‘Menu’ Interview: Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult

Opening in theaters Nov. 18 is the new black comedy ‘The Menu,’ from director Mark Mylod (‘What’s Your Number?’)

The film stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot and Nicholas Hoult as Tyler, a young couple who travel to a remote island to dine at an exclusive restaurant run by celebrity chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes). Chef Slowik has prepared a sumptuous menu of molecular gastronomy, but his approach to cooking has a surprising twist on wealthy diners.

In addition to Taylor-Joy, Hoult, and Fiennes, the film also features Hong Chau, Janet McTeer, Paul Adelstein, Judith Light, Aimee Carrero, and John Leguizamo.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult about their work on ‘The Menu,’ their first reactions to the screenplay, the tone of the film, the food, their characters, and working with director Mark Mylod and the rest of the cast. impressive.

Moviefone: First of all, Anya, what was your first reaction to the scenario when you first read it?

Anya Taylor-Joy: I’ve gotten pretty good, just because of the many scripts I’ve read and the movies I’ve consumed, and I can usually tell where it’s going, or I can guess a line. This one, absolutely not. I don’t know how anyone guessed it ended in any reality.

I’m excited at the prospect of doing something original. Then as the cast started to fill in, it just got more and more interesting because I wanted to go and play with these incredibly talented people, and I’m a huge fan of Mark’s work. So, it all comes together really beautifully.

MF: Nicholas, can you talk about the challenge of navigating the film’s different tones?

Nicholas Hoult: Yes, it literally bounces all over the place. It’s something reading it where you’re like, “I think this is funny,” but then you’re like, “But also terrible things are happening at the same time, so maybe that’s not funny.” That, again, is just something that Seth (Reiss) and Will (Tracy), the writers, did a really great job of creating in this extreme, very real world, but also satirizing and poking fun at all of these extreme characters.

So, it was like a fun place to play because you get to play characters very authentically, but at the same time, all of them are larger than life characters and a little bit stereotyped. You look at it in a very playful way. So yeah, it’s just great writing.

MF: Anya, Margot has a different relationship with Chef Slowik than the other guests, can you talk about their relationship and why Slowik is attracted to her?

ATJ: It’s a weird intimacy to describe because it’s not easy to categorize, but I think they recognized something in each other and that started a kinship. I think for Chef it started out wanting so badly to categorize it and then oddly feeling like he was enjoying his refusal. He enjoys being told no, or he enjoys the fact that someone isn’t being as respectful as others.

That sounds crazy because of what happened in the movie, but I think he recognized a hurt artist and someone who was really hurt and upset. That’s how he began to find out. Those scenes are so much fun to play through.

MF: Nicholas, can you talk about Tyler and his obsession with food?

NH: He is a true foodie. So, that was part of the research for this, which is great. I just watched food shows, went to good restaurants and pretended to be a foodie. But I have to do it. I did and picked it up myself and then it was fun. This is actually the great thing about the writing as well because a lot of times things get overly explained, and I find as a member of the audience you fill in the blanks or you can imagine and create your own storyline for all of these people.

So, obviously sitting down with Mark and starting this process, it creates a connection between these characters and how it unravels. But also, Tyler’s ideas and thoughts on Chef Slowik and what brought all these characters, I think, to that restaurant that night. So, it’s kind of fun to leave it in the actual movie, but more for interpretation. Then as an actor to have all of this background that when you show up on day one and walk into a restaurant and fill in for those characters, you have a lot to take there that goes without saying.

MF: Lastly, Anya, this is one of those rare films where almost every cast member is on screen at the same time. What was that experience like, getting the chance to work with all the actors on this film?

ATJ: At all. It was amazing. Mark has been telling us all that he wants to shoot film in a 360 degree way, and he wants us all to have our microphones up and ready all the time because you never really know when the cameras are going to be on. You. That, I think, is like the quality of the Robert Altman style he wanted to bring there.

But what’s really beautiful is, a lot of times if it’s not your scene or your closeup, you’ll go to the trailer and take a break, or hang out somewhere other than the set. We just spent all of our time on set because if you’re not acting opposite someone as beautiful as Nick or Ralph, you have a front row seat to these incredible performers, and you should enjoy it. People would clap after taking. It’s just a very beautiful and supportive environment.