nosferatu
COVER STORY
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COVER STORY ✦
Since its original release in 1922, F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu has haunted audiences with its chilling portrayal of the vampire Count Orlok—cementing the film's legacy as a cornerstone of horror cinema. Almost a century later, visionary filmmaker Robert Eggers officially brings his own deeply personal vision to the favored gothic tale, immersing it with modern relevance while preserving its haunting essence.
In Eggers’ new adaptation, the story follows estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) as he embarks on a journey to Transylvania to meet with the enigmatic Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), a potential client with sinister secrets. While Thomas is away, his new wife Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) is cared for by their friends Friedrich and Anna Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emma Corrin). During that period, Ellen begins to experience unsettling visions and a growing sense of dread, leading her to confront a mysterious and uncontrollable force.
At the center of the film is powerhouse actor Hoult, who offers audiences a character in pursuit of an opportunity to build a better life for his family. “He starts out as quite a naive character who expects and hopes for the best. Through what he encounters, he unravels and loses that hope. It’s quite a heartbreaking tale for him,” Hoult explains.
When addressing the thought process behind Hoult’s casting, Eggers admits that he chose Hoult for the role due to his combination of humor, technical skill, and warmth, believing him to embody a character who can't recognize or accept the darkness until things are extremely dire. Eggers remarks, “Nicholas has a great sense of humor and a dark side, but he is such a positive warm person that you believe him as a character who can’t see and can’t accept the darkness until it’s too late.”
During his journey to meet Count Orlok, Hoult’s character Thomas rests at a Romanian village and dismisses warnings of danger, leading him into a state of confusion about his own reality. Hoult describes, “Thomas starts to lose sense of what’s real and what’s not. From that moment on, he is never quite sure if he’s dreaming or if the things he’s witnessing are real.” Later, upon Thomas’s eventual arrival, Orlok struggles to control his vampiric urges until Thomas sustains an injury, changing everything. “That [injury] unleashes Orlok’s bloodlust and gets his senses going. From then on, all bets are off. Any hope for a normal transaction is forfeited,” Hoult divulges.
In bringing the character to life, Hoult also acknowledges that his biggest goal was to impress Eggers and honor his longtime admiration for the classic story. “There’s no one who, in my opinion, creates authentic worlds and builds atmosphere quite like he does in his movies,” Hoult says of Eggers. “The world he has created is incredible. This film has been thirty years in the making in many ways, and I wanted to do service to the story and this character in a way that would make Rob proud.”
For this project, Taylor-Johnson was also able to collaborate with peer (and longtime industry friend) Hoult, with Taylor-Johnson admitting, “We were both very happy when we got the call from [Eggers]. Our characters also have a similar kind of past, so hopefully that will come across.”
Delving into his own character’s presence within the film, powerhouse star Taylor-Johnson reveals, “Friedrich Harding was instantly a relatable character, someone who is a family man, someone who will go to the ends of the earth for his wife and children. It’s slowly slipping through his fingers, and he’s trying to hold it all together.” He continues, “[Friedrich] has a guest under his roof and a responsibility to his friend. He doesn’t want to go back on his word, but also, at some point, enough is enough.”
In addition to Hoult, Depp’s character Ellen acts as a key element of the film, becoming an innately conflicted and possessed central figure in Nosferatu. Depp, who was quickly enamored by the script, shared her excitement about joining the high-stakes project, saying, “I always loved haunted gothic tales like this. I could see the whole thing playing out as I was reading it. I was holding my breath the entire time.”
Despite the magnetic supernatural elements, Depp notes the script is very much grounded in realism. She remarks, “There’s something about this script and this movie that feels very real, visceral, and human, which is interesting because we’re talking about demons, and ghosts, and this other realm. That’s what I think is the scariest part about the movie: just how real the nightmares are.”
From her very first audition, Depp's commitment to the multi-faceted part was undeniable. “Her audition was so strong. I was crying,” Eggers recalls before adding, “It was clear she was going to be powerful as this character.” For Depp, the audition process was an opportunity to embrace the role fully. She shares, “This role requires a lot of letting go, transcending your physical form, and becoming something demonic, and otherworldly, and free of any self-consciousness. I wanted to show him in the audition that I was willing to go there.”
To prepare for Ellen’s gripping possession scenes, Depp worked closely with movement coach Marie-Gabrielle Rotie, an expert in Japanese Butoh. “We started very simply,” Depp explains, emphasizing the importance of even the smallest details in her character's movement. “Because Ellen has this connection to another realm, and there’s something paranormal about her, I wanted that to carry through to all of her movement.”
Fellow Nosferatu star Taylor-Johnson was dually impressed by Depp’s dedication, noting, “It’s actually frightening to see in person, let alone on screen. She is able to fully embody herself in it, and she has this beautiful lack of self-consciousness. There’s no vanity. It’s just pure instinct.”
Even with an array of compelling assets, the story can’t be complete without the feared Count Orlok himself, brought to life by legendary genre star Skarsgård. “My dad loves movies, and he gave me an early tour of cinema history, and Nosferatu was one of the films we watched,” comments Skarsgård. “I read [Egger’s story] and thought, ‘There’s nothing like this,’” The actor remembers. “I thought it was one of the best scripts I had ever read.”
Discussing Skarsgård’s immersive transformation for the role, Depp explains that it didn’t require much acting to convey her character’s fear. However, she also makes it clear that the actor has masterfully acquired the ability to flip a switch when necessary. “I remember the first time that I walked on set and saw [Skarsgård] in costume, I was so scared. I thought, ‘This is going to be perfect because then I won’t have to pretend like I’m scared of him in the scenes. If anything, I’ll have to work on feeling drawn to him, because I’m absolutely petrified right now.’”
Depp continues, “It’s funny to see somebody dressed up like this horrific, rotten, decrepit demon, and then, in between takes, he’s joking around, asking questions in this sweet way, and wanting to collaborate.” Though, fellow cast members like Hoult were also taken aback by Skarsgard’s inspiring on-camera versatility in the role. “Bill has done a wonderful job of creating this character who is intimidating and scary and powerful,” Hoult reiterates before concluding, “but also in a way quite appealing and seductive.”
As the cast delves into their richly constructed characters and commitment to the project, it's clear that Eggers' visionary direction plays a significant role in bringing this chilling tale to life. From his meticulous attention to detail to the thoughtful performances of the stellar cast, this fresh rendition of Nosferatu promises to resurrect the eerie allure of the original while still enthralling audiences with its haunting beauty and timeless terror.
The Focus Features film Nosferatu creeps into theaters on December 25, 2024.
