Anya Taylor-Joy steps into the realm of Almodóvar's leading ladies, as news breaks of her joining the star-studded cast of the renowned director's latest venture, "The Room Next Door." Sharing the screen with luminaries Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, Taylor-Joy solidifies her place in the pantheon of Almodóvar's iconic muses.
In Pedro Almodóvar's inaugural English-language feature film, "The Room Next Door," the constellation of talent continues to expand. Alongside stalwarts like Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, and Alessandro Nivola, Anya Taylor-Joy now joins the ranks.
The enigmatic lead of "The Queen's Gambit" joins the esteemed company of Swinton, Moore, and Turturro, as confirmed by a statement from Sony Pictures Classics' executive vice president during CinemaCon's programming. While specifics about Taylor-Joy's role remain undisclosed, speculations abound, including the possibility of her portraying Swinton's daughter, as hinted by Cineuropa earlier this year.
Principal photography for the film commenced in March, with Sony Pictures Classics offering a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes camaraderie through a photograph featuring Almodóvar alongside Moore and Swinton. Notably absent from these snapshots is Anya Taylor-Joy. Nevertheless, glimpses of collaboration emerged as Agustín Almodóvar, the director's brother and producer of El Deseo, shared a candid moment of Pedro dining with Julianne, Tilda, and the songstress Dua Lipa.
While yet to be captured in on-set photos, Taylor-Joy's affinity with the filmmaker became apparent at Vanity Fair's 2024 Oscar party, where the duo was photographed sharing a complicit moment.
Pedro Almodóvar sets the stage for "The Room Next Door" as a tale of a flawed mother-daughter relationship, embroiled in misunderstanding. Julianne Moore's character, Ingrid, serves as the nexus of their shared pain and resentment. Swinton's Martha, the mother, embodies a war correspondent, juxtaposed with Ingrid's identity as an autofiction novelist.
The film delves into the harrowing realities of war's cruelty, exploring contrasting approaches to writing and reality. It navigates themes of mortality, the solace of friendship, and the respite found amidst nature's embrace in a New England sanctuary. Almodóvar's narrative weaves a tapestry of human experience, resonating with both the profound and the poignantly sweet.
