Ottessa Moshfegh opens up about the adaptation of her novels
American writer Ottessa Moshfegh has been steadily establishing herself as one of the most promising authors in the landscape of contemporary English literature. Known for her acerbic style and her insights into human psychology and the modern sociopolitical climate, Moshfegh is definitely one to watch out for.
While her novels, such as My Year of Rest and Relaxation, have received widespread critical acclaim, Moshfegh is currently branching out into film adaptations. Recently, William Oldroyd’s adaptation of Moshfegh’s debut novel Eileen premiered at Sundance, starring Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway. Set in 1964, the story revolves around the 24-year-old titular secretary who works at a prison in Massachusetts.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Moshfegh opened up about the adaptation process: “I feel so spoiled by this experience. [Co-writer] Luke [Goebel] and I, as partners, have talked about — just, this felt like a fated experience. And all the blood, sweat and tears have evaporated now into this shimmering glow, and we’re like, ‘We’ll do it a million times more,’ [because] it’s that good”.
“It was a real privilege to have the book as an incredible resource to be able to pull from,” McKenzie added. “I felt like I got so many of the answers from the book. I didn’t feel like I needed to be drilling Ottessa for clues into Eileen’s character. I felt quietly supported. There was freedom to take the role and bring it to life with our own unique spin on it”.
When asked about Moshfegh’s literary talents and the brilliance of Eileen, Anne Hathaway commented: “There were certain little ins, descriptors [in the book]. One line that really stood out to me was, ‘If she seemed insincere, she was.’ There were all of these things, where if it didn’t lend me authority, it gave Rebecca authority to exist.”
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