For months, the major studios had to do without stars to promote their films, due to a strike by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). As awards season begins, the conflict has been resolved, so stars are returning to the promotional circuit in droves. This, even when their film has been out for a while. This is the case of Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, whose excellent Nyad (Unsinkable), sports biography of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, has been available on Netflix since November 3. However, listening to these two immense actresses speak in a virtual conference is, in essence, fascinating, regardless of the date.
For the record, the film by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, winners of the Oscar for best documentary for Free Solo, relates the true story of Diana Nyad (Annette Bening), an athlete who, at age 60, decided to swim the distance separating Cuba from Florida. At his side: his best friend Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster), who became his coach for the occasion.
The unwavering, almost fusional friendship that unites these two women is at the heart of the film.
“What really appealed to me, what inspired me to make the film, was this idea of two women in their sixties who didn’t have children, were briefly lovers once, and became , and remain, the best friends in the world,” explains Jodie Foster.
The two-time winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress, for The Accused (Call for justice) And The Silence of the Lambs (Thesilenceofthelambs), continues:
“I find this relationship, this friendship, beautiful and moving. We often say, “We’re just friends,” but friendship means everything! These two women could not have accomplished what they accomplished without each other. »
Also challenged by this narrative angle, Annette Bening adds:
“It’s so important to show that. I know lots of women who have these incredible friendships — Jodie and I share one now. In life, our friends help us move forward. Yes, we have our partners, our children, the people we love, but there is something about friendship that is particularly powerful. Except that it is not a reality that is easy to dramatize. And I think the film achieves this. The context of this marathon swim proves an ideal pretext to show how people need each other. »
Olympic training
Annette Bening says she was immediately captivated by Diana Nyad as a character.
“I knew who she was from having often listened to her on the radio — she did so for thirty years after retiring from marathon swimming. Added to this is the incredible work of Elizabeth and Jimmy in the documentary field… So I said yes straight away. It was only after I accepted that I fully understood what it would entail,” says Annette Bening about a role that required intensive training on her part for a year with Rada Owen, a former Olympic swimmer.
For her part, Jodie Foster, who by the way trained just as ardently, knew Diana Nyad and Bonnie Stoll personally.
“I had come across them at friends’ houses, at parties… I loved them straight away. They are both such characters. Bonnie, I love her: she’s so quirky and energetic. […] She is unable to stay still. Spending hours talking to me for the film must have been torture for her, whereas I’m the complete opposite: I can spend seven or eight hours straight talking to someone. »
“Jodie is such a pro,” Annette Bening interjects. She’s always the smartest person in the room, and that’s not an easy position to assume in life […] Jodie really managed to get under Bonnie’s skin. During the filming, she took care of me. »
Just like in real life, Bonnie took care of Diana during this endurance test…
Specific women
Which test required, it goes without saying, unfailing determination, but also unusual physical and mental rigor. Annette Bening makes these qualities manifest… Like certain personality traits, let’s say, less attractive at first glance.
In our review, we wrote that Diana Nyad, who gave her full approval to the film, is sometimes portrayed with humor as “a consummate egomaniac coupled with an assumed misanthrope”. In this regard, Bonnie always shows infinite patience.
Far from being a fault, this refusal to present a one hundred percent “sympathetic” heroine (the tyranny of sympathetic protagonists, especially female, is a thesis subject in itself), turns out to be one of the most interesting qualities of the film. Or the right not to be sweet on screen.
Regarding this bias of the film, Annette Bening is eloquent:
“Diana is very charismatic, and she has an unusual strength of character. Of course ! How else would she have managed to swim such distances? Diana is blessed with a remarkable intellect. And you know what ? One of the things we have gained, in stories, as women, is that we are no longer reduced to stereotypes. We no longer have to play this idea of a young girl, a mother, a grandmother, or this idea of a woman supposed to be like this or like that… We can now talk about specific women, like Diana, who is an incredible person, just like Bonnie. »
The star of the films The American President (An American president), American Beauty (American beauty) And Captain Marvel (Captain Marvel) continues again:
“Diana and I have come to confide in each other, and much of what she has told me is private and will remain so. I love it […]. Now that I know her so well, I can say that, like many people with an iron will, she has a temperament to match. »
And that’s perfect.
The film Nyad is available on Netflix.