SEATTLE — With seven Golden Globe nominations, “Poor Things” is Emma Stone’s latest film and arguably the best performance of her career.
Likened to a feminist version of Frankenstein, the film follows the life of Bella Baxter - a re-animated woman whose brain is untouched. Stone said if she could “unknow” anything, it would be her phobia about vomiting.
"I'm emetophobic, so I would like to unknow what vomiting is like and then never, ever vomit for the rest of time,” she said, laughing.
Her character has to re-learn everything, including how to move. While a memorable dance scene was choreographed, Stone said she and director Yorgos Lanthimos made up much of her movements as they went along.
"The physicality was so much fun because it could be experimental,” she said. “There is no right or wrong to this, (because) it's shockingly not based on a true story, and she's not a real person."
Willem Dafoe plays the doctor who “created” Bella, and said people are wrong if they imagine him to be a mad scientist.
“I get upset when I hear someone call him a mad scientist. He's a sweet soul, you know? And he gives himself and Bella hope,” Dafoe said.
Mark Ruffalo also stars as Bella’s narcissistic suitor and in one scene, learned the power of Stone’s slap.
“It's got some spice, that's for sure,” Ruffalo said. “I was literally dumbfounded for three seconds before I could remember my line."
Ramy Youseff rounds out the main cast as the doctor's assistant who falls for Bella. He and Dafoe studied with a mortician before filming began.
“You know, there's this part of me that feels like I could stitch someone up very poorly, if it needed to be done,” Youseff said. "That being said, yeah no - I'm not the guy."
Set in a fantastical Victorian Europe, Bella experiences the world with curiosity and total openness, regularly bucking social conventions - especially in matters of sexuality. The film has an unapologetic approach to nudity and various sexual scenarios.
"What's beautiful about the movie is we're not really uptight about it,” Ruffalo said. “It's funny, and it's real, and it's weird."
Ultimately, “Poor Things” is about the experience of human awakening. Stone said in her life, one experience has been essential to her own progress and growth.
“Failure. Things going wrong,” Stone said. “When I really look back, those are the things that have helped me to advance and grow the most. I'm not wishing for failure, by the way. But when that has happened, I think if anything, it can really be a huge tool to understand more about yourself and to advance and progress and grow."
“Poor Things” is rated R and opens December 15.
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