Anya Taylor-Joy stars in Edgar Wright's "Last Night in Soho". Image Source: Telegram
Anya Taylor-Joy (Queen's Gambit) stars in Edgar Wright's "Last Night in Soho," a British psychological horror film written by Edgar Wright and Krysty Wilson Cairns. Thomasin McKenzie, Matt Smith, and Terence Stamp also star in the film. Diana Rigg, who died in September 2020, made her final cinematic appearance in this film. Diana Rigg's memory is honored in this film.
In her recent interview with Variety, Taylor shared that this is not the first time she has collaborated with him because she had also read the script of "Baby Driver" and had auditioned for the part but unfortunately was not selected. She said that she is glad that the two collaborated on "Last Night in Soho" instead of Baby Driver. Edgar Wright shared that he approached the actress with just the story and a vision that she should be the lead in the movie almost six years ago. He added, "I met her for coffee in Los Angeles and I told her the entire plot of the movie. She was like, ‘I want to be a part of that.’"
Anya Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith in "Last Night in Soho". Image Source: The Independent
In a recent interview on the red carpet, the actress shared that the filmmaker offered her the part of aspiring singer Sandie in the psychological horror movie before he could hear the actress. She explained, "The first time he properly heard me sing was when we were doing the scene, and he was so gracious because he understands how I feel about characters". The actress released the full version of Cappella last week, which managed to impress the audience and the critics very much.
The 25-year-old actress credits the filmmaker for being supportive towards her throughout the singing process, as she mentioned that Edgar Wright is a noted music aficionado who carefully crafts the sound and songs featured in each of his films. She adds, "I just thought from an audience point of view hearing somebody bear their soul a cappella in a slower way, it adds vulnerability that makes [the audience] see her a bit more, and that way you care more about her as the film progresses. But then I felt touched because after I sang the song, [Edgar] loved it and said, ‘We’re getting you to the studio, and we’re recording three different versions, and you’re also going to sing ‘You’re My World.’ I was, like, ‘Wow, let’s go and do it!’ I’m endlessly grateful for the support from someone who knows and loves music so much."
Edgar Wright confessed that he was aware that Anya could sing but didn’t know ‘how well’ she could sing until the two got to the sets. The story of "Last Night in Soho" follows the story of a young fashion student, played by Thomasin McKenzie, who is haunted by dreams as she falls into a swinging 1960s London, where Anya Taylor-Joy’s character, Sandie’s glamorous environment may not be what it appears. Wright adds further, "That was something quite extraordinary. When [film composer] Steven Price did the demos for ‘Downtown,’ the cover, we were pleased and wowed by her amazing voice. Then, funny enough, the song is featured in the film, and when it came out in the trailer, so when people heard it, they kept asking, ‘Are you going to release that as a single?’ But we had recorded only 90 seconds of it. I asked Steven if we should record the rest of it, and Anya was up for it, as well. So the single, the video, the whole thing was recorded in the last couple of months".
The actress’s performance in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit has been appreciated and critically acclaimed, which led to her Emmy nominations as well. The success of the show put the actress under the list of most in-demand talents in the industry right now as she is going to star in Robert Eggers’ "The Northman", David O. Russell’s untitled project, George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road’s prequel "Furiosa", and Mark Mylod’s "The Menu".
Anya Taylor-Joy is announced as the new global ambassador for women’s fashion and makeup brand Dior. The actress has often been stunned in Christian Dior Couture, and the news of her being the face of the brand is impressive. The brand’s official social media page announced the actress as the new global ambassador for fashion and makeup. Anya Taylor-Joy complimented Dior for its legacy and how it supports actresses, as it’s done with prior long-term deals with such stars as Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron, and Natalie Portman. The actress shared her gratitude by expressing, "There’s something about the House of Dior that, to me, evokes both a modern sensibility whilst also being incredibly classic. And what I’ve always loved about them is that they stick by their actresses. They stand by them, and I was interested in formulating a very long-lasting and fruitful [collaboration]."
Anya also mentioned that the brand has always been so gracious while collaborating on a look for her during her appearance at the Emmy Awards. "They made my dream dress, and that is unheard of in terms of kindness. I was a girl who had a vision for a dress, and they made my dream come true. I’m so grateful."
Anya Taylor-Joy at Emmy Awards 2021. Image Source: InStyle
"Last Night in Soho" was the first premiere to be held at the Academy Museum. Thomasin McKenzie, who had to miss the promotional tour for her released drama "Power of the Dog", finally made her way back to the red carpet with Last Night in Soho. She added, "I had to miss out on a lot of things because I was unable to attend a lot of the festivals, so that’s why I am so excited to finally be here and reunited with everybody."
Edgar Wright, at the premiere, paid tribute to Diana Rigg, stating, "This is her final role. We’re sad that she’s not here to celebrate with us, but I have to just choose to be happy that we got to know and work with her at all, and so, I hope you enjoy her in the movie, and after the movie, we can raise a vesper in her honor and celebrate the great Diana Rigg. "
The movie comes out on 29th October 2021.
