Ralph Fiennes’ Coriolanus Blog: Interviews with Actors Brian Cox, Jessica Chastain and Paul Jesson

Share on Facebook posted 08-06-10 by Andreas Wiseman

In the second part of my series of interviews with Coriolanus actors I caught up with Brian Cox, Jessica Chastain and Paul Jesson who told me about their characters and the production.

Menenius – Brian Cox

Andreas Wiseman: Who is Menenius? What is his motivation?

Brian Cox: Menenius is Coriolanus’ political agent, his mentor and father figure. He’s one of the most popular figures in Rome. He’s a Senator with a popular touch, but he’s also a great leader. He’s the human face of Coriolanus. He’s a very interesting and rewarding character as he’s witty and funny and he has magnanimity, whereas many of the other characters are quite self-serving. He sees through a lot of the ambition and fallacy in Rome.

He’s an advocate of Coriolanus’ potential as a Consul and is willing to stake everything on Coriolanus. And that’s when it all goes horribly wrong. He has a tragic end – his own downfall is very much tied up with his great belief in the young man Coriolanus.

Ralph and John Logan have kept the original character largely in tact.

AW: What was it like returning to Shakespearean dialogue?

BC: I did Titus Andronicus on film and a lot of Shakespeare plays in the 80s and early 90s so I’m well trained in the language. As film actors we have to ‘de-rhetoricise’ and make it more immediate. We need to go for more of a realistic rather than naturalistic sound. But Ralph understands the dangers of rhetoric. There is a lot of it in the play but it never becomes over the top in this film.

AW: What more can you tell us about the production?

BC: Ralph has created a world and a vision that is remarkable. It’s very filmic and visual and well realised. The modern setting makes a lot of sense.

I’m incredibly impressed with the transition Ralph has made from actor to director. He has been very rigorous in the style of acting, as has Barry in his camerawork.

Virgilia – Jessica Chastain

AW: Can you tell us a little about your character?

Jessica Chastain: Virgilia is the female energy in this male driven world of aggression. She embodies grace, compassion, and strength. She’s very strong in her beliefs. Her strength comes without having to impose on anyone. She doesn’t have to put her mark on anything. After Coriolanus is banished her world crumbles and she joins in Volumnia’s rage. At the end of the story, when Virgilia encounters a changed Coriolanus, she hardens, like a flower that has dried up.

AW: What have you found most challenging about this role?

JC: For me, Jessica, it’s very difficult to play someone that is present, without speaking. She possesses a “gracious silence” that feels very separate from me. But it’s beautiful to get to explore that part of myself.

Brutus – Paul Jesson

AW: How would you describe your character? What makes him tick?

Paul Jesson: Brutus is a Tribune, a member of the Senate, one of two elected representatives of the common people. This is a powerful position, perhaps the equivalent in the setting of this production to a Socialist Member of Parliament. The Tribunes’ opposition to Coriolanus is perfectly justified since the near starvation of the people they represent is an urgent issue and Coriolanus makes no secret of his contempt for their plight. Of course Brutus is ambitious – how else would he stand for election? But he is not advocating class war. He seems to regard the Consul Cominius as benign and simply wants to bring about the downfall of a man he believes would be tyrannical. He clearly has a major fault – few politicians do not – in that his interests are entirely domestic: he is blinkered to the dangers of Rome’s international situation and has no instinct for war.

AW: What were the greatest challenges of the role?

PJ: Having played Shakespeare in the theatre for many years it took some adjustment to put aside theatrical delivery of the language and to make it light and conversational for the film. Being able to smoke or fiddle with a mobile phone while speaking was a great help with this!

Coming up I’ve got fascinating interviews with Oscar winning sound mixer Ray Beckett and top dialogue coach Joan Washington.