Actress, writer and director Celyn Jones is the triple threat no one saw coming. Originally from Wales, where he still films many of his projects, Jones built his career first as a stage and screen actor before moving on to write feature films such as “Set Fire to the Stars” starring Elijah Wood, “The Vanishing” with Gerard Butler and “Six Minutes to Midnight,” which he co-wrote with Eddie Izzard and stars Izzard and Judi Dench.
Jones' latest project, "The Almond and the Seahorse," also marks his directorial debut. Jones co-wrote the film, which is about two couples dealing with traumatic brain injuries, with Kaite O'Reilly and co-directs with Tom Stern. He also stars in it alongside Charlotte Gainsbourg, Trine Dyrholm ("Queen of Hearts"), Meera Syal and Rebel Wilson. The film, which premieres at the Zurich Film Festival on Monday night (September 26), also represents a major first for Wilson, as it marks the first time he has appeared in a dramatic role.
Directors: Celyn Jones, Tom Stern
Writers: Celyn Jones, Kaite O'Reilly
Stars: Rebel Wilson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Trine Dyrholm
Shortly before flying to Zurich, where Jones will appear with the cast and creative team in person, he sat down to talk with Variety about adapting "The Almond and the Seahorse" from a stage play to a film, working with Wilson and the rise of Welsh production. .
Well, "The Almond and the Seahorse" is the name of a play written by Kate O'Reilly. I was in the original production in 2008 [at the Sherman Theater in Cardiff, Wales] and the part [of Joe, which Jones reprises in the film] was written for me. [The play] had a great, great critical reception. And it never left me, the idea of audience reaction. People laughing and crying and having this human connection and the idea of the fragility of life and the robustness of life. And the idea that angst and "brain breakdown" are two very different things but they affect everyone. So I just wasn't done [with it]. I just thought it was a great story, great characters, I loved playing that character. And that was always in the back of my mind. He never really got his day, never got the chance he deserved. And then when I started working on independent films on this side of my career, probably about six years ago, Kate got in touch and said, "Would you like to adapt 'The Almond and the Seahorse' together?" And I thought, "Yeah, I love the play." It was unfinished business.
Her agent had read the script and she really loved [it] and said, "What do you think of Rebel Wilson?" And at the time, I think they were thinking, "Well, what do you think of Rebel Wilson?" like [he was] testing [our reaction], but I immediately thought, "Well, I think Rebel is great." [I thought] we'd be great together as a couple and this character is so strong and unique that you really need to love Sarah throughout this movie because she really goes through some tough times as a character. She is an archaeologist who is trapped in the past, as Charlotte Gainsbourg, an architect, is trapped in the house, and while Trine Dyrholm and I are characters who suffered a traumatic brain injury. But the central idea of the story is about the people who don't have it and how they survive. It's the aftermath of that. We're looking at people without the condition and how they have to rebuild their lives like broken pieces of a vase. So the idea of Rebel coming into this movie was that people would instantly love her and support her as a person. So that character could be as abrasive, as flippant, as downcast, you know, as kind, as caring, as funny as Rebel, as us, we wanted it to be hers because we were with her.
She read it and two days later she was into it. Suddenly, Rebel Wilson is in a movie with Charlotte Gainsbourg. It's like a couple that no one knew they wanted until she sees it.
Well, I guess she's out of my hands, you know. I've been in movies that have stormed festivals and limped. And I've been on movies that have limped into festivals and gotten away, you're not in control of any of it. You just want people to enjoy it, you want a good house, and you want the audience to enjoy it. In terms of critical response, who knows, but the work is authentic and committed, and these actors have never been in the same kind of movie before.
I am nervous? I guess I just don't have control of that. I just want people to enjoy it. A lot of people worked very, very hard to achieve it. It should be a time of celebration and joy and the rest is up to the universe. But the film is a good cry, a healthy cry. And I think the story has set a satisfying ending.
And like I said, I think the world will see Rebel in a way that they haven't seen her before and with the support of Trine and Charlotte, extraordinary actresses.
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