The British actor continues filming. It nonetheless retains a singular languor, declined yesterday in Rebuildingtoday in The Mastermindand tomorrow in The Sound of Memories.
It is enough to have succumbed to the disarming phlegm of Josh O’Connor and tasted the cinema of Kelly Reichardt, praised for its contemplation of gesture rather than for its action scenes, to understand that these two were made to meet. When she wanted to make The Mastermind a lazy thriller breaking the codes of the heist film, the American director knew that she could count on the British actor to shine by playing “small”, in short by doing as little as possible under the woolen sweater of a father converted into art trafficking.
For the actor, it was a golden opportunity to be directed by one of his favorite directors. “I love most of Kelly’s films. Wendy and Lucy is one of my favorites and First Cow is in my eyes a masterpiece”, enthuses this tall 35-year-old from the living room of his Woodchester home where he has sat down for our Zoom. But when we ask him if it is in particular for their slow rhythm which corresponds well to his energy, he specifies: “Beyond the slowness, it’s the meditative side that I like. I have a weakness for long films because I really like sitting in a room and taking the time to experience the life of a hero or a period. »
One of my greatest joys this year was discovering that the password for the Louvre security cameras was “Louvre”
Josh O’Connor
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Immersed in 1970 Massachusetts and in the shoes of a picture thief, he was able to establish a fusion between his character and himself. The opportunity to admit that if he could steal a painting to hang in his living room, he would opt for a work by Stanley Spencer.“I am a big fan of this artist. Maybe one of his paintings would be good here? » Without waiting for a response, he continues, half shy, half teasing: “I must admit that one of my greatest joys this year was discovering that the password for the Louvre security cameras was “Louvre”. It’s quite extraordinary, isn’t it? »
Without transition (and with a fair-play smile), we move on to the second film that he presented in May, in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. In The sound of memories, by Oliver Hermanus (in theaters February 25), he forms a romantic duo with the Irish star of the moment: Paul Mescal. “She’s a wonderful person!” A kind, generous, caring, respectful man and one of the most moving actors I have ever seen on screen. » We could return the compliment as Josh O’Connor shocked us, from his appearance as Prince Charles in the third season of The Crownbut also before, as the youngest son of the Durrell family, and later, as a tennis player in love with Zendaya in Challengers or as a devastated farmer Rebuilding.
At Coen and Spielberg
Courted by filmmakers from around the world, he was able to test his ability to make people laugh on Netflix, under the Roman collar of the Reverend Father suspected of Wake up Dead Man,and inspire two giants of the magnitude of Joel Coen and Steven Spielberg. With the first, he filmed a comedy-drama called Jack of Spades, soon on the screens, and under the direction of the second, he gave life to Disclosure Day, a science fiction film starring Emily Blunt and Colin Firth which will be released in June.
But, for now, the gentleman has decided to take a break and return to his natural reserve. Leaving his passion for scrapbooking in the locker room (at each shoot, he pastes all kinds of images into notebooks forming « an emotional bible » of his character), he will take advantage of this break to make pottery, garden, see his friends and plan this bike trip which will take him to Padua, Italy. So many personal projects which will undoubtedly allow him to take his career even further.
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