Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024) takes inspiration from the famous 1922 silent film and brings gothic horror to life in a fresh way. The film adds a thrilling, modern twist to the eerie story of Count Orlok. With a talented cast including Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the movie has impressed critics who can’t stop praising it.
Nosferatu is getting a lot of praise for both its scary moments and its amazing cast. Lily-Rose Depp, in particular, has won hearts with her role as Ellen Hutter. Her performance was so good that it moved the director to tears during her audition—a proud moment for her dad, Johnny Depp, as she truly nailed the role.
Robert Eggers recently visited the Video Club, where he shared some behind-the-scenes stories from the set of Nosferatu. He also talked about Lily-Rose Depp’s audition and how impressive it was. Lily-Rose Depp plays Ellen Hutter, the wife of Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult). Ellen is seen as a pure and angelic woman who becomes the obsession of Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård).
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Eggers shared that from the very first audition, Lily-Rose’s performance was so perfect that it brought him to tears. He said,
I’m not exaggerating; I was in tears because her audition was so insane. She’s just such a disciplined, courageous, and like feral actor. She’s amazing.
Eggers wasn’t the only one impressed by her performance. Filmmaker Sean Baker, known for movies like Take Out (2004) and The Florida Project (2017), said Nosferatu might be his favorite film of the year. He also praised Eggers for his “masterful” direction and said both Depp and Nicholas Hoult “deserve best actor nominations.”
Related: Bill Skarsgard’s Nosferatu Earns Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score With Early Reviews
Compared to the 1922 original by F. W. Murnau, Lily-Rose Depp’s version of Ellen has a bigger role in the story. While she is still the object of Count Orlok’s dark obsession, this time, she has more control over what happens in her life. Depp loved playing Ellen and described it as a “gift.” She thought it was special that the character played such an important role in the remake.
The role was truly a gift in every way. I’ve always been fascinated by this story, and it felt so special for Ellen to be the main focus. It adds a depth to the story that we haven’t seen before.
In her own words (via USA Today),
From the start, Eggers knew Lily-Rose Depp was going to do an amazing job. He said that her screen test showed the same “raw ferocity” she brought to the film, and he immediately knew she would give an unforgettable performance.
He explained, “In Lily’s screen test, she had the same powerful energy she showed in the film. So I knew her performance would be over the top.” It seems like other actresses might need to step up their game during award season!
Nosferatu is now playing in theaters.