Patti LuPone talks joining Ari Aster's Beau is Afraid

Patti LuPone, who plays Beau's (Joaquin Phoenix) mother Mona in Ari Aster's (Hereditary, Midsommar) upcoming film Beau is Afraid, has spoken about the impact the film has had on her career trajectory, and how she approached the role.

Over the course of the project LuPone, who asked her son "Who's Ari Aster?" when approached for the role spoke about how she formed bonds with her newfound colleagues, despite some initial confusion.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, LuPone recounted: "I said 'Ari, why me?' He said that he was friends with Clara Mamet, David Mamet's daughter, and came and saw David's play, The Anarchist, on Broadway, which I did with Debra Winger for two weeks.

"It got eviscerated by the critics, and we had a very stupid producer who closed it, not the lead producer, but the one with the money. And [Aster] said he talked for a week about how I handled the language. You know, I cut my teeth on Mamet.

"I started working with David in 1976. I wrote to David afterwards, and I said, 'Thanks, David. You got me this part.' I considered myself incredibly lucky because this is the best role I've ever had on camera. The language, working with Joaquin, and being directed by Ari. It's an extraordinary role."

In the early days of her casting in the film, LuPone discussed the character of Mona and her relationship to Beau with Aster.

LuPone recalled: "I was at a hotel in Montreal, and we had a lunch, and he talked about the film, and he talked about Mona and Mona's relationship to Beau. At the end of it I said to him, 'Does your brain hurt?' He said, 'All the time.'"

The actress also took measures into her own hands when forming a relationship with Joaquin Phoenix on the project.

LuPone explained: "Well, we were in this hotel in Montreal. There were three rooms that had terraces that faced this lake. I was in one, Joaquin was in the one at the very end and Ari was in the middle. I had brought a French press coffee pot, and in the morning I made coffee, and I'd go out in my little nightgown and I'd go, who wants coffee?"

LuPone, a three time Tony Award winner, seems to be fixated on screen roles since working on Beau is Afraid.

Asked about returning to Broadway, she said: "I don't think so. I've been offered something and there's something I'm interested in doing, but I said to the producer, 'Don't do this on Broadway. I want to work on East Fourth Street. I don't want to work on Broadway anymore.'

"Broadway's now turning into a combination of Disney, Las Vegas and the circus. Plays are closing. The education of an audience is in grave danger. And so what's the point?

"Plus Times Square is a nightmare. It's like the lowest common denominator of humanity hanging out in Times Square. They're not going to the theater. They make it difficult for people who are trying to get to the theater. And then when you go to the theater, it's way too expensive and it's compromised.

"So I'll never do eight shows a week again, ever. It's just over. I mean, I have had that [Actors Equity] card for 50 years, 1973 to 2023. And that's enough. I don't want to be on stage. I want to end my career on film."