During a press conference at the 2019 Venice Film Festival, Scarlett Johansson and Noah Baumbach sat down to discuss their latest Netflix film, ‘Marriage Story,’ which delves into the difficult theme of divorce. Baumbach’s movie revolves around Charlie, a stage director portrayed by Adam Driver, and his wife Nicole, played by Johansson. The couple’s desire for an amicable separation is hindered by the interference of their formidable lawyers, portrayed by Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta.
Baumbach has a personal connection to the material, as he drew from his own parents’ divorce for his 2005 film The Squid and the Whale. Additionally, his highly publicized 2013 divorce from actress Jennifer Jason Leigh attracted significant media attention. Similarly, Johansson, who has been divorced from both Ryan Reynolds in 2011 and Romain Dauriac in 2017, stated that her decision to join the film was deeply personal. She expressed that there is a significant aspect of herself, as well as the other cast members, that is exposed in the film. When Johansson initially met with Baumbach, she was unaware of the film’s subject matter, and she was going through her own divorce, a fact unknown to Baumbach as well.
“When we first met, I casually entered the room and immediately ordered a glass of white wine. I started venting about various things, and he just sat there, attentively listening,” she recounted about their initial encounter. “Surprisingly, he abruptly interrupted and said, ‘Funny enough, you mentioning that.'”
Baumbach described the project as something she would either strongly desire or completely reject. “It felt as if it was meant to be,” Johansson added. “It was a remarkable experience to share with him, and it came at the perfect timing.”
During the festival’s official press conference, Baumbach explained how writing the movie allowed them to acknowledge the flaws in a relationship. “Through portraying divorce, we were able to delve into the complexities of marriage,” he revealed.
When discussing the casting choice of Alan Alda as the lawyer, Baumbach described him as the type of attorney one would unquestionably hire. “It will be interesting to witness the outcome when he goes up against Laura Dern,” he commented.
Dern, on the other hand, discussed the challenge of playing a divorce lawyer who the audience would love to hate. “Their job is to make you believe they genuinely care about your story and then manipulate you into thinking they will get you what you want,” she explained. “It’s a complicated situation that people often don’t realize until years later, when they are left broken and financially drained.”
Following its premiere in Venice on Thursday, “Marriage Story” will have a limited release in U.S. theaters on Nov. 6, before being available for streaming on Netflix starting Dec. 6.