Jesse Plemons has opened up about the inspiration behind his character in the thriller film Bugonia. On The Awardist podcast with director Yorgos Lanthimos, Plemons talked about playing Teddy Gatz. His character is a wild-eyed conspiracy theorist convinced he needs to save the world. The film is garnering a ton of attention, and Plemons’ performance is already being called one of the best of his career.
Jesse Plemons explains how Teddy Gatz wants to be a superhero in Bugonia
Jesse Plemons’ Teddy Gatz is a beekeeper with a wild imagination and a conspiracy streak. He is convinced Emma Stone’s Michelle Fuller is an alien out to destroy Earth. Plemons explained on The Awardist podcast that Teddy sees himself as the hero of the story. He claims he made up this story in his head and cast himself as the man who must save mankind.
“Teddy had this story that he was telling himself, and he told himself what role he was in this story, and in his mind, the fate of humanity is solely on his shoulders.” Plemons also pointed out how sharp the script is, noting that writer Will Tracy crafted a character who balances dark elements with personal conviction.
“Because the script was so well written, and there are some very dark elements and aspects to Teddy… Almost in the way that like a child wants to be a superhero was kind of something that I thought about,” Plemons responded.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos also breaks down how Bugonia zooms in on just three characters. This gave Plemons room to fully dive into Teddy’s quirky, conspiracy-filled world. Lanthimos called the movie “funny,” but also packed with serious themes and interesting characters.” He added that the film feels different from his past work because of its characters and tones.
Plemons also admitted that doing a scene that really lands isn’t easy. He explained that the few times he feels completely satisfied come after going through multiple takes and rehearsals. As per Plemons, the only day he can actually sleep easily is when he has shot a scene so many times.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Comingsoon.
