Denzel Washington it helped Journey Smollett learn that there really is such a thing as “too prepared.”
Smollett, 38, recalled the helpful advice while interviewing her The Order costar Jude Law for Us Weeklyis introductory In a conversation function. She asked Lowe, 51, if he preferred a rehearsal process before starting a project, and the actor admitted he didn’t want to be over-prepared before a scene.
“I love rehearsals, but then you also have to know—I mean, me trained in the theaterso for me rehearsals are vital,” Lo explained. “But the difference with film rehearsals is that you have to know when to say, ‘Okay, that’s enough.’
Smollett shared, “I’ve had that experience where I overrehearsed. … I was making a movie (where I got to) to shoot, and you’re like, “I’m lost and I’ve got nothing.” And they called me, they called me for it. It was Great debatesDenzel Washington was our director.”
It’s clear that Jude Law and Journey Smollett are their biggest fans. “I was messing with you on set.” The duo are in the director’s chairs interviewing each other for Us Weekly’s first film In Conversation — and the man making the confession might surprise you. The two are starring in The Order, which opens in theaters (…)
Lowe asked her how it felt to be approached by Washington when she was 19 years old on the set of the 2007 drama. – one of her first major film roles as an adult. “It was amazing. It was like a master class,” Smollett said. “It was a big debate scene. This was the first debate we filmed. The film is all about debate. We had gone to a debate camp. He would drive us to rehearsals, discussing each other.”
Smollett had all the confidence in the world when it came to setting this day, but he quickly realized he didn’t have the spark he needed. “In my head, I’m like, ‘I’m going to crush this, man. I’m gonna kill this scene. I got there and I was stuck. I was overrehearsed and he knew it. He came to me and said, “You’re rehearsing too much.” And I said to myself, “I know. I have nothing. What should I do? And he said, “It’s all right, we’re going to shoot everybody else and we’re going to shoot you last and you’re going to relax until then.” And by then I wasn’t crazy anymore, man. I wasn’t.”
with Washington Council seemingly not working, Smollett began to worry. “I was going crazy. … They really like that special frame around me and everything (and) I still know I’m not in the pocket,” she recalled.
Jude Law and Journey Smollett for Us Weekly’s In Conversation.
Us WeeklyWashington came to her again with another piece of advice. “That’s why actors who are sometimes directors are the best,” she explained. “He just says, ‘If you’re going to ask a question, get an answer,’ and he walks away.” It opened my head.
Smollett went on to explain that in the film, her character is tasked with “discussing whether or not people of color should be able to attend certain universities.”
“(My character) wanted me to be a lawyer, so I had to have access to certain universities,” she continued. “It was personal. … (I) fought for your life. That’s how high the stakes are, is what I understood in his words: “Get an answer.”
Law said, “And it just clicks.”
“And it clicked,” she confirmed. “And the shot that’s in the movie now, I get emotional, (because it’s) the fucking shot after he whispers that in my ear.”
“A great place to learn, isn’t it? At Denzel Washington’s handsit’s amazing,” Lo commented.
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“A safe place to fail big,” Smollett said.
The duo noted that The Order director Justin Kurzel it was just as intuitive. “I was thinking of Justin when you talked about it — even though he’s not an actor, he had insight,” Law said. “One of my favorite things, besides the work I did with him, was watching him work with other people. Just such a natural understanding and (he) knew when to be warm and generous.”
Kindness and generosity were needed behind the scenes of the film, which follows Lowe and Smollett as FBI agents who hunt down a racist group with plans to overthrow the government.
The Order it’s in theaters now.
Reporting by Kat Pettibone and Mandie DeCamp
