Emma Stone receives eight-minute standing ovation at Venice Film Festival for graphic sex scenes in Poor Things (including VERY raunchy moment with a piece of fruit) but misses the event amid strike chaos
Emma Stone’s new film Poor Things received critical acclaim and an eight-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival on Friday.
The Frankenstein-inspired story, which has received a 100% rating on review site Rotten Tomatoes, reunites the actress with Yorgos Lanthimos who directed her in the 2018 hit The Favourite.
Emma was praised for both her acting and her bravery in the film, which features a series of explicit sex scenes, including one in which the Oscar winner’s character Bella Baxter pleasures herself with a piece of fruit.
Neither actress nor co-stars Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo were on Friday to soak up the glory after skipping the festival amid the SAG-AFTRA strikes.
The independent wrote in their four-star review, “Stone certainly gives the most daring performance of her career to date, in a role that places her grueling physical and psychological demands.”
Five stars: Emma Stone’s new film Poor Things received critical acclaim and an eight-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival on Friday (pictured in 2022)
Quirky: The Frankenstein-inspired story, rated 100% on review site Rotten Tomatoes, reunites the actress with Yorgos Lanthimos who directed her in the 2018 hit The Favorite (pictured with co-star Mark Ruffalo)
While VarietyClayton Davis praised the film as “a delightful coming-of-age story unlike any other” and labeled Emma’s performance as “amazing,” even suggesting a possible Oscar nomination.
He also revealed that a number of shocked moviegoers “ran for the exit during some of the most racist scenes.”
The Hollywood reporterScott Feinberg agreed that the film could earn Emma her second Oscar β after winning Best Actress in 2016 for La La Land.
Writing: “Even members of the Academy not fond of the film will find it hard not to admire lead actress Stone’s fearless, inventive, uninhibited performance.”
In the meantime The guardPeter Bradshaw said in his own five-star review that the director’s leading lady “takes it to the next career level, or beyond the next level.”
She then praises her “great and hilarious” performance.
EW also praised the actress, saying it was “hands down the achievement of Stone’s career.”
“(She) is a gifted comedic actress and she fits Lanthimos’ tone very well, a strange mix of black comedy, farce and social commentary.”
R-Rating: Emma was praised for her acting and bravery in the film with a series of explicit sex scenes, including one in which the Oscar winner’s character Bella Baxter pleasures herself with a piece of fruit
MIA: Neither actress nor co-stars Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo were on Friday to soak up the glory after skipping the festival amid the S AG-AFTRA strikes
No shows: Nadeem Gill (pictured) was one of the few stars to grace the red carpet at the film’s Venice premiere
Glam: Barbara Palvin also made a fleeting appearance during Friday’s screening
And Vulture‘ Rachel Handler wrote, ‘Stone’s performance matches (Balla Baxter’s) fearlessness; she’s going for broke here’.
Speaking at the festival on Friday, Greek director Yargos said Emma had “no shame” when it came to the raunchy scenes.
βIt’s a shame Emma couldn’t talk more about this because it will all come from me. First of all, sex is an intrinsic part of the novel itself, its freedom from everything, including sexuality,’ Yorgos.
The 49-year-old filmmaker continues: ‘Secondly, it was very important to me not to make a film that would be prudish, because that would be tantamount to betraying the main character completely.’
“We had to make sure that Emma didn’t have to be ashamed of her body, nudity and participating in those scenes, and she understood that right away.”
Lanthimos has worked with Emma on projects like The Favorite, which has kept them from discussing the sex scenes for too long.
‘The nice thing about Emma and me is that we made four films together; there’s shorthand and we can communicate without having to explain things or talk too much,” he said.
“As soon as I started saying something about sex, she said, ‘Yes,’ of course, it’s Bella. We’ll do what we have to do.’
Fingers crossed: Emma’s performance has been critically acclaimed and even earned an Oscar nomination
Opening: The Greek director revealed his lead actress had “no shame” with her body while filming raunchy scenes in the sci-fi dark comedy
The director hired Elle McAlpine as an intimacy coordinator for the film and praised her positive influence on the film.
Lanthimos said, “At first this profession felt a bit threatening to most filmmakers, but I think it’s like anything, when you’re with a good person, it’s great and you realize you really need him. She made everything much easier for everyone.’
Yorgos further discussed the Frankenstein-inspired project and attempted to “describe” the film at the press conference in Venice, per The Hollywood reporter.
βIt’s very hard to describe. There have been a lot of movies through time that were unique and exceptional, but I think in our day and age there may not be many movies like this, so it’s hard for me to say what it is,” he explained.
The premise reads: ‘The incredible story of the fantastic evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Dafoe),’ said one IMDB Summary.
According to Variety, the filmmaker was applauded as he entered the theater and took his seat. After the movie.
Poor Things β selected to compete for the prestigious Golden Lion β will hit theaters later this year on December 8.