Mia Goth Interview: How Nymphomaniac Put Her on the Path to Pearl

Mia Goth has been quietly amassing one of the most exciting filmographies out there for the last 10 years. Until now, that is. She’s delivered standout supporting performances in films like The Survivalist, A Cure for Wellness, Suspiria, and more, but Ti West is the first to fully embrace the powerhouse she is and send her star soaring in a big way by releasing not one but two features in a single calendar year with Goth as the headliner, X back in March and now the prequel film, Pearl.

Even after having worked with some of the most iconic directors in the industry like Lars von Trier, Gore Verbinski, and Luca Guadagnino, it wasn’t until X that Goth finally got her first lead role in a feature film. One film quickly, or rather immediately, became two when inspiration struck and West got the OK from A24 to film not one, but two movies within the same series. First up would be X in which Goth starred as Maxine, a young woman with big dreams, and also as Pearl, an older woman struggling to cope with the fact that the opportunity to seize her own dreams is long gone. After filming that 1970s-set film, it was back to 1918 to create Pearl’s origin story.

A young Pearl is desperate to become a star, but her current circumstances make it very difficult for her to go after what she wants most. While her husband (Alistair Sewell) is off fighting in the war, Pearl is stuck at home caring for her catatonic father (Matthew Sunderland) and doing chores around the farm to appease her extremely strict and stern mother (Tandi Wright) who has absolutely no time for Pearl’s ambitions. Before long, Pearl’s mounting frustration with her situation and ache to become a star spark violent outbursts that tease the women she’s become in X.

While in Toronto celebrating the North American premiere of Pearl at TIFF 2022, Goth took the time to join us for an episode of Collider Ladies Night to revisit her journey from modeling as a teenager to becoming an actor who consistently picks riveting, bold, and truly unforgettable projects to work on.

Listen to this conversation uncut here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4xpF...

00:00 Dicey Questions
02:33 Introduction
03:00 Modeling
03:55 Nymphomanic
04:40 Priorities When Picking Projects
05:50 Favorite Qualities in a Director
06:48 Benefits of Friction on Set
08:17 The Survivalist
09:35 Getting Her First Lead Role
10:30 The Start of Pearl
11:19 Why Pearl Isn’t in Black and White
12:07 Pearl Spoilers: The Monologue
13:40 Pearl Spoilers: That Final Shot
15:16: Does Pearl Have a Moral Compass?

#miagoth #pearl #a24