Emily Blunt explains her hatred of algorithms
Emily Blunt has shared some scathing views on the use of the word “algorithm” and its place in the film industry, alluding to its divisive nature and the potential negative impact it has on narrative creativity.
Ahead of the actor’s new movie, The Fall Guy, Blunt sat down with co-star Ryan Gosling for an interview in which she expressed her concerns and frustrations about algorithms and the ways in which they are used for decision-making in the industry.
She shared her thoughts in relation to her recent movie Oppenheimer, saying that algorithm-driven decisions would likely advise against making such a film as it wouldn’t resonate with audiences.
Discussing the word itself, Blunt said: “I hate that fucking word, excuse the expletive!” She continued, asking: “How can it be associated with art and content? How can we let it determine what will be successful and what will not?”
Using an example to explain her point further, she recalled her experience working on Oppenheimer, saying that the “impact it had” meant that “the algorithms probably wouldn’t have grasped it.” She added: “My hope is that Oppenheimer and similar projects are not considered anomalies, that we stop translating creative experience into diagrams.”
Sharing his thoughts on the topic, Gosling told Variety that “you can’t beat an algorithm at its job”, but that this had adversely caused him to “be more human” and choose projects like The Fall Guy. Shining a light on the appeal of such movies, Godling added: “[they are] based on personal experiences, our footprints and our stories, which we poured into the characters.”
Oppenheimer may seem like a particularly niche story to feel compelled to tell, but, as Christopher Nolan explained to Empire, this is precisely the purpose of filmmaking. The director explained: “The audience’s desire to be surprised, to see something new, to see something they did not know they wanted, that’s always been the most powerful force in theatrical film.”
Blunt also recently starred in All of Us Strangers, Andrew Haigh’s moving adaptation of the 1987 novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada. Considering Hollywood’s historical rejection of telling overtly queer stories, it’s likely that algorithm-driven decision-making would have also advised to steer clear of bringing to life such a narrative on-screen.
However, as many have expressed in recent times, going against the grain and telling the stories that wouldn’t otherwise be considered “audience-friendly” has become more important than ever, and more stars, like Blunt and Gosling, are beginning to recognise that and speak out.
Watch the trailer for The Fall Guy below.
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