Posted in: A24, Horror, Movies | Tagged: film, hereditary, horror, toni collette

Toni Collette Reflects on Hereditary Being "Healthy" for Her

Twitter icon and heavy-hitting actor Toni Collette is revealing why her film Hereditary was actually a warmer experience than you'd imagine.

Published Tue, 18 Apr 2023 17:03:11 -0500

by Aedan Juvet

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The A24 film Hereditary was a huge piece of the "elevated horror" discussion that sparked modern genre titles to shift in recent years — but none of them quite managed to attain the almost perfect universal success of Hereditary (so far) due to its electric performances courtesy of its highly dynamic cast. For example, the film has earned such praise that it even reignited an often-debated conversation about the award season neglect towards the horror genre as a whole, with many believing the film was overlooked when it proved to be a contender for a few big categories.

Even with its intense, emotional toll paced throughout its duration, the actor who was responsible for the most poignant, off-the-rails dialogue of Hereditary is sharing why the film was more helpful than one might imagine.

On Star's Unexpected Takeaway from the Horrors of Hereditary

During an interview with Vanity Fair, the film's leading lady Toni Collette notes, "I do gravitate towards these stories about loss because it's the most confronting part of life. We're here, and then we're gone. And the people we love are here, and then they're gone. Hereditary was actually really healthy for me. It seems like it would be the most intense experience, which it was. But it was the job where I figured out how to clean up. It's like cooking in the kitchen. Clean as you go. Clean as you go. Because what I have learned is the body doesn't know what's fiction and what's real. So whatever I'm feeling, and I don't know how to not feel it, I work that way. And I like working that way because if I connect with myself, it means audience members will connect with it, and then they connect with themselves. And I think connection is actually the most important thing there is."

Collette then discussed the infamous dining room table exchange between the family, admitting, "And there was really no rehearsal, I have to say. We talked about it briefly one day in a hotel room in Salt Lake City. And then, when we came to shoot scenes, I think Ari just trusted us to, and he hired people who did know. We got it. We knew, we knew. What did they say on Twitter? We knew what the assignment was. (laughs) Yeah. So I came on set, did it a few times. That was it."

So does anyone else think that her passion for the film means we need Collette to take on more genre projects? Let's make it happen!

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