Mia Goth: Womanhood, Character Challenges and GoreVerbinski’s Vision in A CURE FOR WELLNESS

Not everything seems to be perfect.

Mia Goth plays a young woman who catches the of Dane Dehaan’s character Lockhart in Gore Verbinski’s A CURE FOR WELLNESS.

Here’s the official plot synopsis:

An ambitious young executive is sent to retrieve his company’s CEO from an idyllic but mysterious “wellness center” at a remote location in the Swiss Alps. He soon suspects that the spa’s miraculous treatments are not what they seem. When he begins to unravel its terrifying secrets, his sanity is tested, as he finds himself diagnosed with the same curious illness that keeps all the guests here longing for the cure.

LRM had a sit-down interview with actress Mia Goth earlier this month. She talked about her character growing into womanhood; the lure and vision of Gore Verbinski; working with Dane Dehaan; and the beauty in Germany.

Goth is best known for playing P in Lars Von Trier’s NYMPHOMANIC

A CURE FOR WELLNESS will be in theaters nationwide this Friday, February 17.

Read the interview transcript below.

LRM: Thank you for speaking with me. You must have a long day already.

Mia Goth: I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s pretty cool.

LRM: Oh, no kidding. Well, let me start off with a standard question. Why were you attracted to this project?

Mia Goth: Many reasons. I thought the script was incredibly well written. It was very layered and nuanced. I read it in one sitting from front to back. I think I knew on where it was going and then it took a completely different turn. It never was going to allow you to predict on what was going to happen.

I’ve connected with Hannah a lot. I’ve seen some parallels between my life and mine. And especially to work with Gore [Verbenski] in a genre he helped to define back with THE RING. That was all really exciting for me.

LRM: How would you describe Hannah as a character that you deemed to relate and to like so much?

Mia Goth: I think when you first meet Hannah—you’ll realize pretty quickly that she is innocent and pure. So when Lockhart meets her, he is completely mystified by her. She is much younger than everyone at the sanitarium. She doesn’t quite fit in with this puzzle.

She has a beautiful gift on seeing beauty into everything, because she was so sheltered and protected. I think that was something [wonderful].

LRM: You mentioned earlier that there were some parallels between the character and yourself. Could you explain a little bit more on what parallels you’ve connected with the character?

Mia Goth: In many ways, it’s a coming of age story. She’s forced to confront her womanhood. She is forced to take this leap from girlhood to womanhood. That is very much part of her journey and part of her adventure in this movie. In time, it’s painful. In time, it’s exhilarating. Sometimes it’s absolutely terrifying.

That was something I’ve connected to. I was 21 when I filmed the movie. There’s a lot of parallels of becoming a woman. At times, it could be overwhelming. I think that is something that a lot of women can relate to. It is something that I have connected with her.

LRM: Do you feel like it is much easier to play a much younger person in a film like this? When I saw this film, I imagined Hannah as a sixteen or seventeen year girl myself.

Mia Goth: It’s easy to play something that you’ve been through already. You’ve already gone through this so you have something to give to. I’m 23 now and to play someone who is 27 would be impossible. You haven’t lived through those experiences yet.

LRM: How about working under the direction of Gore Verbinski? A lot of people would love to work under him and you had that chance. How was that?

Mia Goth: It was amazing. It really was. He really knows on what he wants. He storyboards each take. You know exactly what he wants from each shot. He has such an eye for detail and nuance. He is very deliberate and very particular. He doesn’t compromise on that. He brings his best self everyday and he demands it on everyone else.

It was the best working environment to be in. It’s really great working with him.

LRM: You mentioned at the beginning of this interview was THE RING. Was that one of the things that made you attracted to him?

Mia Goth: For sure! He worked on a genre he helped defined back with THE RING. That was really exciting for me. In the same way that you watched THE RING, you would never watch a video tape in the same way again. After watching A CURE FOR WELLNESS, you’ll never look at sanitariums and holistic healings in the same way ever again.

LRM: Sort of in the way what you are about to drink this bottled water again.

Mia Goth: [Laughter] Exactly. Here we go. [She takes a drink out of her bottled water.]

LRM: You lived. [Laughter] What about working with your co-partner here, Dane [Dehaan]? You two seem to have pretty good chemistry.

Mia Goth: I’ve always wanted to work with Dane. It was a big deal for me. I’ve been a huge fan of his work for a long time. I think he makes great choices. He’s a great actor. To work opposite to him, he gives a lot and I loved working with him. He is really the ideal actor to work opposite with. He’s committed. He’s focused. He’s driven by the right things.

LRM: I’ve seen the movie already. I thought it was a delight that you two rode the bike together…..not once, but twice.

Mia Goth: Yeah. That was really fun. It was kind of scary at first. Once we got the rig right, it was quite exhilarating going down these hills. It was a lot of fun.

LRM: I don’t want to spoil anything, but there is a really rough scene with Jason Isaacs. How did you mentally prepare for yourself to do that scene? To me, it was pretty tough to watch.

Mia Goth: It’s a thought provoking film. It’s sparking a conversation from the title and onwards. Every scene in A CURE FOR WELLNESS serves the story we are telling and I stand behind that. I only felt safe and empowered on Gore’s set.

LRM: Did you find anything to be difficult for you on this project? I know Dane had to go through a lot. But, what about yourself?

Mia Goth: I had to do quite a bit of water work. It was quite a challenge. We shot in a place called Beelitz, which is a little village outside of Berlin. It used to be a World War I and World War II hospital. They used to send their dissidents there. It definitely had this eerie feel to it. The place was very cold. It’s just challenging to be in the water and soaked in the middle of the night.

LRM: So you’re saying this is not like a spa vacation on the set? [Chuckles]

Mia Goth: Not…..one…..bit. [Laughter]

LRM: Tell me about filming in that locale out in Germany. It’s not United States. It’s not England. You’re out in the country of German and it looks like Switzerland.

Mia Goth: I’ve never really went to Switzerland. We shot a majority of it in Berlin. We also did a monthlong tour of Germany. For example, Castle Hohenzollern served as the exterior of the spa. It was great to be able to do that for many reasons. You really get the sense and the places that you are in. It helps to inform on what you are doing. It makes it feel more real.

LRM: In your young career, you have chosen very diverse films under your belt. How do you choose your projects?

Mia Goth: It’s down to a few things. It’s down to the character. I like things that present challenges. I want to do things that I have never done before. I like to try new things. It all comes down to the script, director and the cast. Each project varies on what they are.

LRM: Was it easy to convert from a modeling career into an acting career like this?

Mia Goth: I’ve really never considered myself as a model, because it was never a career of mine nor was a profession. I’ve done a couple of jobs [back then] and it was a way to get pocket money. It was never something that I’ve pursued. Since fifteen years old and onwards, acting was what I’ve been pursing.

LRM: So can you talk about your future projects then?

Mia Goth: Well, I have a movie called SUSPIRIA that is directed by Luca Guadagnino. It’s based on the Dario Argento’s SUSPIRIA. It’s a ballerina joining a dance company. And then she soon realizes that this company is a façade for much more sinister things.

Then I have a film that we’ll start soon called HIGH LIFE. It is being directed by Claire Denis. It’s about deep space.

LRM: Well, that is something very different from what you were doing before.

Mia Goth: Yeah, I’m really excited.

LRM: Who are you playing there?

Mia Goth: I play a convict.

LRM: Oh? Oh. That is totally different for you.

Mia Goth: Yeah, yeah.

LRM: Let me tie this last question to the movie A CURE FOR WELLNESS, if someone offers you something to drink to become immortal—would you do it?

Mia Goth: No, no. I think it’s more important to live in the moment and to be grateful on what we have. We should live with things to its fullest.

LRM: So you wouldn’t even consider it?

Mia Goth: Sure, I would consider it. If someone says, “Hey! You can live forever.” You’ll give it some thought. In the end, I rather say, “No, thank you. I rather live in a normal amount of time. And I should live it to the best that I can!”

LRM: One quick last question, I knew you were attracted to this movie and THE RING—what scares you? There are many scary things in this movie.

Mia Goth: Many. So what really scares me? Well, you’re sleeping in bed at night, you’ll this very little “clunk!” or a “dink!” You don’t really know if that’s really a robber. That scares me a lot. What else scares me? [Pauses]

LRM: And talking to the press. [Laughter]

Mia Goth: [Laughter]

LRM: I hope you had fun with me. Thank you for the conversation. I really appreciate it.

Mia Goth: Yeah, thank you very much.

A CURE FOR WELLNESS will be in theaters nationwide this Friday, February 17.

Source: Exclusive to LRM

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