Josh O’Connor has opened up about the nerves he felt while filming a scene with Josh Brolin in the upcoming movie “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” The actor, known for his role in “The Crown,” portrays Rev. Jud Duplenticy in a film that boasts a star-studded lineup, including Daniel Craig, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, and Mila Kunis.
O’Connor expressed that he was particularly intimidated by his scenes with Brolin, who is best known for his roles in films like “Sicario.” In a candid interview with Entertainment Weekly, he admitted to feeling “overwhelmed” and even requested a reshoot of their initial scene together, which involved a challenging interaction between Duplenticy and the powerful Monseigneur Jefferson Wicks, played by Brolin. The scene features Wicks delivering an explicit monologue of his recent misdeeds, designed to unsettle the new arrival.
Eager to deliver a strong performance, O’Connor explained, “It’s a really important scene, and it’s also an incredibly brilliantly-written scene and very funny. And I was dreading it, is the truth, because it was the first scene Josh and I did together.” He acknowledged that Brolin, who had recently joined the cast after working on another project, set high standards, and O’Connor felt the pressure to match his talent.
Despite Brolin’s supportive approach as an “incredible collaborator,” O’Connor noted that his initial takes did not go as well as he had hoped. Feeling the weight of the moment, he later reached out to director Rian Johnson to request an opportunity to redo his coverage for the scene. “I was so grateful that Rian always puts his cast first and allowed us to work on the scene again,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of the moment.
Johnson has shared that the film draws on his personal experiences regarding faith and religion, and he crafted the narrative through the lens of his own journey growing up in an evangelical household. He reflects on how the various characters in the congregation represent different facets of his own experiences with faith.
The collaboration among the talented cast and crew, alongside Johnson’s deep-rooted connection to the material, paints an optimistic picture for the film’s reception. O’Connor’s willingness to work through his nerves to deliver a strong performance serves as an inspiring reminder of the dedication artists bring to their craft.