THANK YOU, MARK. WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.
MY NEXT GUEST IS AN ACTRESS, WRITER, AND DIRECTOR OF THE
MOVIES "AWAY FROM HER" AND "TAKE THIS WALTZ."
HER LATEST FILM IS "WOMEN TALKING."
PLEASE WELCOME TO "THE LATE SHOW," SARAH POLLEY!
♪ ♪ ♪
YOU. >> SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
>> Stephen: NOW, TUESDAY NIGHT, YOU HAVE-- BESIDES BEING
A DIRECTOR OF THE NEW FILM, YOU ALSO HAVE A MEMOIR CALLED "RUN
TOWARD THE DANGER," WHICH I WANT TO GET INTO IN A MOMENT HERE.
BUT YOU HAD AN EVENT AT THE STRAND BOOKSTORE HERE IN NEW
YORK WITH THE GREAT FRANCES McDORMAND.
THERE ARE THE TWO OF YOU TOGETHER.
SHE INTERVIEWED YOU. SHE MODERATED THIS EVENING.
I DON'T THINK-- I NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO INTERVIEW HER, SPEND
TIME WITH HER. WHAT-- WHAT'S SHE LIKE?
DOES SHE ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS? >> SHE'S-- YEAH, THERE'S NOT,
LIKE, A LOT OF NICETIES. SHE GETS TO THE POINT.
IT'S PRETTY DIRECT. BUT THE THING THAT SHE DID LAST
NIGHT THAT WAS SO AMAZING WAS SHE READ FROM THE BOOK, AND I
HAD THIS AMAZING EXPERIENCE OF HEARING MY INNER-MOST THOUGHTS
READ BY FRANCES McDORMAND, WHICH I ACTUALLY THINK IS AN
EXPERIENCE WE SHOULD ALL HAVE. >> Stephen: LIKE PLAYING YOU
TO YOU. >> YEAH, BUT AS FRANCES
McDORMAND, TOO. NOW I HEAR MY VOICE AS VERY
CONFIDENT. LAUGH.
>> Stephen: I WOULDN'T PICTURING MYSELF AS FRANCES
McDORMAND. >> IT'S REALLY THERAPEUTIC.
>> Stephen: NOW, THE BOOK, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S CALLED "RUN
TOWARD THE DANGER." WHICH IS AN EVOCATIVE AND AN
ATTRACTIVE IDEA. WHERE DOES THAT TITLE COME FROM
FOR YOU? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> I HAD A CONCUSSION IN 20 15. A VERY LARGE EXPIRE EXTINGUISHER
FOAL MY HEAD AND I HAD A CONCUSSION THAT LASTED THREE AND
A HALF YEARS, ON AND OFF. >> Stephen: WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN, A CONCUSSION-- I THINK I PROBABLY HAD THEM BRIEFLY WHEN I
WAS A KID. WHAT IS-- HOW DOES THAT MANIFEST
ITSELF OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME?
>> SO IT CAME AND WENT IN INTENSITY, BUT BRAIN FOG,
HEADACHES, ENORMOUS TENSIVITY TO LIGHT AND NOISE, IMPOSSIBLE TO
MULTITASK. I CERTAINLY WASN'T GOING TO BE
MAKING A FILM AGAIN. AND SO I DID ALL KIND OF
TREATMENTS, WENT TO ALL KINDS OF DOCTORS.
A LOT OF THE ADVICE WAS, "GO LIE IN A DARK ROOM.
REST. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
LISTEN TO YOUR LIMITATIONS." AND I FINALLY FOUND MYSELF TO
FITZBURG MEDICAL CENTER AND DR. MICHAEL COLLINS WHO SAID IF
YOU REMEMBER ONLY ONE THING FROM THIS MEETING, REMEMBER THIS,
"RUN TOWARDS THE DANGER." BY THAT HE MEANT ALL OF THE
THINGS I HAD BEEN AVOIDING BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO MUCH FROM
MY HEAD WHERE I HAD TO GO LIE IN A DARK ROOM OR AVOITH THINGS
THAT TRIGGERED SYMPTOMS WERE THINGS I HAD TO DO MORE OF.
MY BRAIN WAS BECOMING WEAKER WHAT I WAS AVOIDING OUT OF JIET.
>> Stephen: DESENSITIZE YOURSELF TO THAT STIMULUS.
>> YEAH, AND YOU HAVE TO MOVE TOWARDS THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU
VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE
GOING TO GET BETTER. >> Stephen: WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN ON A BROADER SENSE TO YOU? YOU NAME YOUR BOOK, I ASSUME,
BECAUSE THAT HAS RESONANCE TO THE REST OF YOUR LIFE AND YOUR
WORK. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU
GENERALLY NOW? >> I THINK IT WAS A REAL
PARADIGM SHIFT. I THINK I'M SOMEONE WHO LISTENED
TO THEIR ANXIETY A LOT IN LIFE, LISTENED TO THEIR LIMITATIONS.
AND I THINK IT MADE ME THINK THESE ARE ACTUALLY CHALLENGES.
THESE ARE EXCITING OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME, THE THINGS I'M AFRAID
OF, I CAN MOVE ALONGSIDE THE ANXIETY.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO OVERCOME IT.
I CAN MOVE WITH IT AND DO THE THINGS THAT ARE UNCOMFORTABLE
AND THERE'S TREMENDOUS PAYOFF IN THAT.
>> Stephen: HOW DO YOU FEEL? HOW IS YOUR HEAD NOW?
>> WITHIN SIX WEEKS OF BEING AT THAT PROGRAM I WAS COMPLETELY
BETTER. >> Stephen: AFTER THREE AND A
HALF YEARS OF SUFFERING THROUGH THIS.
>> YEAH, YEAH. >> Stephen: THAT'S
EXTRAORDINARY.
ABOUT FRANCES McDORMAND IS SHE OPTIONED THE 2018 NOVEL "WOMEN
TALKING," WHEN YOU'VE ADAPTED AND DIRECTED.
AND SHE ALSO ACTS IN THE FILM AND IS A PRODUCER.
YOU'VE ALREADY SAID SHE HAS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF CONFIDENCE
AND, YOU KNOW, SHE SEEMS FUN BUT TOUGH.
IS SHE INTIMIDATING TO WORK WITH AT ALL?
>> I MEAN, SHE'S-- SHE IS REALLY FUN.
AND SHE HAS AN ENORMOUSLY KIND HEART.
BUT SHE DOES CUT TO THE CHASE, SO THERE WAS A GUY WHO WAS OUR
HOST AT THE STRAND NAMED WALKER LAST NIGHT, AND THERE WAS A
MOMENT WHERE SUDDENLY I SAID, "WALKER, HOW ABOUT A TOILET?"
AND IT WAS LIKE YOU JUST GET STRAIGHT TO THE ACTUAL THING
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> Stephen: WHAT WAS IT LIKE
MEETING HER ORIGINALLY WHEN SHE CAME TO YOU WITH THE BOOK?
>> I MEAN, I WAS THRILLED BECAUSE IT WAS A BOOK "WOMEN
TALKING," A BOOK THEY LOVED SO MUCH.
AND I HAD ACTUALLY REACHED OUT WHEN I FOUND OUT SHE HAD THE
RIGHTS, AND SHE AND DEED GARDNER, WHO ARE PRODUCING IT
TOGETHER, REACHED OUT TO ME ON THE SAME DAY SO IT FELT VERY
MEANT TO BE AND VERY EXCITING. >> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND YOU
HADN'T DIRECTED IN A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, AS YOU SAID.
YOU CERTAINLY COULDN'T DIRECT. IT HAD BEEN 10 YEARS.
DID YOU APPROACH DIRECTING DIFFERENTLY AFTER THIS THAN YOU
DID BEFORE? >> YEAH.
I MEAN, I FELT SO GRATEFUL EVERY DAY JUST TO BE ABLE TO DO THE
JOB AND TO BE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH PEOPLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS TRITE BUT IT WAS A REALLY TRUE SENSE
OF EUPHORIA EVERY DAY BEING ABLE TO DO A JOB THAT REQUIRED
IMAGINE SCPAGZ COLLABORATION AND MULTITASKING.
AND ALSO, I'VE HAD THREE KIDS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS AND THAT WAS A
BIG PART OF THE REASON I TOOK THE TIME OFF.
THE STAKES JUST FEEL LOWER WITH EVERYTHING AFTER THREE KIDS.
>> Stephen: NOTHING CAN BE AS HARD AS THREE KIDS.
>> NO. I WAS-- ALL THE PEOPLE I WAS
WORKING WITH HAD FULLY DEVELOPED FRONTAL LOBES.
NO ONE YELLED ABOUT THE WRONG-SIZED SPOON.
IT WAS REALLY EASY. >> Stephen: WELL, THE FILM HAS
GOT AN EXTRAORDINARY CAST. CLAIRE FOY, ROONEY MARA, JESSIE
BUCKLEY, EXTRAORDINARY ACTRESS. WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
AND WE HAVE A CLIP HERE, IF YOU COULD SET UP WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO
SEE? >> SURE, SO "WOMEN TALKING" IS
ABOUT A GROUP OF WOMEN IN AN ISOLATED RELIGIOUS COLONY.
THERE HAS BEEN A SERIES OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS OVER MANY, MANY
YEARS. WE DON'T SEE THIS IN THE FILM.
THIS IS THE BACKDROP. AND THEY GATHER WHEN THE MEN
HAVE BEEN CAUGHT, THE MEN HAVE GONE TO JAIL.
ALL OF THE MEN OF THE COLONY HAVE LEFT TO BAIL OUT THE MEN.
THE WOMEN ARE THROFT DECIDE THE FATE OF THEIR COLONY.
ARE THEY GOING TO STAY AND FIGHT?
ARE THEY GOING TO STAY AND DO NOTHING AND FORGIVE THE MEN?
OR ARE THEY GOING TO LEAVE AND BUILD THEIR OWN COLONY?
THE FILM FOLLOWS THIS VERY RIGOROUS, PASSIONATE DEBATE
BETWEEN THESE WOMEN. AND IN THE CLIP WE'RE ABOUT TO
SEE, SOME OF THE MORE STICKY QUESTIONS ARE GETTING ASKED.
LIKE, WHAT IF WE HAVE THE WRONG GUYS.
>> Stephen: JIM. >> WE NUFT CONSIDER?
>> THIS. >> NO!
NO! THAT IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY
BECAUSE WE AREN'T IN CHARGE OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE
PUNISHED. WE KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN ATTACKED
BY MEN, NOT BY GHOSTS OR SATAN, AS WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE FOR SO
LONG. WE KNOW THAT WE'VE NOT IMAGINED
THESE ATTACKS. THAT WE WERE MADE UNCONSCIOUS
WITH COW TRANQUILIZER. WE KNOW THAT WE ARE BRUISED AND
INFECTED AND PREGNANT AND TERRIFIED AND IN PAIN, AND SOME
OF US ARE DEAD! WE KNOW THAT WE MUST PROTECT OUR
CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF WHO IS GUILTY!
>> ALL RIGHT, SALOME, THANK YOU, PLEASE, SIT DOWN.
( APPLAUSE )
STARTED ACTING WHEN YOU WERE VERY YOUNG.
HERE-- HERE YOU ARE. HOW OLD ARE YOU WHEN YOU'RE
DOING THIS? >> I THINK I'M FIVE, BUT WHEN I
WAS A KID, I USED TO LIE AND SAY I WAS FOUR, BECAUSE IT MEANT I
HAD BEEN DOING IT FOR LONGER. BUT I THINK I'M FIVE.
>> Stephen: WHAT-- WHAT WAS THIS EXPERIENCE LIKE FOR YOU AS
A KID? NOT EVERYBODY ENJOYS BEING A
CHILD ACTOR, LATER WHEN THEY LOOK AT IT, AT THE TIME THEY
WANT TO DO IT, THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT BEING AROUND ADULTS
AND DOING THIS ADULT THING AND GETTING THE ATTENTION.
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU? YOU HAVE KIDS, DO YOU ENCOURAGE
THEM TO DO IT? >> NO.
I DO NOT ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO IT.
I WOULD SAY IN GENERAL IT'S A REALLY WEIRD THING TO HAVE KIDS
IN A PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT AMONGST PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
TRAINED TO BE AROUND CHILDREN. IT DOESN'T MAKE A TON OF SENSE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ETHICAL IT IS. SO I DON'T ENCOURAGE-- WILL ANY
OF MY THREE KIDS TO DO THAT AS CHILDREN.
IF THEY WANT TO DO IT WHEN THEY'RE OLDER, GREAT.
>> Stephen: DO THEY COME TO SET WITH YOU?
>> THEY CAME ON THIS SET BECAUSE WITH COVID PROTOCOLS, THE ONLY
WAY THEY COULD COME WAS BY BEING BACKGROUND PERFORMERS.
AND MY OLDEST KID, OF COURSING, WANTS DESPERATELY TO BE A CHILD
ACTOR BECAUSE EVERY BUTTON MUST BE PUSHED.
SO...
WAY ON SET. AND DID A LOT OF-- EVERY TIME I
WOULD TALK TO THE KID ON SET, WHO I WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE
HAVING THERE, "ANY TIME YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE, ANY TIME YOU NEED
TO LEAVE OR TAKE A BREAK, JUST LET US KNOW.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE HERE." AND MY OLDEST WOULD BE LIKE, "WE
KNOW. STOP BORING US WITH YOUR
CHILDHOOD. WE'RE FINE."
SO, YES, THEY VERY MUCH WANT TO BE ACTORS, AND THEY WILL NOT BE
UNTIL THEY'RE OLDER. >> Stephen: GOOD LUCK WITH
THAT. >> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: SARAH, IT WAS SO LOVELY TO MEET YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. >> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: "WOMEN TALKING" IS IN SELECT THEATERS DECEMBER 23rd
AND "RUN TOWARD DANGER" IS AVAILABLE NOW.
SARAH POLLEY, EVERYBODY. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.