Eva Green On Critical Themes And Facing Demons In Nocebo - Exclusive Interview
"Nocebo," the new Filipino-Irish horror co-production from Lorcan Finnegan ("Vivarium") is set to debut on Shudder. The film stars Eva Green ("Casino Royale") as Christine, a fashion designer who finds herself faced with a curious affliction. When nothing helps and she's at her wit's end, Christine is spontaneously visited by Diana (Chai Fonacier), a talented nanny with her own folk magic traditions who somehow manages to assuage Christine's symptoms somewhat. Christine doesn't remember inviting Diana, but no matter; she invites Diana into her life and into her home. Diana's presence comes at a cost, and as she works to cure Christine, the latter has to face inner demons that she wasn't prepared for.
It's a frightening tale of magic, afflictions, and the past coming back in unexpected ways, and Eva Green really shines as the embattled Christine. We sat down with Green to chat everything "Nocebo," from Christine's curious red shoe ritual to the deeper meanings of her odd illness, as well as Green's stance on a commonly asked "James Bond" question and more.
A movie that's entertaining but also makes you think
"Nocebo" was so eerie and a really layered, critical film. When Diana walks into Christine's life as a caretaker, Christine's afflicted, but she welcomes Diana with open arms even though she doesn't remember bringing her into her life. What does that say about Christine and where she's at in the film?
When Diana shows up, Christine is very confused. She's very fragile. She's constantly haunted by horrible visions. At the beginning, she's a bit like, "Wait, I don't remember," because she doesn't trust her memory. She's thinking, "Maybe I did hire this lady. I can't remember." She's quite suspicious, and then Diana quickly gains her trust by being an amazing nanny, cooking great exotic food. The fact that Diana even manages to cure most of Christine's symptoms creates this very powerful bond. What is interesting is that their relationship shifts, and Christine becomes the servant and Diana becomes the master. I thought that was quite interesting.
I also thought it was so interesting that there's such an undercurrent of magic to the film, and that Christine has her own little magic charm with the shoes. Can you tell me what's the origin of that idea, and do you think she actually did have some charm with them?
It's Lorcan's idea! It reminds us of Oz a bit, the red shoes. It's an homage, a bit, to [that]. That's more like a Lorcan question. I don't even know myself, to tell you the truth! It was weird. It's, as you said, eerie, or it was "whoo-oo!" It's always ambiguous, and it's a bit mad, which I like, but I don't have a clear answer.
"Nocebo" also has a genuine critical undercurrent, intellectually. It has a lot to say about capitalism, about the modern world, and there's an aspect of revenge. I wanted to ask you, what are the film's themes to you? What's the lesson for Christine?
First of all, there's the guilt. It's how destructive guilt can be, and that will consume her in the end. I don't know if I should say this. It's an interesting movie because it's just not a horror movie. It deals with greed, consumerism that is destroying human lives, and the environment, because we have become these blood-sucking creatures who are obsessed with having more and more constantly, no matter the cost. That's a very strong message, as well, about fast fashion and how damaging it is to human rights and the planet. It's a deep subject, which is good. It's entertaining, but it also makes you think.
The buried guilt consumes her like a fire
An interesting bit of dialogue that recurs through[out] the film is when Diana keeps telling Christine that she's not curing Christine's affliction; she's getting something like a deeper core of ill out of her, to paraphrase. I wanted to ask, what would you say Diana is trying to expunge?
Christine is in total denial of what happened in her past, so [Diana] wants to open the wound so [Christine] can face her own demons, which she will in the end, ha ha ha!
That final scene was something else! It was very intense. What was shooting that moment at the loom or sewing machine like?
I haven't seen the movie yet, but I remember filming this. I felt like the machine was a bit enchanted, really. ... There was something quite mad. I think it's the way it moves. It's like those very old machines, like in the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty," those very old sewing machines. It moves, and it's very physical. You move your legs, your arms. You would enter a kind of trance, and ... she's mad, and she's sewing, sewing. Then Diana forces her to visualize what happened and to take responsibility [for] what happened with her employees. All this buried guilt will consume her like a fire. It's such an unexpected ending. When I read the script, I was not imagining this very dark but very powerful ending.
To pivot a little bit, you're so pivotal in starting off Daniel Craig's "Bond" tenure that just wrapped up. I wanted to get your take on a question that's often asked now: Do you think that a woman should be Bond next?
Oh, no way. I think [it would be] another kind of franchise. Bond is a man, for me. I know it's all the Me Too and the feminists and all this, fine, but Bond has to be a man. Otherwise, it's not [a] known. It would betray the soul of Bond, I feel.
"Nocebo" premieres on November 4 in theaters.
This interview has been edited for clarity.