INTERVIEW: Jennifer Ehle Praises the Writing of Alice Birch for ‘Dead Ringers’
If you want a twisted and out there look at body autonomy all with two Rachel Weiszs, boy is Dead Ringers the show for you. Based on the 1988 David Cronenberg film of the same name, we embark on a journey of Elliot and Beverly (both played by Weisz) as they try to get money for their own birthing center. And the one there who has the money looming over their heads is Rebecca (Jennifer Ehle).
In preparation for the show’s release, I got to speak with both Ehle and Emily Meade, who plays Rebecca’s partner Susan. I talked a lot about Rebecca’s energy as the one with the power over Elliot and Beverly and what that meant for the character. “It was just really a treat to have, to get a chance to play somebody like that,” Ehle said. “And the script is so amazing. Alice Birch’s writing is so smart and funny and weird and it was just a kind of gift really. I mean, I get it. If you have 16 million and somebody wants you to give it to them, then I think you get to ask them some questions. You want to know if you’re gonna spend 16 million on something, but as she says, you know, that’s all to me. But she definitely is very comfortable in the seat of her power.”
She went on later in the interview again to praise Birch’s writing. “Alice’s writing, it’s just extraordinary,” Ehle said. “I do think there’s a rhythm to it. Like I was watching last night, it was the second time I’d seen, I’ve seen the whole thing once, but I saw the first two episodes last night and seeing it and there were a couple of times where I was just like, ah, I could see that I blew the rhythm that I could see. Would’ve worked better if I’d just gone with what I feel like Alice had laid down. Because there’s a music to it. That’s really amazing.”
You can see my full interview with Jennifer Ehle and Emily Meade here:
Dead Ringers is on Prime Video.
(Featured image: Prime Video)
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