‘Memory’ Star Peter Sarsgaard On Finding The “Joy And Joviality” In A Character Facing A Debilitating Disease: “For Me, It Was The Only Way”
The prospect of working with Jessica Chastain under the direction of Michel Franco was enough to pique Peter Sarsgaard’s interest in Memory, but what really sealed the deal was how Franco had written his character, Saul. Since Franco rarely defines the character on the page, Sarsgaard was given the freedom to create a personal portrait of a man just beginning to struggle with a debilitating illness. Here, he explains how was influenced by a family member with early onset dementia, and why he chose to focus on the joy and humor in the character’s life, rather than the disease.