Original-Cin Q&A: Cyrano's Roxanne, Haley Bennett, on Peter Dinklage and Her Partner Joe Wright
Joe Wright, who has given us Atonement and Pride and Prejudice is no stranger to period films, but has never tackled directing a musical.
That has all changed with his new film, Cyrano starring Peter Dinklage in the lead role as Cyrano de Bergerac, a man who dazzles everyone with his ferocious wordplay and brilliant swordplay. However, he's convinced his appearance renders him unworthy of the affections of the luminous Roxanne, a devoted friend who's in love with someone else.
The film also stars Wright’s real life love Haley Bennett as Roxanne and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as the lovestruck Christian who wants nothing more than to be with the Roxanne but is too shy to profess his love.
Our Bonnie Laufer spoke with Haley Bennett about recreating the role from stage to film and working with her partner, Joe Wright.
CLICK HERE to listen to Bonnie’s Interview with Director Joe Wright
CLICK HERE to listen to Bonnie’s interview with Kelvin Harrison
Haley Bennett stars as Roxanne and Peter Dinklage as her discreet admirer Cyrano.
ORIGINAL-CIN: Haley, you're no stranger to Cyrano, having performed it on the stage, which caught Joe Wright’s attention. So what was it like to have the freedom to take Roxanne and develop this musical side of her on film?
HALEY BENNETT: I'm so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with Peter Dinklage previously in the play so we had built such a wonderful rapport. By the time we got to make the film together, we had really bonded.
So it was so lovely to already have chemistry and a relationship before we got to set. That helped us so much but then getting to elevate it with the music, which is so beautiful, was an amazing gift and something I was so looking forward to.
O-C: The music was beautiful. What was it like to sing these songs and get into the heart and soul of what Roxanne was experiencing in this way?
BENNETT: I've always been a big fan of The National (the idiosyncratic Cincinnati rock band). I was invited to do a workshop phase before we had the opportunity to bring it to stage. And it was such an incredible process, just going into a rehearsal room and reading with other actors.
And The National was there. I was so impressed by their ability to write music for a narrative and the way that the songs, the lyrics say things that often words can't. It was such an honor to sing these songs and I really felt it gave the story so much substance and beauty.
O-C: Why do you think that Peter Dinklage makes the perfect Cyrano?
BENNETT: Peter Dinklage is as enigmatic as he is relatable. He doesn't need the prosthetic nose to justify his insecurities and his fears. It’s a raw and fearless performance and I honestly couldn’t imagine anyone else paying this role. Plus he can sing! I know a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised by him in this role.
As a man, to be so unabashedly transparent - not to Roxanne, but to the audience - he's holding nothing back and I think it's a really brave performance in that way.
O-C: I want to ask you about being directed by your partner, Joe Wright. What is it like to take direction from him? Did you pull any little diva moves on the set?
BENNETT: (Laughs). No, no diva moves from me. We definitely had to set up some boundaries for sure.
Look, there's no guidebook for working with your partner, but I have to say it was pretty fantastic. Joe brings out the best in his actors.
Look at the performances that he's drawn out of actors from Pride and Prejudice to Atonement and from Gary Oldman in, The Darkest Hour. Saoirse Ronan in Hanna. Everyone loves working with him and really, not to seem biased, but he was the perfect director for this.
He came and he saw the play when we were doing it in Connecticut, and he actually asked me permission if he could engage with Erica (Schmidt) the writer and the director of the play who is also Pete's wife. He asked if he could engage with her to discuss adapting this for the screen. She said yes. And now, here we are.
They spent a couple of years developing the script. And right in the middle of the first wave of the pandemic, we found a way to miraculously go. When we were all starving for connection, we found a way to go.
We figured out how to make this film in a safe bubble on the island of Sicily in a beautiful Baroque town called Noto, which is the backdrop of the film. It was basically our back lot. So we were so fortunate to have that opportunity. It was a very rare time in history and I am so grateful for the experience.