Badlands’ Star Elle Fanning Thinks Genre Movies Are as Award-Worthy as the Rest of Cinema

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Predator: Badlands actress Elle Fanning discussed the two big roles she has in theaters now. For Fanning, the sci-fi franchise entry holds just as much artistic merit as the comedy-drama Sentimental Value, and she pointed out how recent genre releases have begun to widen the scope of what’s considered cinema.

“With Demi [Moore] last year with The Substance, that was so incredibly deserved for her to get acknowledged for that film. Everything Everywhere All at Once—that was so bold and new,” Fanning said.

But for every genre film that gets recognition, particularly ones led by female characters, it can feel like there are just as many that get overlooked, including the last Predator film, Prey, and Smile 2, featuring Naomi Scott’s solo (essentially) tour de force. Fanning is hoping the tide continues to turn.

“So we are broadening it, and I think that that’s important,” Fanning said. “Or I feel like we are pushing towards opening it up a little bit more. Just because it’s genre, I don’t think that people should be biased. I don’t agree with that: a film is a film! It’s important to cultivate creativity and young directors with their ideas and to have that be noticed. There shouldn’t be a mathematical equation for what is the proper thing to do. I hope it continues to change.”

She continued. “For me, when I go into roles, I don’t look at it differently,” the actress shared. “I am playing two characters in Predator, and I saw it as a real acting challenge. Then you put on top of it the physical challenge; it’s almost harder. I’m strapped to [co-star Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi] back to back. We’re in wires and harnesses—but then also you have to deliver the comedic timing, the rhythm. Dimitrius is incredible. He was there every day. I mean, just because they covered his face, you can see the emotion through that. That’s because of him, and that’s pretty astonishing.”

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