Canadian filmmaker Mary Harron came to the Toronto International Film Festival with her first feature film since 2018, Dalíland, and she had a "feast of acting" to mark her return. Featuring the talents of Sir Ben Kingsley and Ezra Miller as an older and younger version of the surreal painter Salvador Dalí alongside the ever-talented Barbara Sukowa, Rupert Graves, and Andreja Pejic among others, there was no shortage of star power aboard the dazzling biopic. Amidst the experienced actors, however, was newcomer Christopher Briney who was thrown into the deep end immediately, starring opposite Kingsley. Before the film was shown at TIFF, Harron and Briney talked with Steve Weintraub at the Collider Supper Suite and Media Studio at Marbl about the film and the process behind bringing Briney on board.
Dalíland is a portrait of the famed painter through the star-struck eyes of his assistant, James (Briney). It centers mostly on the later years of Dalí's life and his peculiar marriage to his wife Gala (Sukowa). After years together where their bond seemed unbreakable, the film shows them at their darkest moments when cracks are starting to form in their union. Harron, who had previously directed the classic American Psycho, re-teamed with John C. Walsh to pay homage to the larger-than-life artist while highlighting the facets of his marriage and the fraud around him as seen by James.
Harron and Briney briefly summed up the film as they've described it to family members before jumping into Briney's casting. Harron discussed how it was a sort of happy accident that Briney ended up in the film, considering how they happened upon him as a replacement. On Briney's end, he discussed the terrifying prospect of playing opposite a legendary actor in Kingsley and how the trial-by-fire nature of his role really echoed the character of James. They also detailed the challenges of longer shoots and larger scenes during COVID-times and expressed excitement for the audience to see all the brilliant performances going into the film.
Check out our Q&A above to hear more on Briney's first acting job and his and Harron's experiences creating a film full of such talented actors, including:
- How have they been telling their family about the film?
- What was Harron's process for casting an unknown in Briney?
- What was it like for Briney to play opposite Kingsley in his first role?
- What was the day they were most nervous or excited about shooting?
- What were they most excited for audiences to see in the film?
Special thanks to our TIFF 2022 partners A-list Communications, Belvedere Vodka, Marbl Toronto, COVERGIRL Canada, Tres Amici Wines, Toronto Star, and Blue Moon Belgian White beer.