As somebody who appreciates a suspenseful haunted home story, I am fairly excited to see a movie like Presence, directed by Steven Soderbergh, flip the traditional style on its head. Intelligent in its execution, Presence is strictly shot from the ghost’s viewpoint in a newly renovated suburban dwelling, creating a singular and eerie “fly on the wall” expertise for the viewers. The result’s an exciting gradual burn that can have you ever questioning the intention of the presence at each flip.
In a sequence of unbroken sequences, the presence witnesses a household divided, led by Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan, as they transfer in searching for a recent begin and uncover they will not be alone. It isn’t lengthy earlier than the presence takes explicit curiosity within the daughter Chloe—performed by newcomer Callina Liang, who’s a standout within the movie. Grieving the loss of life of her greatest good friend Nadia, Chloe is misplaced and indifferent from her household, particularly her work-focused mom. Her life seemingly uncontrolled, the teenager finds an unlikely consolation in her reference to the presence.
Coming off her first-ever movie Unhealthy Genius and straight right into a Soderbergh mission, Liang, who grew up between Australia and Singapore and attended The New College in New York, is establishing herself as one to observe in Hollywood. We caught up with the actress to speak concerning the intimidating but thrilling journey that was filming Presence, real-life ghost encounters, and the stunning Chinese language tv present that ignited her ardour for appearing.
Presence is shot solely from the ghost’s POV, which is a singular type of filmmaking. Did that side make you nervous in any respect?
It positively did make me nervous. I booked this job proper after I wrapped on Unhealthy Genius, which was my first-ever movie. This was my second-ever movie mission, and it’s extremely, very totally different to what I skilled, clearly, on Unhealthy Genius. After I first learn it, I used to be like, “Okay, I truly have to reread it yet another time.” I used to be like, “Wow, what is going on on?” I believe one thing like this has been completed earlier than, but when I am not flawed, it was a pair years in the past, like 10 or one thing. It has been some time since one thing like this has been completed.
Personally, I’ve by no means seen something like this earlier than. I am in the identical boat as you, so once I learn the script, I used to be like, “How is that this going to occur?” I used to be excited. I used to be intrigued and just a little bit scared, however positively, the joy overpowered that. It ended up being tremendous enjoyable, and the truth that the entire actors put all of our religion into Steven and Steven put all of his religion into us, we have been capable of create this very magical, artistic working atmosphere. We have been simply fully entrusting one another and the solid too. It was simply very enjoyable to discover, very enjoyable to see what Steven had deliberate, and really enjoyable to see all of it come to life. It was a really magical expertise.
Did I learn appropriately that it was shot in simply 11 days?
Sure. Initially, it was deliberate for 13, after which [Steven] was like, “Okay, we’re completed. It is 11 days. We’re completed.”
In what methods was this filmmaking course of distinctive and/or difficult?
Quite a lot of alternative ways. The primary one which involves thoughts is I needed to act lots with the digital camera. Most of my scenes are with [the] presence, which is Steven as a result of he is the DP. I did not actually take into consideration that side till we needed to rehearse lots of our actions, and it actually felt like a dance. It was like, “Okay, at this level, Steven’s going to come back to my proper aspect. I have to look this manner after which this manner, after which he involves my left.” In order that was new and really enjoyable.
Additionally, the truth that every part is finished in a single shot, there isn’t any protection. Each scene is only one take, and at first, I used to be like, “Wow, how’s this going to work?” As filming went on, we settled in, and it grew to become actually enjoyable as a result of it gave all of the actors the chance to discover and play. There have been no points with continuity. Each take is a brand-new slate, and also you simply go forward and take a look at something. Steven gave us a really protected atmosphere to try this in, and I used to be very comfy. Me, Lucy, Chris, Eddy [Maday], and West [Mulholland] rehearsed lots in our personal time. We grew to become very comfy with one another, so on the day, we would simply go in and play.
What conversations did you’ve gotten with Soderbergh concerning the function of Chloe and interacting with the digital camera?
I’ll be so trustworthy. I do not assume we talked concerning the character in any respect. No less than, I do not keep in mind. He simply anticipated us all to be very ready. The truth that he selected to solid us was sufficient, and we’ll take these characters and do what we expect is greatest with them. That’s equal elements liberating and equal elements terrifying. I used to be feeling all of that. Steven is simply such an incredible director, and he has a really distinctive strategy to the way in which he directs, and it is clearly working. However the factor is it was very totally different to what I skilled earlier than with J.C. [Lee] on Unhealthy Genius. Steven did not say lots. He truly does not say a lot in any respect. If he is completely happy, he goes, “Alright, we’re transferring on.” The primary couple of days, I keep in mind going as much as Lucy and Chris and being like, “Guys, are you getting any notes? I am scared. I do not know if I am doing it proper.” They have been like, “No, we have heard completely nothing.” And I am like, “Okay, if Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan aren’t listening to something, I believe I am okay!”
When it comes to ensuring you confirmed up ready, what did that appear to be for you?
It required lots of us actors getting collectively throughout our downtime and simply ensuring that we have been so fluid with the textual content that, on the day, it simply comes out of us and we’re within the second fully. We wished it to look as pure as attainable, and since every part is all one take, there isn’t any likelihood for any of the dialogue to be edited in put up. We made certain that we have been on prime of dialogue and would strive lots of methods of doing lots of various things. Me and West particularly did lots of work along with the choreography.
Let’s discuss Chloe. She’s going by lots. She’s grieving the loss of life of her good friend Nadia, and her household is a bit dysfunctional. How did you faucet into that?
I did lots of journaling because the character. That is my favourite approach to strategy a personality and begin embodying that [person]. I did discover lots of similarities between me and Chloe. She’s 16, she’s very misplaced, and he or she’s in a really remoted house in her household. I grew up solely with my dad. I had no siblings. I had no cousins. Actually, my household is simply me and pop, and it was fascinating how, within the script, the individual [Chloe] connects with essentially the most is [her] dad. That got here very straightforward and pure to me, and that need for motherly love, I can positively relate to that as a lady, too, determining such a tough time, that 16–18 interval.
She’s simply very misplaced, and if something, I simply felt lots of love for her as a result of… To not say that I went by precisely what she went by as a result of I completely didn’t, however all of us develop up. All of us expertise private trauma. We have all skilled that feeling of being misplaced and never figuring out who you’re, so I actually tapped into that for Chloe. I believe lots of her actions and selections have been made due to the headspace she was in, and I truly assume that applies to all of the members of the family. Everyone seems to be damaged in their very own means, and we simply do not know the right way to navigate that. It is fairly heartbreaking, the entire dynamic.
Chloe is the primary individual in her household who experiences the presence, and he or she thinks it is her good friend Nadia. What do you assume?
Chloe has this comfy relationship with the presence, and I believe she feels that means as a result of every part else in her life is so chaotic and unstable that that really is among the most secure issues that she’s attempting to know and maintain on to. I believe that is why she is so determined to attach with the presence at first, and I believe the character thinks it is Nadia. I believe [Chloe] needs to imagine it’s as a result of she misses [Nadia] lots. However personally, once I learn it at first, I assumed perhaps it could possibly be [Nadia], and the second time, I used to be like, “It have to be one thing else.” I 100% agree it has this function. It must do one thing, however I really feel just like the presence does not know what. In order that’s why I believe it is actually fascinating for Chloe and the presence to each be on this confused state and each attempting to attach with one another. It’s extremely enjoyable to discover. David [Koepp] did an incredible job of writing the script.
This being such a singular movie in the way in which it was shot, how was it for you watching it for the primary time as an viewers member?
Oh man. I watched it for the primary time when it premiered at Sundance to a few hundred individuals. I needed to go do a dwell Q&A proper after, and I simply keep in mind strolling up on the stage like, “Guys, I have to take a second. I do not assume I can converse proper now.” Clearly, filming it was one expertise, after which seeing it with the sound, the way in which it is edited, I used to be blown away by the way in which it appeared and likewise simply disturbed. After I watch myself carry out, I wish to separate me and the one that is on-screen, however yeah, it was disturbing to observe. Simply on the sting of my seat and tense your complete time. If something, that goes to indicate how a lot of successful it’s. Steven and David each achieved their objectives, however I positively wanted a second afterward to recoup and take a deep breath.
Have you ever had any real-life experiences with a presence or ghost?
Sure, I’ve. Twice truly! I am positively a giant believer in ghosts. I am additionally an enormous horror fan. My first expertise was once I was in drama college. I went to The New College in New York, and I used to be within the dorms that have been transformed from an previous individuals’s dwelling, so you would think about this constructing had lots of spirits inside. That was the place I skilled my first paranormal exercise. I might get up, and there could be writing on the wall, and I might see a shadow behind me if I used to be wanting within the mirror. Generally if I used to be cooking, I may really feel somebody brush behind me. I lived with three different women, so we actually all lived with this ghost collectively. We ended up speaking to the ghost and have been like, “Look, you are positively not going wherever. We’re not going wherever. Let’s simply be buddies.” And it calmed down. After that have, I used to be like, “One-hundred p.c, ghosts are actual.” After which I skilled paranormal exercise whereas filming Presence.
In the home?
No, it was within the resort. I might get up to my alarm blaring although I did not set it. I keep in mind [this] vividly. In the course of the night time, I went to make use of the lavatory, and I actually watched the bathroom flush, and I did not press something. I advised Eddy and West about it, which was a very unhealthy thought as a result of they began pranking me. No less than, the ghost did not have any ailing intent.
You have already labored with a few Hollywood legends in Steven Soderbergh and Lucy Liu. Who’re you dying to work with subsequent?
So many individuals—the place do I even start? I believe Sandra Oh. That might truly change my whole life. … Mikey Madison is insane. Margaret Qualley, I liked her ever since Maid. Michelle Yeoh [is] only a legend.
Is there a movie or efficiency that was actually influential for you early on?
That is truly an excellent query. Really, I used to be obsessive about Chinese language physician TV exhibits rising up. It is like a Chinese language model of Gray’s Anatomy, and I began watching that at like 3 years previous. I might at all times require it on TV, and my household would at all times be like, “Why?” I do not know. I simply loved watching it a lot that I used to be like, “I have to go be a physician.” I truly went to high school to turn into a physician, after which after a few years, I spotted, “Wait, I believe it is the appearing I actually wish to do.” I simply began feeling like I used to be dropping extra into myself and the craft, and I used to be like, “That is what ignites me. That is what will get me going.” Now wanting again, all of it is sensible. I simply actually love watching individuals act on-screen. It began with the Chinese language model of Gray’s Anatomy.
What’s subsequent?
I actually am simply drawn [to] meaty and distinctive storylines. Any story that, after I learn the script, makes me do a double take, these are the scripts I am most drawn to. Each different week, I am studying a cool script, so I believe there’s lots of actually cool tales to be advised. An ideal instance is one thing like Heretic. That script was phenomenal. I suppose one other dream of mine is to do a task that includes martial arts as a result of I have been coaching for a few years now, and it is simply a kind of bucket-list issues for me at this level.
Earlier than I allow you to go, I’ve to ask about being photographed by Annie Leibovitz for a Vogue profile spotlighting Zac Posen’s new Hole assortment. Would you take into account your self a style girlie?
It was a dream! The day was so enjoyable. The vitality was so nice. Annie is simply an trade legend. She requested what music I preferred, and I stated Charli XCX and Chappell Roan, so I did your complete shoot listening to Charli XCX and Chappell Roan. I peaked. However no, I am positively a style girlie. I like my garments. I like styling. I am truly self-styling myself for this shoot, and I am truly having a very enjoyable time.
Catch Presence in theaters January 24.
Photographer: Alvaro Goveia
Stylist: Ayelet Joelle
Hair and Make-up Artist: Liv Tsai
