Colin Farrell was the only male actor on set for the bulk of filming The Beguiled, Sofia Coppola's new movie starring Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Elle Fanning. The actor didn't mind being the lone dude at all in a movie written, directed, starring, and telling the story of strong, powerful women. In fact, he loved every minute of it. "I have been doing this for 20 years, and it’s my favorite experience, my favorite shoot," Farrell said at the Beguiled press conference at Cannes on Wednesday, IndieWire reports.
Farrell's comfort level wasp partly due to the way he was raised. "I grew up with three very strong and brilliant and kind and smart women in my life, my mother and two sisters," Farrell explained. He also credits the "elegant and smart" Coppola and his co-stars with creating a warm, collaborative atmosphere. "To be surrounded by talented, decent, smart, insightful creative and serious women — I was spoiled by Sofia Coppola who set a particular mood of comfort, ease and trust. It allows you as an actor to play and explore." Farrell added, joking, "I didn’t have to worry about being the token male." And apparently, the feeling was mutual. "He was a good sport about being our [male] object," Coppola told reporters.
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That comfortable dynamic on the set isn't exactly reflected onscreen,though. In the movie, out June 23, the Irish actor plays a wounded Union soldier taken in by the women at a Southern girls' boarding school run by Kidman's headmistress. And then things turn... dark. Farrell sums up his role like this: "I have a penis... treachery and hilarity ensues." So, where do we buy tickets?