In Academy Award nominee Tobias Lindholm’s Netflix movie The Good Nurse, former NFL cornerback and actor Nnamdi Asomugha and The Americans’ Noah Emmerich play two cops investigating a string of curious deaths inside a single hospital. Based on writer Charles Graeber’s 2013 novel of the identical title, screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns’ screenplay reveals nurse Charlie Cullen’s (Eddie Redmayne) serial atrocities by his fellow nurse and good friend Amy Loughren (Jessica Chastain). Asomugha says that what units The Good Nurse aside from the standard true-crime tales we’re used to seeing on the large display screen is that director Lindholm selected to “speak concerning the heroes that introduced him down and that actually uncovered what this establishment was making an attempt to cowl up.”
In their interview with Collider, the actors speak about NFL interceptions, Emmerich’s longest-running position in The Americans, and the significance of directing viewers’ consideration to the heroes of true-crime tales like The Good Nurse somewhat than sensationalizing the violence. You can watch the interview above, or learn the interview beneath. For extra on The Good Nurse, take a look at our sit-down with stars Redmayne and Chastain.
COLLIDER: I actually need to begin with congrats on the film. I believed this was very nicely completed, and it made me very indignant. But earlier than we get into speaking about it, I like throwing a curve initially. If somebody has truly by no means seen something that you’ve got completed earlier than, acting-wise, what’s the very first thing you would like them to look at and why?
NOAH EMMERICH: I would go together with my first actual position in a film, which was a film referred to as Beautiful Girls. That is considered one of my favorites nonetheless. And you always remember your first. It was my first actual Hollywood expertise, so it has a really particular place in my reminiscence, in my coronary heart, and I’m actually pleased with it. I feel it is a actually robust film. So that is one I would suggest first.
NNAMDI ASOMUGHA: You know what? First of all, I like that movie and I like that scene if you guys are within the bar, and also you’re taking part in, is it “Sweet Caroline” on the piano or one thing?
EMMERICH: Yeah, yeah.
ASOMUGHA: And it is also only a nice movie. But I used to be going to say an analogous factor for me is the primary actual position that I ever did, a movie referred to as Crown Heights, which is the place I performed at Trinidadian. So I had a Trinidadian accent the whole time, and it is an Amazon movie. I produced it as nicely. So I feel that is the one to dive in on if there was a primary to look at.
Individual questions for every of you. I’m going to start out with Nnamdi, with you. What’s cooler, catching an interception within the NFL or being in a film with Noah, Jessica, and Eddie?
ASOMUGHA: Oh, why would you place me on the spot like that?
EMMERICH: Won’t be offended. I will not be offended, Nnamdi.
ASOMUGHA: They each share equal worth in my coronary heart. Is that okay? Does that work?
A pleasant diplomatic reply.
EMMERICH: Let me provide help to out. But as a singular second, that second of catch, as a singular second. Nothing can contact that, I might guess.
ASOMUGHA: Yeah, in the event you will not be offended.
EMMERICH: Not in any respect.
ASOMUGHA: Yes. Yeah, that’s the reply.
EMMERICH: That’s my reply too, and I by no means even performed.
ASOMUGHA: Yeah, yeah. There’s nothing actually like that feeling of doing that within the NFL.
I’ll by no means expertise it. I’ll simply stay vicariously by the smile. Noah, I clearly liked your work on The Americans. Is it, do you miss making the present or do you’re feeling like, as a result of now that you’ve got wrapped, you may have extra time to tackle a task like this, which perhaps you could not have completed if you had been making the present?
EMMERICH: I miss the individuals. I miss the household of the present. We had been collectively for 5, six years, and also you get very shut over that extent of time and that depth of labor. And I’m nonetheless in contact to a point, however I miss each job that goes away ultimately. I imply I’ve by no means completed one for so long as The Americans. So it is most resonant and the deepest, in a method. But I do not know if I miss, I imply, I feel we informed our story and I do not suppose there’s extra to inform. So I do not really feel any need to do Stan Beeman anymore. But I do miss the individuals.
Jumping into why I get to speak to the 2 of you. What is it like studying a script like this and realizing this can be a true story, and it is most likely nonetheless occurring? That individuals are simply getting shuffled to different hospitals.
EMMERICH: Yeah, it is horrifying. I imply, it is only a horrifying, infuriating, incomprehensible, actuality that in essentially the most trendy nation, essentially the most technologically superior, the richest nation within the historical past of the world. We haven’t got healthcare as a human proper, we’ve got it as a for-profit enterprise. It simply appears legal. In this case, actually.
I fully agree with you. One of the issues that I believed the movie does very successfully is that it does not concentrate on Charlie’s motivations. It’s not making an attempt to get into exhibiting the violence of all of it. It is about exploring the humanity. And anyway, may you form of speak about that side of the movie, that it isn’t the standard story the place you are, you realize what I imply, most movies concentrate on the villain.
ASOMUGHA: It’s simply one thing that Tobias has talked about quite a bit, our director, simply when it comes to desirous to concentrate on the heroes within the story; versus specializing in the villain. So clearly when the movie begins, you are going to discover out and know that that is the man, he is the man that is dedicated these crimes, however we’re not going to get into his life and form of lionize him in some form of method and pay that a lot consideration to him. We need to speak concerning the heroes that introduced him down and that actually uncovered what this establishment was making an attempt to cowl up. And I believed that was very heroic in its personal sense as a filmmaker to decide on that route versus the salacious route of simply sticking with the serial killer, which I’m positive tons of individuals would’ve wished to see.
For each of you, I like studying about how actors wish to work. So let’s use an instance, in the event you do not thoughts, from this movie. Say you may have an essential scene on a Monday morning, one thing dramatic or emotional, that you realize is perhaps a little bit difficult. How early on are you truly preparing for that scene and occupied with it and breaking down the way you may need to do it? Because I’ve spoken to some actors that say they’re preparing weeks prematurely and others are like, it is Saturday morning.
EMMERICH: 2018 is once I began! I imply, I do not suppose you possibly can ever be over-prepared. I imply the caveat there’s that what preparation means generally is a vast variance. So I do not imply ready like realizing precisely how you are going to do the scene. I feel you will be over-prepared when you’ve got a end in thoughts. But I feel you possibly can by no means be over-prepared when it comes to understanding one other human being.
How lengthy does it take you to grasp one other human? It’s by no means concerning the scene. It’s all the time about the entire particular person. So I feel it is a mistake to suppose, Oh wow, Monday’s a giant scene. I higher put together for Monday. Monday’s only a day within the lifetime of your character. Maybe large issues occur on that day, however in actual life, you by no means want to organize to be your self. You are your self, however we’re taking part in those who we’re not. So there’s a limiteless quantity of preparation that may go into the complete understanding of one other human, a lifetime. So that is why the good roles are revisited years and years later. If some actor performed the identical position over the course of 40 years, you’re taking a Shakespeare character, you possibly can revisit that position ceaselessly. So that is my standpoint. There’s no such factor as being over-prepared.
ASOMUGHA: Agreed. I agree.
Oh okay, I believed you had been going to say extra.
ASOMUGHA: No, I agree fully. I do not know that there is, I imply I can attempt to say one thing else. But the preparation for the position begins if you get the mission. And so if there is a large scene that is developing on a Monday, identical to Noah stated, you are making ready for that character, and you have completed that the second that you’ve got gotten the fabric. Your preparation as an actor begins method earlier than that. So there are little instruments that you may throw in right here and there on that day that may provide help to. But for the position, it is if you get the fabric. It’s not the day of the large scene.
The Good Nurse is now streaming on Netflix.