Summary
- Emma Stone earned her second Academy Award for her role in Poor Things, strengthening her successful collaboration with Yorgos Lanthimos.
- Lanthimos and Stone have a rich history of working together, producing successful films that have grossed over $100 million at the box office.
- Stone aims to continue her collaborations with Lanthimos beyond their current project, demonstrating a strong bond and creative partnership.
Emma Stone earned her second Academy Award through her collaboration with director of Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos, and she is already gearing up for another project with him. In the comedy-fantasy film, the Crazy, Stupid, Love star played the role of Bella Baxter, a character in Victorian London who, after receiving a brain transplant, is revived and sets out on a journey of self-discovery. Stone referred to the role as “a twisted fairy tale” in conversation with host of The Late Show, Stephen Colbert.
Lanthimos’ Poor Things has been a resounding success by all metrics. That notwithstanding, some naysayers have insisted that even Stone’s award-winning performance could not save the film from some other elements they deemed to be sub-par. This will matter little to Stone, whose star turn in the movie is just the latest time she’s starred in a film that went on to gross more than $100 million at the box office. In fact, she and Lanthimos are already working on their next project together.
Emma Stone Is Set To Star In Kinds Of Kindness, Another Yorgos Lanthimos Film
Thanks to her outstanding performance in Poor Things, Emma Stone carried home the prestigious award of "Best Actress" at the 2024 Oscar Awards. It was the second time she bagged the honor, having also won it in 2017 for La La Land.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos' Filmography
| Film Title | Yorgos Lanthimos' Role | Cast Line-Up | Box Office Returns |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Lobster (2015) | Writer, Director, Producer | Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Jessica Barden, Olivia Colman | $18 million |
| The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) | Writer, Director, Producer | Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan | $10.7 million |
| The Favourite (2018) | Director, Producer | Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz | $95.9 million |
| Poor Things (2023) | Director, Producer | Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef | $108.9 million |
| Kinds of Kindness (2024) | Writer, Director, Producer | Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley | TBC |
Stone's journey with director Yorgos Lanthimos began with her role in the 2018 satirical period film The Favourite, where she played “a sharp, scheming wannabe aristocrat,” per Vulture. Their collaborative efforts continued shortly thereafter with Bleat, a surrealistic black-and-white short film shot on location in Greece. This partnership paved the way for Stone's second Oscar win for her role in Poor Things, and set the stage for their next venture together, Kinds of Kindness.
In an interview with The Guardian, Lanthimos shared details about the project, describing it as "a contemporary film, set in the US – three different stories, with four or five actors who play one part in each story, so they all play three different parts." His enthusiasm for working with Stone again was also evident. "It’s great to be working again with Emma. It makes it so much easier to have someone there who trusts you so much, and who you trust so much," he said.
Yorgos Lanthimos Wanted Only Emma Stone For The Role In Poor Things
In March 2024, Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos sat down with Vulture Magazine to discuss their series of collaborative projects. The director revealed that the genesis of Stone's casting in Poor Things was rooted in their experience working together on The Favourite.
"I think during and after The Favourite, there was that kind of realization that we really loved working with each other and we get along in life, too, as friends. And that we’d love to just keep doing stuff together,” Lanthimos said. “So maybe I didn’t say it that way, because I probably didn’t even know if or when we were going to make it, but I mentioned it to her thinking that she would do it, eventually, if it actually got made."
Despite not being formally offered the role at that initial discussion, Stone felt a deep connection to the character and the story. "I don’t think he was mentioning it like, 'We should do this together!' But right when he gave me the general overview of the story and the character, I remember thinking, Don’t be weird and say, 'And I’ll play that character?'”
Emma Stone Wants To Continue Working With Yorgos Lanthimos Even Beyond Kinds Of Kindness
Emma Stone is eager to continue her collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos beyond their current project, Kinds of Kindness. Their discussion with Vulture in March 2024 showcased the unique dynamics she shares with Lanthimos, compared to some of her other close collaborators, like Nathan Fielder or Benny Safdie.
She highlighted the strength of their partnership, saying, "We’ve made four things together, and hopefully more. People are really gonna get sick of us." Lanthimos responded, "It’s all right. They forget as well. It’ll take a year or two."
Stone emphasized the depth of their relationship, which has been fortified over nearly a decade of collaboration. "You understand a lot about someone when you’ve worked together for this long and this closely. I feel like I can really let go with him," she explained.
With The Guardian having referred to the pair as "creative soulmates," this dynamic was evident when Stone started, "So that’s the thing, we’re able to be proud..." and together, they finished, "...for each other."
