Toni Collette talks Knives Out and whodunits
Toni Collette reveals what it’s like to work on set with acting luminaries, and why she thinks people like Joni are out there in the real world.
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Australian actor Toni Collette has had great success both at home and in the US. In her latest film, Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, she plays a lifestyle influencer with a motive for murder.
Here, Collette chats with News Corp about the fun role and what’s next.
Last week your co-star Don Johnson said: “She’s an amazing actress, and if you’re not careful, you will be forgotten in a scene. Because Toni is always working. She’s like rust. She never sleeps.”
It’s the first time I’ve heard rust used as a compliment. Do you approach a role like this – where you are part of a much wider ensemble cast – the same way you would a leading role?
Oh, Don. He’s a surprising human and so sweet to say all that. I don’t think about the size of the part. I focus on the reality of a character. And people don’t turn off between speaking different thoughts, they continue thinking and listening between what they say.
We all have history and conditioning, so I just try to keep the character alive at all times and perhaps reveal something unwritten.
People say so much without words and even if they are talkative they can also mean the opposite of what they do say. We’re a confusing species.
Talk us through working with a cast full of headliners such as those in Knives Out. Are egos checked at the door? Do you work off each other? Is there still a level of excitement working with someone like Jamie Lee Curtis or Christopher Plummer?
We didn’t really have to consider ego because everyone was genuine, decent and happy to be there. It was very much a joyous and playful atmosphere on (and off) set. I loved working and being with everyone.
This isn’t a remake, but it is a new twist on a traditional whodunit. Is Knives Out this generation’s old-school whodunit?
I’m not a huge fan of remakes, they rarely improve upon the original. Knives Out is its own thing. It nods and winks at whodunits of the past but there is nothing like it — it’s smart, cheeky, original and very now.
The Thrombeys are such a horrible family – do any of them have any redeeming qualities? How do you get into a character like Joni and what do you think of her? Do you know anyone like her?
They’re horrible but super entertaining.
There are plenty of people who think they are good when in fact they are clearly not. People have to live with themselves so there is a lot of ignorance in the world.
Joni was just plain fun. I lived in LA for several years so it wasn’t difficult to find or imagine her.
Rian’s writing was excellent and informative. It’s always fun to play someone whose interior world doesn’t quite match their exterior. Joni’s whole business is about nurturing the self but she is so obsessed with perfection and the exterior self which are both unrealistic and fleeting. She’s full of contradictions as we all are.
The underlying greed played out in the film is obviously exaggerated for the movie, but do you think it’s that far-fetched in this day and age? Are there families like them out there?
It’s a strange time isn’t it? True narcissism and greed is everywhere. People seem to have forgotten that we’re all one and undeniably connected.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there are families out there who have also forgotten the meaning of family.
Your workload over the past few years is epic – do you have a break planned? What’s next for you?
I’ve just had six months off and it was bloody brilliant!
I’m really looking forward to working with Guillermo del Toro early next year on a film called Nightmare Alley. It’s based on a book from the 1940s. I love my character and the whole world it’s set in.
I just want to work with amazing directors and Guillermo is a true auteur. Can’t wait.
Knives Out is in cinemas now
Originally published as Toni Collette talks Knives Out and whodunits