Julianne Moore on the Rare Honor of a Film Written for Her

In Hollywood, few achievements stand out quite like having a script tailored just for you. For Julianne Moore, that dream became reality when director Todd Haynes penned a film with her at its heart. Moore’s rise in the 1990s included a breakout role in Haynes’ Safe, where she portrayed a woman grappling with a mysterious illness. The film showcased her depth as an actress and set the stage for future collaborations between the two.

Receiving the Script: A Surreal Moment

Years after Safe, Moore was surprised when Haynes reached out unexpectedly.

“Oh, I was so excited. Todd had called me,”

she recalled.

“You know, we had been in contact over the years after Safe. And one day, he just called me out of the blue and said, ‘Hey! It’s me. How are you? Listen, I’ve just finished a script that I kind of wrote with you in mind. Can I send it?’ And I was like, ‘Send it! Send it!’ I got it on a Saturday morning, and I read it on the subway going to the gym.”

The script was for Far From Heaven, a story set in the 1950s that would challenge Moore with its complex themes and emotional depth.

Far From Heaven: Tackling Taboos and Expectations

In Far From Heaven, Moore took on the role of a suburban wife whose world unravels after discovering her husband’s secret. The film, with Dennis Quaid as her husband, delved into issues of gender, sexuality, and race, exploring the hidden tensions beneath a seemingly perfect society. Haynes’ approach to these sensitive topics resonated deeply with Moore, who felt compelled to accept the part.

“A funny thing happens to you when you read a script like that,”

Moore explained.

“You’re thrilled in your bones or something. Just the idea that there was material like that out there, and he wanted me to do it. It moved me so tremendously. And he was like, ‘Do you like it?’ I said, ‘I’m in! I am so on board with this!’ It’s an incredible honor to have something written for you that way. I’ve had a couple of parts written for me before, but I’ve never had a whole movie written for me.”

A Lasting Creative Partnership

Moore’s performance in Far From Heaven earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, though the Oscar ultimately went to Nicole Kidman for The Hours. The film marked just one chapter in her ongoing collaboration with Haynes, as they would later reunite for I’m Not There, Wonderstruck, and May December.

Reflecting on their creative synergy, Moore shared,

“I’m so honored to be kind of in a partnership with him because he’s such a tremendous talent,”

describing how their working styles mesh seamlessly on set. She praised Haynes’ meticulous vision, saying,

“When you look at Todd’s lens, he communicates so much emotion in a shot, in a frame. So for me to work with someone like that who is so careful, so nuanced, so completed in a sense, gives me tremendous freedom to do my own emotional stuff.”