Todd Haynes gives some more details on his sexually 'explicit' gay period drama with Joaquin Phoenix
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Oscar-nominated auteur Todd Haynes set tongues a-waggin' and minds a-wanderin' when he first brought up his gay romantic drama set in 1930s Los Angeles starring Joaquin Phoenix, whom the Carol director previously said pushed the film into NC-17 territory.
In a new interview from France's Deauville American Film Festival, Haynes offered some more info on the collaboration and just how gay we're getting here (hint: really gay).
Kevin Winter/Getty Images; Phillip Faraone/FilmMagic Joaquin Phoenix; Todd Haynes
"It's a love story between two men set in the 30s that has explicit sexual content that or at least it challenges you with the sexual relationship between these two men," Haynes told Variety. "One is a Native American character and one is a corrupt cop in LA. It's set in the 30s. They have to flee L.A. ultimately and go to Mexico. But it's a love story and with a strong sexual component."
Haynes reiterated that the film all stemmed from ideas Phoenix had brought to him that he developed along with the Joker actor and his Mildred Pierce collaborator John Raymond. Haynes also made sure to note that it was Phoenix who was "pushing it further into more dangerous territory, sexually."
Phoenix, one assumes, will play the corrupt cop though Haynes has not yet cast the Native character. He says the eventual actor is "probably going to be a discovery," which is exciting since we haven't had a good "And Introducing..." in a while.
Haynes is currently promoting his latest, May December, starring Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman in a story that draws inspiration from Mary Kay Letourneau scandal and is already generating Oscar buzz. Haynes says he hopes to use "many of" the same people on his as-yet-untitled project with Phoenix since the May December experience was "so superb."
"Everyone is already engaged on this next one and can't wait. We have everybody already doing stuff on it, research stuff," Haynes explained. "And yeah, we're talking to Mexican producers, co-producers. We might want to shoot the whole thing in Mexico, so that we can build our Los Angeles of the 30's there, and stretch our resources and work with the amazing craftspeople of Mexican cinema. That would be my dream. We're hoping all that works out."
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