‘Hard Truths’ Co-Stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin Pull Back the Curtain on Mike Leigh’s Unique Directing Process
variety.comPeter Debruge Chief Film Critic The title of Mike Leigh’s latest movie, “Hard Truths,” suggests a remarkable, career-spanning consistency, tracing back to the stage and screen director’s 1971 big-screen debut, “Bleak Moments.” For more than half a century, Leigh has been bringing audiences into the lives and homes of British citizens of various backgrounds and classes, developing original projects through a unique workshopping process whereby the actors have a hand in creating the characters they play. “Hard Truths” builds upon the humanistic director’s signature method, reuniting him with Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Michele Austin.
The pair first played sisters in Leigh’s 1993 play “It’s a Great Big Shame” and close friends in his Palme d’Or-winning feature “Secrets & Lies” (1996).
Their work on this film has been earning them acting kudos far and wide, with Jean-Baptiste scoring top honors from the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago critics groups.
As Leigh told Variety at the Palm Springs Film Festival, he has little interest in working with stars — that is, egocentric actors who bend their roles to a well-established public persona — but thrives in collaboration with character actors, “which is to say, actors who don’t play themselves but can do real people,” he explained.
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