Renowned US actress Julia Roberts discusses her latest film, “Leave The World Behind,” a multi-layered disaster thriller that showcases her ability to portray a character vastly different from herself. The movie, executive produced by former US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, is written and directed by Sam Esmail, the creator of “Mr Robot,” and is based on the best-selling novel by Rumaan Alam.
In the film, Roberts plays Amanda, a character who, along with her husband and two children, embarks on an unplanned vacation in a small Long Island town. Their peaceful getaway takes a suspenseful turn when a man and his daughter, portrayed by Mahershala Ali and Myha’la Herrold, claim ownership of the upscale residence where Amanda’s family is staying, leading to an intense and mysterious confrontation between the two families.
During the London premiere of the film, Roberts expressed her appreciation for the complex nature of her character, Amanda. She highlighted the challenge of playing a cynical advertising director who is intrinsically suspicious and a bit prickly, qualities that differ from her own nature. Despite these differences, Roberts aimed to make Amanda a human, approachable, and likable character.
“Leave The World Behind” deviates from a faithful adaptation of Alam’s book, according to Esmail, who emphasized the differences between the literary and cinematic mediums. The director communicated with Alam about taking liberties with the interpretation, resulting in a film that stands as a unique and standalone piece, independent of the book.
The star-studded cast includes Ethan Hawke and Kevin Bacon. The film is set to be released in select cinemas and will start streaming on Netflix on December 8th.
