Natasha Lyonne Wants to Keep the Spirit of Classic Film Alive

Natasha Lyonne has generative AI on the mind. “I would say almost at all times,” the star and executive producer of Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face” tells us. “I am agog that that is not the headline conversation on everyone's minds, considering it's so obviously about to change the world so radically for all of us, in all of our fields, so quickly.”
In this episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, Lyonne explains how she’s “fighting the good fight” to keep the ideals of classic cinema alive in projects like “Poker Face.”
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Backstage has been the #1 resource for actors and talent-seekers for 60 years. In the Envelope, Backstage’s podcast, features intimate, in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy film, television, and theater actors and creators. This is your guide to every aspect of acting, from voiceover and commercial work to casting directors, agents, and more. Full of both know-how and inspiration, In the Envelope airs weekly to cover everything from practical advice on navigating the industry, to how your favorite projects are made, to personal stories of success and failure alike. Join host Vinnie Mancuso, senior editor at Backstage, for this guide on how to live the creative life from those who are doing it every day: bit.ly/2OMryWQ
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[@memralesandrol.7451]

This is such a great and interesting interview. I love Ms. Lyonne, she is so cool and wise. May she have good health and a long life.

[@danielbarrero2815]

Amazing!! She’s the best

[@arthurwhitest]

@7:00 "short hand by watching classics like Fellini's 8 1/2"? People cannot agree on what the movies are trying to say one too many of the times, so cultural references are not at times as useful in communicating even though it is handy. If art was a "science" we would ask them to do a survey of the ideas they are trying to narrate or the stories they are trying to narrate but art is not science so you can make great art which is just particular to your generation. Also why would anyone want to be corrupted by some of the ideas and biases of the past? Now the past has many many many good ideas and qualities but if someone is meant to rediscover them or use them then go ahead but don't make conversations in the arts contingent on knowledge of Fellini or some other person with an agenda for their own times. There is one thing that is odd about the present generation: no need to wear ignorance of the arts of the past as a badge of honor.

[@natbatrat-d7e]

when it comes to a writer’s room, which is what she was talking about in the fellini quote, it was most likely a structural matter or a stylistic choice. no, it’s not a science, but there are certain rules in screenwriting that fellini shatters in 8 1/2. as a writer it’s extremely important to understand those who came before you. that’s not “being corrupted by ideas and biases of the past” because everyone has a critical sense of what is right and wrong today, as well as what they like and don’t like. it’s of utmost importance to know what decisions the ones who came before you made. talk to any writer and they’ll tell you the best education you can have is to write and read (in this case, watch) as much as you can, then think critically about what you consumed. not only you’ll find out if someone in the past has done the thing you want to do already, but you’ll find out how they did it *better* and learn from it. when it comes to cultural differences, of course they came to play. but they do *on top of* basic film knowledge, not despite. it’s much more productive to have an understanding of stories from your own culture compared to respected filmmakers from all over the world instead of knowing your own culture in a vacuum. not to mention how it’s most likely that those with a background similar to yours will have studied great international filmmakers to become great themselves. if you’re only willing to understand one voice, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll become a mediocre artist.