The movie Susan Sarandon called a “fabulous filmmaking experiment”
Not only has Susan Sarandon detailed an immense talent and versatility as an actor, but she has also proven herself to be one of the most important figures in Hollywood owing to her fearless commitment to social and political causes, particularly in the realms of women’s rights and environmental concerns.
Of course, it’s the performances that have given Sarandon her public voice, and throughout her career, she has delivered several timeless on-screen efforts. From her early turns in The Rocky Horror Picture Show right up to her Academy Award-recognised efforts in the likes of Dead Man Walking and Thelma & Louise, Sarandon has always stayed one step ahead of the curve.
Given her mighty prowess as a cinema legend, it’s understandable that Sarandon has consistently been sought out by some of the most notable directors in the film industry. In 2012, the Wachowskis, the creator of The Matrix, contacted Sarandon and asked her to be featured in their epic science fiction Cloud Atlas, based on the 2004 novel by David Mitchell.
Also starring the likes of Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Ben Wishaw and Hugh Grant, Cloud Atlas occurs across several different timelines while exploring the nature of the inherent interconnectedness of human beings. Six narratives weave in and out of one another, from a futuristic dystopian tale to a 19th-century voyage at sea, with each telling of the spirit of humanity.
In an interview with Harrods, Sarandon once spoke of her experience making Cloud Atlas, which she has some admittedly minor roles in. “It’s a fabulous filmmaking experiment – an epic, adult film about epic, adult ideas,” she said. The fact that many of the notable cast members were playing many different roles, some big, some small, led to an abandonment of ego on set, which Sarandon said “added to the brave festivities of this circus.”
By the time Sarandon arrived in Berlin to meet with the Wachowkis and co-director Tom Tykwer to perform her roles, the production had already been half completed, but from what she had seen on a preview reel, it already looked “gorgeous”. The actor was also keen to reiterate that the production of Cloud Atlas had been akin to a “circus”.
“The feeling of surrendering to the scope of the thing was contagious,” she told The Metro. “Hugh Grant said he spent one day in make-up, longer than make-up for all the other films he’s done.” Cloud Atlas boasted one hell of a cast, which Sarandon referred to as a “fun group”, noting, “they gave themselves over to the big ideas in the film.”
Sarandon was clearly taken with being able to perform alongside such notable stars, but even the brilliant cast couldn’t save the film from suffering a rather disastrous box office, also adding to the fact that it cost so much. Tom Hanks had once admitted to the low impact of the science fiction movie but was keen to stress how important a role it played in his personal life.
“I made a movie that altered my entire consciousness – Cloud Atlas – I thought, jeez, this thing is so fab; it’s the only movie I’ve been in that I’ve seen more than twice,” Hanks had told The Guardian in retrospect. “And it didn’t do any business. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
