The Current War
power the hereafter is the center of the filmThe Current War . The two men at the center of this war are Thomas Edison ( played by Benedict Cumberbatch ) and George Westinghouse ( played by Michael Shannon ) . The cinema explore the rivalry between Edison and Westinghouse and how their relationships with their wife ( Tuppence Middleton as Mary Edison and Katherine Waterston as Marguerite Westinghouse ) incite them to further their goals .
Screen Rant had the chance to interview Benedict Cumberbatch , Michael Shannon and Tuppence Middleton about the film .
My first dubiousness is for all three of you . I finger the photographic film really does a great job of research the relationship of the Westinghouses and the Edison folk . Is there any law of similarity that you feel both duet apportion ?
Benedict Cumberbatch : That ’s a good question .
Michael Shannon : There seems to be a devotion , at least on the part of Marguerite and Mary , that seems to be met differently by George and Tom .
Tuppence Middleton : You have to be a very understanding , strong woman , I consider , to mate either of these men . Because they ’re very headstrong and challenging and complicated .
Benedict Cumberbatch : I think one of the precipitation of Edison in this story is his belligerence and his doggedness to go it alone . And I opine that be him in his personal biography as much as his professional lifetime in this story . It ’s sort of the aching void of the red ink of Mary , the affair he took for granted , that has a real impact on him . Without her guidance and presence – in literal life he moved on and remarry , but even then , I intend the influence was negated by his work ethic , which was so tunnel - visioned . I think that really cost him .
Micheal , I read that you got an passe script about Westinghouse ?
Michael Shannon : From Alfonso , he move over it to me .
Was there anything specific from that book that you really gravitated towards , that helped inform your performance ?
Michael Shannon : I have n’t read the Good Book in quite some time , but as I commemorate it , it was very flattering to Westinghouse . Alfonso tell me that he believe it was drop a line by some of his workers , or hoi polloi that really admired him a bully mickle . They were really memorializing him and say what a neat bozo he was .
I just think he was a very strong but sensible mortal , and he was very concerned about the impact [ that ] what he did had on society . He wanted to make the universe a good topographic point .
Benedict , I ’ve read that Alfonso really helped you to fracture out of your comfort zone in the celluloid . Was there any particular vista in which you were apprehensive about playing it too “ safe , ” or that you require to ensure you got the best performance out of ?
Benedict Cumberbatch : I ’m endeavor to think what my quilt zona is , because I always examine to do things –
Michael Shannon : Are n’t you in it right now ?
Benedict Cumberbatch : No .
Michael Shannon : The nickname of this room is “ quilt zona . ”
Benedict Cumberbatch : This is very much the swan you ’ve got go here ; a very fast heartbeat even though I ’m barely alive on the Earth’s surface . No , I ’m jest . I would care to answer that , but I ’m not quite certain what it ’s in reference to . I suppose he stop me from smiling on quite a few occasions . Maybe that ’s my comfort zone .
We all have tricks , and I think things that we can repeat in our work , so I ’m always on the lookout for that . And a director who ’s plump to avail me go to a different post is always going to be a supporter and not a foe . I never refuse it , because I want to keep growing and learning . There ’s no point in doing this if it ’s just the same every time .
I wish I know what it was in reference to . It ’s a nifty question . And also , it was a long time ago that we made this .
Michael Shannon : It is uncomfortable , and I can speak to my own experience , when you ’re doing things on photographic camera that could be perceived as , “ He ’s being so mean . Why ’s he doing that ? ” That ’s something I ’ve chance metre and prison term again . Because nobody want to be mean , I do n’t think .
Benedict Cumberbatch : There is that . Edison is fairly meanspirited in this . There ’s a human story behind it , and I call back it ’s a failing , which is to be understood and empathized with , in a way , in purchase order to seek and learn from it . perchance that ’s part of it ; not being panic-stricken of being someone who is on the outside take a shit the improper decision .
More : Current War Interview With Alfonso Gomez - Rejon
