The New York Times recently asked some of the artists and performers on the Times 100, a curated guide to highly anticipated fall events, to talk about some of the works that they’re most excited to see this fall. Previously we spoke to the playwright Sarah Ruhl and the comic Tig Notaro.
Which Times 100 events are you most excited about and why? Are there any you’ve already taken in? Join us in the comments or share your thoughts with us using the hashtag #NYT100 on Twitter.
Corey Stoll has stayed busy since a well-regarded turn in the first season of “House of Cards,” starring in films and the FX horror series “The Strain.” But he still finds time for the occasional cultural evening out.
“I was just at the opening for ‘Scenes From a Marriage’ at the New York Theater Workshop,” he said, “which I’m really glad I got a chance to see before I head down to Atlanta” to film “Ant-Man,” the latest Marvel adaptation. Mr. Stoll will star as the villainous Yellowjacket.
The actor is currently appearing in theaters as part of the starry cast of “This Is Where I Leave You,” adapted from the Jonathan Tropper novel about a family reuniting after the death of the patriarch. The Times’s A. O. Scott, in his review of the film, singled out Mr. Stoll for giving “the most affecting performance.”
What was it about “This Is Where I Leave You” that made you want to be involved?
It really was the cast. The cast had sort of a snowball effect as they were putting it together. They had Jason [Bateman] and I think Jason got Tina [Fey], and they got Jane [Fonda]. I think it was just the three of them who were cast when I was offered the role. That was super exciting for me, and then I’d get these calls from my agent saying, “Oh, Adam Driver’s on board,” or “Connie Britton’s on board.” It just got cooler and cooler.
It’s about a particular family in a particularly fraught situation — sitting shiva for the father. But what universal notions about families and how they function does the film explore?
I think every family has some ratio of comfort to dread. [Laughs.] This one is a little bit skewed toward the dread. But in all the repulsion people feel toward each other, there is a deep sense of home there.
What else on the Times 100 are you excited about?
“Inherent Vice,” I’m really excited about. I’ve talked to a couple of the actors in it who admitted they didn’t quite get the script, but were amazed being on the set. I think [Paul Thomas Anderson] is one of the most exciting filmmakers out there. his films are not always easy and sometimes it can be a bit inscrutable. But he always gets such incredible performances out of people. What Joaquin Phoenix did in “The Master,” their last collaboration, was on another level. I don’t know how he did it — it was really incredible.