“The Whole Movie Is A Metaphor” – Emma Stone On “Poor Things”

>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY. PLEASE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS AN ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING ACTOR YOU KNOW FROM “THE FAVOURITE,” “CRUELLA,” AND “LA LA LAND.” SHE NOW STARS IN “POOR THINGS.” >> THESE TWO WERE FIGHTING AND IDEAS WERE BANGING AROUND IN BELLA’S HEAD. >> YOU’RE ALWAYS READING READING NOW, BELLA. YURI LOSING SOME SOME OF YOUR ADORABLE WAY OF SPEAKING. SPEAK I’M A CHANGEABLE FEAST. >> COME, COME. JUST COME. >> YOUR AND MY SON. YOU’RE IN MY SUN. >> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO “THE LATE SHOW,” EMMA STONE. STONE. >> Stephen: THERE YOU GO.

>> Emma: THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> Stephen: EMMA STONE FANS HERE TONIGHT. >> Emma: WOW. ALL RIGHT, HOW MUCH DO I PAY YOU? >> Stephen: LOVELY TO SEE YOU AGAIN. NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE. >> Emma: NICE TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. >> Stephen: CONGRATULATIONS ON THE OSCAR NOMINATIONS. 11 OSAR NOMINATIONS FOR THIS FILM. THAT’S EXTRAORDINARY. THIS IS YOUR FOURTH NOMINATION AS AN ACTOR IN YOUR FIRST NOMINATION AS A PRODUCER? >> Emma: YES. >> Stephen: THAT’S A NICE FEELING. THAT’S GOOD. >> Emma: IT’S VERY EXCITING, JUST FOR THE ENTIRE CREW. IT WAS MANY

YEARS IN THE MAKING. WE’RE VERY, VERY EXCITED. >> Stephen: HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU WORK WITH YORGOS LANTHIMOS? >> Emma: THIS WAS OUR THIRD TIME. >>

Stephen: WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER. >> Emma: FOUR TIMES. THIS WAS OUR THIRD AND WE MADE ANOTHER ONE LAST FALL AFTER WE MADE “POOR THINGS.” IT’S CALLED KINDS OF KINDNESS. >> Stephen: HE’S HERE. YORGOS IS HERE. >> Emma: YOUR CHARACTER, BELLA. IT’S WONDERFUL CHARACTER. SHE DOESN’T EXPERIENCE SHAME. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE TO PLAY? DID YOU ENJOY BEING THAT HEADSPACE? >> Emma: ARE YOU KIDDING? IT WAS THE BEST. IT WAS SO

IMPOSSIBLE TO SORT OF UNDERSTAND. I GUESS NOT USE SHAME. BUT BECAUSE SHE DOESN’T JUDGE HERSELF AT ALL OR HER IMPULSES OR REALLY JUDGE ANYTHING AS A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE, IT’S ALL JUST A PART OF LIFE AND IT’S ALL MEANINGFUL. AND ALL JUST INTERESTING TO HER. THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE THING TO DO. I AM ALWAYS LIKE “THIS IS A GOOD THING. THIS IS A BAD THING. THIS MAKES ME WORRIED. THIS MAKES ME HAPPY.” TO TRY TO STRIP ALL THAT AWAY. >> Stephen: WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT IF YOU COULD? >> Emma: UP MY

GOD. NO. CAN YOU IMAGINE? >> Stephen: THE RAMIFICATIONS FOR ACTING IN A WAY THAT SOCIETY DOESN’T EXPECT. >> Emma: THAT’S TRUE. THAT’S WHY THIS WHOLE MOVIE IS FULLY IN METAPHOR AND NOT AN ACTUAL — IF YOU SEE THE MOVIE, IT’S SOMETHING THAT COULDN’T ACTUALLY HAPPEN SO IT’S COMPLETELY KIND OF A VERY TWISTED FAIRY TALE. THERE IS SOMETHING VERY, VERY EXHILARATING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO REALLY DON’T KIND OF SUBSCRIBE TO ALL THE IDEAS OF WHAT YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE. >> Stephen: IT SEEMS SORT OF LIKE THE EDEN BEFORE THE FALL. LIKE, YOUR CHARACTER HASN’T BITTEN THE APPLE

OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. SHE DOESN’T KNOW. THAT’S WONDERFUL. >> Emma: RIGHT, SHE GETS TO JUST SORT OF LIVE IN THIS PARADISE OF HER OWN MAKING. IT’S REALLY INCREDIBLE. PARADISEND NOT. BUT SHE LEARNED SO MUCH AND EVOLVE SO QUICKLY THAT IT’S LIKE A RAPID DEVELOPMENT. >> Stephen: YOU’RE ALSO IN A WONDERFUL SHOW CALLED “THE CURSE.” >> Emma: YES. >> Stephen: CREATED BY NATHAN FIELDER AND BENNY SAPP T. DRUPAL WHO DON’T KNOW, WOULD YOU TELL THEM THE PREMISE? >> Emma: I CAN TRY. IT’S ABOUT A COUPLE WHO LIVE IN A TOWN IN NEW MEXICO,

THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO CONSTANTLY REJUVENATE. THAT’S THEIR WORDING, BUILDING ECO-FRIENDLY HOMES THAT HAVE MIRRORED EXTERIORS TO BLEND INTO THE ENVIRONMENT. THERE’S A CURSE THAT HAPPENS IN THE FIRST EPISODE ON NATHAN’S CHARACTER, ASHER. ANY SORT OF WATCH THE RELATIONSHIP DEVOLVE THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE SERIES. BENNY SAFDIE WHO ALSO CREATED IT WITH NATHAN PLAYS A WACKY REALITY PRODUCER. IT’S A ONE-OF-A-KIND THING. >> Stephen: YES, YES. NONE OTHER THAN CHRISTOPHER NOLAN SAYS IT’S WITHOUT PRECEDENT. >> Emma: WOW. >> Stephen: HE WOULD KNOW. >> Emma: I MEAN, THAT’S A VERY NICE THING FOR HIM TO SAY. >>

Stephen: HE DIDN’T HAVE TO SAY THAT. >> Emma: HE DIDN’T HAVE TO SAY THAT. >> Stephen: NO. >> Emma: NOBODY FORCED HIM TO. >> Stephen: HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THIS? I’VE SEEN NATHAN’S WORK FOR YEARS. DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY THINK HE’D BE WORKING WITH YOU. >> Emma: I KNOW. HE TEXTED ME TO ASK ME. WE HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER. WE HAVE A LOT OF MUTUAL FRIENDS WE HAD HUNG OUT A COUPLE TIMES AND HE TEXTED ME WANTING AND HE SAID “HEY, DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS SHOW THAT BENNY SAFDIE AND I CREATED. NO

PRESSURE.” WHATEVER. I JUST WROTE BACK WITHIN LIKE 30 SECONDS “YES, I LOVE IT. I LOVE THE CONCEPT. I LOVE THE CHARACTER. THE PREMISE, WOW. YEAH, I’LL DO IT.” H HADN’T GIVEN ME ANY INFORMATION SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD LAND AS A JOKE. DIDN’T APPARENTLY BECAUSE HE WAS LIKE “OH, GREAT. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. LET’S GET ON THE PHONE.” I GOT ON THE PHONE WITH BENNY AND HIM AND THEY WOULD LIKE, YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT? YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING? WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU? I WAS LIKE COMING OUT. IT’S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ONE

A BAD JOKE THAT DOESN’T LAND GETS YOU TIED INTO A TEN EPISODE SERIES. >> Stephen: YOU COULDN’T GET OUT OF IT? >> Emma: NOT AFTER THAT. I MEAN, HAVE YOU EVER HAD A JOKE FALL FLAT? >> Stephen: NEVER. BECAUSE I HAVE AN EDITOR. >> Emma: NO, I LOVED IT. I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. >> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CURSE FEEL MIGHT BE ON YOU. >> Emma: BROKEN BONES YOU MEAN? >> Stephen: THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS. BROKEN BONES. BREAKING BONES. >> Emma: I’VE BROKEN SEVEN BONES IN MY LIFE. >> Stephen: THAT’S A

LARGE PERCENTAGE OF YOUR BONES. >> Emma: IT’S A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF BONES. I DON’T KNOW WHY. IT’S CLEARLY A BONE DENSITY ISSUE. >> Stephen: DO YOU HAVE THE BONES OF A SPARROW? >> Emma: I WAS TOLD BY AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST TO GET THAT TESTED BECAUSE SHE WAS LIKE, THAT’S A LOT OF BONE BREAKS. STEPHEN SAME BONES? >> Emma: ALL DIFFERENT. IT’S WHEN I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SOMETHING. I’M NOT THAT STEADY ON MY FEET. I DON’T HAVE GRACE I THINK IT’S CALLED. >> Stephen: I SAW “LA LA LAND.” YOU DO HAVE GRACE. >> Emma: OH, EDITING.

>> Stephen: NOW THINGS ARE GOING GREAT FOR YOU. AND YOU’RE EXCITED. >> Emma: FULL BODY CAST. ANY DAY NOW. STILL AND I HOPE THINGS GO REALLY WELL FOR YOU. >> Emma: OH, LORD. >> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HEARD. I’M A LITTLE JEALOUS. >> Emma: WHAT? >> Stephen: WHAT? HE SEEMED GENUINELY NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT I’M ABOUT TO ASK. >> Emma: WHAT ARE YOU JEALOUS OF? >> Stephen: THAT YOU HAVE A FAMILY TATTOO. >> Emma: YES. >> Stephen: THIS IS HER SIBLINGS AND YOUR FOLKS. >> Emma: MY MOM, MY DAD, BROTHER AND

I ALL GOT THE SAME TATTOO. NOW LISTEN. I DON’T WANT TO SPEAK ILL OF A STRANGER. BUT I WENT TO GET THIS TATTOO AT KIND OF A RANDOM PLACE. I JUST SORT OF WALKED IN, DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING. I DON’T THINK THIS GUY RELLY CARED ABOUT THE CRAFT SO TO SPEAK. SO OVER THE LAST NOW 14 YEARS THIS DRAWING WAS PENCIL THIN. IT WAS DRAWN WITHOUT BALLPOINT PEN AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. >> Stephen: CAN WE GET A SHOT OF THIS? >> Emma: CAN YOU TELL WHAT THAT IS? YOU GUYS, BALLPOINT PEN.

I’M TALKING FINE TIP. THAT’S LIKE A SHARPIE MERIDA MAGIC MARKER AND IT JUST KEEPS BLEEDING OUT CONSTANTLY. >> Stephen: THAT’S WHEN THE DANGERS OF TATTOOS. CHICKEN FEET? >> Emma: BLACKBIRD FEET. IT’S VERY SWEET, MY MOM BEAT BREAST CANCER AND HER FAVORITE SONG IS “BLACKBIRD” INTO THIS AND I’VE BEEN INTRODUCED TO PAUL McCARTNEY AND I ASKED IF HE WOULD DRAW THESE BIRD FEET WHEN SHE WAS DONE WITH HER TREATMENT SO WE COULD GET THESE TATTOOS AS A FAMILY AND HE DID, BEAUTIFULLY. AGAIN, IN PEN. >> Stephen: YOU SHOWED IT TO THE GUY. >> Emma: HE WAS

LIKE “OKAY, WHATEVER.” I WAS LIKE BUY. EVERYONE ELSE HAS THESE VERY FINE TATTOOS AND I HAVE TO KEEP MY CUPBOARD FOR WORK EVERY DAY. I LOVE THE TATTOO. >> Stephen: THE REST OF YOUR FAMILY HAS A BETTER EXECUTION. >> Emma: NIGHT AND DAY. MY DAD WAS A WATCH AND HE SAYS I CAN BARELY KEEP IT ON MY WRIST, IT THE LINE IS SO FINE. SO SIMPLE AND BEAUTIFUL. >> Stephen: I LOVE THE FAMILY IDENTIFIER. >> Emma: IT’S VERY SPECIAL. >> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH EMMA STONE, EVERYBODY.

STICK AROUND.