WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.
MY NEXT GUEST IS AN ACTOR YOU KNOW FROM "SECRETARY,"
"CRAZY HEART," AND "THE DARK KNIGHT."
SHE'S NOW WRITTEN AND DIRECTED HER FIRST FEATURE FILM,
"THE LOST DAUGHTER."
>> YOU REALLY PUT US THROUGH IT, HUH?
>> I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE PREGNANT WITH YOUR FIRST?
>> I AM.
>> WHAT WERE YOUR DAUGHTERS LIKE WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE?
WERE THEY LIKE THIS WILLFUL LITTLE CREATURE?
>> HONESTLY, I CAN'T REMEMBER, ACTUALLY.
>> NO, YOU CAN'T FORGET ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR OWN CHILDREN.
>> IS THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE?
>> I JUST MEAN...
DID YOUR DAUGHTERS GIVE YOU A HARD TIME WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE?
>> I HONESTLY DON'T REMEMBER.
>> YOU OKAY?
>> SHE DOESN'T REMEMBER.
>> I WAS VERY TIRED.
EXCUSE ME.
>> Stephen: PLEASE WELOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW," MAGGIE
GYLLENHAAL!
♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: HELLO.
>> HELLO.
>> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> NICE TO SEE YOU, TOO.
>> Stephen: I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND I'M SO GLAD WE HAVE A
CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS MOVIE WHICH I CANNOT RECOMMEND HIGHLY
ENOUGH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: IT NOT ONLY IS AN EXTRAORDINARY DIRECTORIAL AND
SCREEN-ADAPTING, WREEN WRITING-ADAPTING DEBUT, BUT THE
PERFORMANCES ARE FANTASTIC.
OLIVIA COLEMAN, JESSIE BUCKLEY.
IT IS A BEAUTIFUL AND HEARTWRENDING AND MYSTERIOUS
DEPICKED OF MOTHERHOOD AND ONE WOMAN'S REACTION TO THAT.
AND WE'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT FIRST, YOU HAVE BEEN ACTING SINCE YOU WERE A KID.
WHEN DID YOU SAY, "OKAY, I'M GOING TO BE A DIRECTOR?"
HAS THIS BEEN A LONGTIME THING?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK NOW THAT I'VE MADE A FILM, I-- I REALIZE
I WAS ALWAYS A DIRECTOR.
AND WHEN I WAS ACTING-- I MEAN, I LOVE ACTING, AND I MISSACKING,
AND IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
IT'S SINCE "THE DEUCE" I HAVEN'T ACTED IN ANYTHING.
>> Stephen: WELL AS THE DIRECTOR YOU CAN CAST YOURSELF.
>> WHICH IS NICE, TAKE OUT THE MIDDLE MAN.
BUT I WAS ALWAYS, LIKE, BANGING UP AGAINST SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, I WAS ALWAYS WANTING MORE THAN I WAS ABLE TO EXPRESS
AS AN ACTRESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO, THERE'S THIS THING-- I READ THIS THING
THAT SUPPOSEDLY MERYL STREEP SAILED-- I DON'T KNOW IF SHE
DID.
SHE'LL TELL US NOW, PROBABLY, IF WE SAY IT ON COLBERT.
BUT THAT-- THAT IF YOU'RE AN ACTRESS AND YOU HAVE AN IDEA AND
YOU NEED IT IN ORDER TO GET YOUR WORK DONE, OFFER IT UP WITH A
SPOON FULL OF SUGAR.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY GOOD ADVICE.
AND I TOOK THAT ADVICE FOR MOST OF MY LIFE.
BUT IT'S A LOT OF WORK.
>> Stephen: THE SUGAR PART.
>> YEAH, THE SUGAR PART.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN THEN, YOU PROBABLY GET WHAT, 40% OF WHAT
IT IS YOU WANTED TO EXPRESS ACTUALLY IN THE FILM, WHEREAS AS
A DIRECTOR, IT'S ALL-- IT'S ALL IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, WHICH IS TERRIFYING.
MY MOVIE COMES OUT IN A COUPLE OF DAYS, YOU KNOW.
IT'S SCARY TO HAVE IT ALL OUT THERE.
BUT IT ALSO FEELS GREAT, BECAUSE IT IS-- IT IS WHAT I MEANT TO
SAY.
>> Stephen: THIS MOVIE TALKS ABOUT MOTHERHOOD, ESPECIALLY
YOUNG MOTHERHOOD, IN A WAY THAT YOU DON'T ORDINARILY SEE.
AND IT IS ABOUT LOVE.
BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY, AND IN A CERTAIN
SENSE-- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE-- ONE WOMAN'S AMBIVALENCE
ABOUT HER ROLE AS A MOTHER.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: YOU DON'T SEE THAT DEPICTOLD THE SCREEN.
YOU EITHER SEE A BAD MOTHER OR A GOOD MOTHER.
>> WELL, I HAVE LOTS OF THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS, I MEAN --
>> Stephen: SHARE A FEW, SHARE A FEW.
>> OKAY.
I THINK...
WHEN WE'RE LITTLE, OUR SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON OUR PARENTS, AND
MAYBE IN PARTICULAR, OUR MOTHERS, BECAUSE THEY'RE FEEDING
US FROM THEIR BODIES-- WANTING NOTHING MORE-- OUR FANTASY THAT
THEY WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO TAKE CARE OF US.
BECAUSE OUR ACTUAL SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON IT.
WHEN, IN FACT, THEY'RE US.
THEY ALSO WANT TO HAVE A DRINK SOMETIMES, AND THEY ALSO WANT A
NIGHT WITH THEIR HUSBAND OR WIFE AND THEY ALSO WANT TO WORK AND
THEY WANT MANY THINGS, LIKE WE DO.
>> Stephen: AND TO BE AWAY FROM YOU.
>> EXACTLY.
( LAUGHTER )
EXACTLY.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S A PART OF US THAT CAN BARELY BEAR TO
CONDITIONAL HOW-- THAT PARENTHOOD, NO MATTER WHAT,
INCLUDES AMBIVALENCE.
AND, I MEAN, MY FILM -- >> Stephen: WE CAN'T BEAR IT
AS PARENTS, BUT WE ALSO CAN'T BEAR IT AS CHILDREN TO THINK
THAT OUR PARENTS DIDN'T NEED US AS MUCH AS WE NEEDED THEM ALL
THE TIME.
>> WELL, YEAH.
ALSO, THERE'S NOWHERE TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE FEELINGS OF
AMBIVALENCE THAT WE HAVE AS PARENTS.
NOT JUST GIVI AMBIVALENCE PPAREG IS INCREDIBLE.
I GET A CHANCE TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT ANYTHING I WANT.
IT'S ALL ABOUT MOTHERHOOD-- WELL, IT'S ABOUT OTHER THINGS,
TOO.
THAT'S A HUGE ASPECT OF WHO I AM.
I LOVE MY CHILDREN, BUT, LIKE, IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED
EXPERIENCE, RIGHT.
I MEAN, AND MOSTLY, IF IT DOESN'T FITTED IN THIS VERY
NARROW SPACE THAT WE'VE AGREED WE'RE ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT,
THEN THEY SAY SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH YOU.
BUT IN FACT, HOW CAN YOU BE A PARENT AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A
BEGINNER, RIGHT?
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE, "HERE, HERE", YOU KNOW,.
>> Stephen: THERE IS THAT FEELING WHEN YOU GET THE BABY,
LIKE, "NO, NO, NO.
THERE'S A MISTAKE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO."
>> WELL, YES!
IT'S DESIGNED TO INCLUDE FAILURE.
AND IF IT INCLUDES FAILURE, IT WILL ALSO INCLUDE GROWING.
BUT GROWING HURTS.
>> Stephen: SURE.
AND YOU'RE FAILING AT THIS PRECIOUS THING, WHICH IS
DEVELOPING ANOTHER HUMAN BEING.
>> AS YOU'RE GROWING, AS YOU'RE LOVING, AS YOU'RE-- ALL OF THIS.
BUT SO IF WE CAN INCLUDE TERROR, REAL ANXIETY, DESPAIR ALONG
WITH, LIKE, THE HEARTWRENCHING ECSTASY ON EITHER SIDES OF THE
EXPERIENCE THAT WE'RE ALL ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT, I THINK--
I THINK IT WOULD BE-- I THINK IT'S COMFORTING TO SORT OF GO,
"YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY PERSON THAT EVER HAD THESE FEELINGS,", YOU
KNOW,.
>> Stephen: AND YOU ARE CERTAINLY NOT THE ONLY PERSON
WHO HAS EVER HAD THESE FEELINGS, BECAUSE THIS IS BASED ON THE
NOVEL "THE LOST DAUGHTER" BY ELENA FERRANTE.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHO ELENA FERRANTE IS.
SHE IS SORT OF A MYSTERIOUS FIGURE IN MANY WAYS.
THERE'S A LOT OF MYSTERY ABOUT WHO SHE IS.
>> THESE ANONYMOUS.
IT'S A PEN NAME.
AND SHE'S WRITTEN ALL THESE BOOKS THAT EVERYONE IS FREAKING
OUT ABOUT, THAT THEY'RE GOING, "OH, MY GOD, YOU'RE SPEAKING TO
ME.
NO ONE HAS SAID THIS BEFORE.
HER BOOKS ARE FLYING OFF THE SHELVES."
>> Stephen: SHE'S ANONYMOUS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO SHE IS-- YOU
WROTE HER A PERSONAL LETTER.
HOW DO YOU ADDRESS SOMETHING TO SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW.
>> LIKE SANTA CLAUS.
>> Stephen: "DEAR SANTA, I'VE BEEN VERY GOOD THIS YEAR."
>> AND YOU CROSS YOUR FINGERS.
>> Stephen: SHE GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO MAKE IT, AND
ACTUALLY TOLD YOU TO DO IT YOUR OWN WAY.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: WHICH WAS AN INCREDIBLY GENEROUS THING FOR
HER TO DO.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: AND SHE SAID THIS RECENTLY IN AN INTERVIEW ABOUT
HAVING SEEN THE FILM.
SHE SAID, "TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I LIKE THE WHOLE FILM.
GYLLENHAAL MAKES TRUE CINEMA.
SHE TRUSTS IMAGES, EVERY THUS THE STORY FLOWS, AND, YET, SINKS
INTO ITS DARK SIDES.
DIGS WITHIN.
YES, IT'S A GREAT JOB."
HOW DOES THAT FEEL?
( APPLAUSE ) >> WELL, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE--
BECAUSE ELENA FERRANTE IS ANONYMOUS, AND BECAUSE HER BOOK
JUST SO ( BLEEP ) GOOD, SHE HAS BEEN THIS KIND OF FANTASY,
FEMININE, COSMIC, LIKE THING OUT IN THE UNIVERSE.
LET ME JUST SAY, THE MOVIE IS, YES, A LOT ABOUT MOTHERING, BUT
IT IS ALSO IN GENERAL, AND THE BOOK, TOO, ABOUT A REAL
ARTICULATION OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A WOMAN IN THE WORLD-- AS
A LOVER, AS A THINKER, AS AN ARTIST, AND AS A MOTHER.
SHE'S BEEN SO HONEST ABOUT THESE THINGS.
WHICH THEN, RIGHT, I DON'T KNOW WHO SHE IS.
BUT SHE CAN BE WHOEVER I NEED HER TO BE.
WHEN I ASKED HER FOR THE RIGHTS-- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
KNOW THIS-- I WROTE TO HER, SLAWZ, YOU KNOW.
I WROTE TO HER AND I SAID, "I WANT TO DIRECT IT, AND I WOULD
LIKE THE RIGHTS, AND THIS IS WHY."
AND SHE SAID, "YES, YOU CAN HAVE THE RIGHTS.
BUT THE CONTRACT IS VOID UNLESS YOU DIRECT IT.
THE.
SO EVEN THOUGH I HAD WANTED TO DIRECT IT, AND IT WAS, LIKE, YOU
KNOW, NEW FOR ME AND SCARY FOR ME.
HERE COMES THIS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM OUT IN THE
COSMOS SOMEWHERE.
THEN, YEAH, THEN SHE WROTE THIS OTHER PIECE IN "THE GUARDIAN"
SAYING, "TAKE IT, AND MAKE IT YOURS, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
IT BE GOOD, AND THAT THE ONLY WAY THAT IT WILL BE GOOD IF IT'S
MINE."
AND I DID THAT.
AND THEN, SHE WRITES THIS PIECE IN THE "NEW STATESMAN," AND I
WAS DOING AN INTERVIEW, AND SOMEONE WHO WAS OVERSEEING THE
INTERVIEW SAID, "YOU MIGHT WANT TO READ THE 'NEW STATESMAN', AND
I STOOD OUT ON THE BALCONY AND STOOD THERE READING THIS PIECE.
IT'S NOT JUST THAT SHE LIKED IT.
LIKE, SHE SAW IT.
( APPLAUSE )
I'M HAPPY FOR YOU.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: MAGGIE.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
THANK YOU FOR THIS FILM.
"THE LOST DAUGHTER" IS IN THEATERS THIS FRIDAY AND ON
NETFLIX DECEMBER 31.
MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL, EVERBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.