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 creator Charles Graeber’s 2013 novel of the identical identify, screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns’ screenplay reveals nurse Charlie Cullen’s (Eddie Redmayne) serial atrocities via his fellow nurse and pal Amy Loughren (Jessica Chastain). Asomugha says that what units The Good Nurse other than the everyday true-crime tales we’re used to seeing on the massive display is that director Lindholm selected to “talk about the heroes that brought him down and that really uncovered what this institution was trying to cover up.”
In their interview with Collider, the actors speak about NFL interceptions, Emmerich’s longest-running function in The Americans, and the significance of directing viewers’ consideration to the heroes of true-crime tales like The Good Nurse moderately than sensationalizing the violence. You can watch the interview above, or learn the interview under. For extra on The Good Nurse, try 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 performed, and it made me very offended. 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 have performed earlier than, acting-wise, what’s the very first thing you need them to observe and why?
NOAH EMMERICH: I’d go along with my first actual function in a film, which was a film referred to as Beautiful Girls. That is certainly 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 happy with it. I believe it is a actually robust film. So that is one I’d suggest first.
NNAMDI ASOMUGHA: You know what? First of all, I really like that movie and I really like that scene whenever you guys are within the bar, and also you’re enjoying, 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 the same factor for me is the primary actual function 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 complete time, and it is an Amazon movie. I produced it as nicely. So I believe that is the one to dive in on if there was a primary to observe.
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 assist you out. But as a singular second, that second of catch, as a singular second. Nothing can contact that, I’d guess.
ASOMUGHA: Yeah, when 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 via the smile. Noah, I clearly liked your work on The Americans. Is it, do you miss making the present or do you are feeling like, as a result of now that you have wrapped, you have got extra time to tackle a task like this, which possibly you could not have performed whenever you have been making the present?
EMMERICH: I miss the individuals. I miss the household of the present. We have 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 performed one for so long as The Americans. So it is most resonant and the deepest, in a manner. But I do not know if I miss, I imply, I believe we informed our story and I do not assume there’s extra to inform. So I do not really feel any want 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 probably the most fashionable nation, probably the most technologically superior, the richest nation within the historical past of the world. We haven’t got healthcare as a human proper, we now have it as a for-profit enterprise. It simply appears legal. In this case, actually.
I utterly 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, might you form of speak about that facet of the movie, that it isn’t the everyday story the place you are, what I imply, most movies concentrate on the villain.
ASOMUGHA: It’s simply one thing that Tobias has talked about lots, our director, simply by way of eager 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 manner and pay that a lot consideration to him. We need to discuss in regards to the heroes that introduced him down and that basically 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 really like studying about how actors wish to work. So let’s use an instance, when you do not thoughts, from this movie. Say you have got an necessary scene on a Monday morning, one thing dramatic or emotional, that could be just a little difficult. How early on are you truly preparing for that scene and fascinated by 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 assume you’ll be able to ever be over-prepared. I imply the caveat there’s that what preparation means generally is a extensive variance. So I do not imply ready like understanding precisely how you are going to do the scene. I believe you could be over-prepared you probably have a end in thoughts. But I believe you’ll be able to by no means be over-prepared by way of understanding one other human being.
How lengthy does it take you to know one other human? It’s by no means in regards to the scene. It’s at all times about the entire individual. So I believe it is a mistake to assume, Oh wow, Monday’s an enormous scene. I higher put together for Monday. Monday’s only a day within the lifetime of your character. Maybe huge issues occur on that day, however in actual life, you by no means want to arrange to be your self. You are your self, however we’re enjoying those that 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 function over the course of 40 years, you’re taking a Shakespeare character, you’ll be able to revisit that function endlessly. So that is my viewpoint. There’s no such factor as being over-prepared.
ASOMUGHA: Agreed. I agree.
Oh okay, I believed you have been going to say extra.
ASOMUGHA: No, I agree utterly. I do not know that there is, I imply I can attempt to say one thing else. But the preparation for the function begins whenever you get the challenge. And so if there is a huge scene that is developing on a Monday, identical to Noah stated, you are making ready for that character, and you’ve got performed that the second that you have gotten the fabric. Your preparation as an actor begins manner earlier than that. So there are little instruments which you could throw in right here and there on that day that may assist you. But for the function, it is whenever you get the fabric. It’s not the day of the massive scene.
The Good Nurse is now streaming on Netflix.
