Taika Waititi has opened up about working with Jenna Ortega on his newest film, Klara and the Sun, revealing that the actress’s natural curiosity and willingness to experiment helped shape her performance as the titular robot.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, the Oscar-winning filmmaker discussed his approach to directing the film’s stacked ensemble cast, which also includes Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi, Natasha Lyonne and frequent collaborator Rachel House.
Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed 2021 novel, Klara and the Sun follows an artificial friend who observes the human world around her while developing a deep connection with a young girl and her family.
Waititi said one of the biggest challenges was ensuring Ortega’s character felt believable without relying on the familiar mannerisms often associated with robots on screen. “I knew I didn’t want it to be like someone pretending to be a robot,” he explained. “So we just made everyone just act normally.”
Rather than instructing the actors to adopt mechanical movements, Waititi encouraged those playing artificial friends to approach their characters with a sense of childlike uncertainty. “I just wanted them to seem like slightly clumsy toddlers,” he continued. “And as a result, everyone in the store seems drunk, or like, [in a] strange environment.”
That approach also created opportunities for Lyonne, whose character is tasked with managing the artificial friends in the store. “Just having Natasha trying to herd these cats is really just super interesting. And it amused me a lot,” Waititi laughed.
When it came to Ortega’s performance, however, the New Zealand director wanted to strip things back even further.
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“Jenna and I talked about it and said, ‘Let’s just make it normal, as normal as possible’, so that you can fall in love with her,” he explained. “And I think you’ll understand her journey, her trying to work humans out just through actions, rather than, you know, someone who seems super dumb.”
Asked whether any of the cast members took their characters in unexpected directions during filming, Waititi singled out Ortega.
“I think the biggest thing really was probably working with Jenna on what that character is like,” he said. “Luckily, she is inquisitive and curious and, you know, it’s not an innocent nature, but she is always learning and wanting to try new things. She is also very joyful to be around, really cool energy.
“I think that was probably my biggest revelation, she’s just a good collaborator and ally to have on set.”
Waititi also praised fellow New Zealander House, who has appeared in several of his previous projects, including Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnarok.
“Rachel was always the sort of special weapon, my secret weapon in my stuff,” he smiled. “She just takes things and just runs with them. We always sort of just chat a little bit about stuff. But I just always want her to be herself or do whatever she wants.”
As for Buscemi, Waititi added: “Steve, I think, just got it instantly. He knew his role and stuff.”
Klara and the Sun hits cinemas across Australia and New Zealand this Thursday, October 22nd.
