If you’re a regular Broadway-goer, or just a lover of indie films, you’ve most likely heard all about Aftersun - the emotive film that made not just one, but two members of the LeftLion team cry. A raw portrayal of fatherhood, childhood and mental health struggles, it’s a very special piece of art created by Charlotte Wells. But more than that, it’s also a showcase of Nottingham talent, with multiple actors from the Television Workshop present in the film. We catch up with talented young actor Ruby Thompson, who plays Laura in the award-winning release...
It’s not often a film is universally adored. Lauded by critics. Loved by audiences. Showered with accolades. Peppered with praise by everyone who helped put it together.
Yet Aftersun, Charlotte Wells’ phenomenally-crafted, deeply moving tale of one ten-year-old’s summer holiday with her father, has achieved this rare feat - and then some. It’s already picked up countless British Independent Film Awards and been named as Sight & Sound’s best film of 2022, and you wouldn’t bet against it sweeping up at next month’s Academy Awards. Put simply, it’s a masterpiece. And, most excitingly for us, it’s a masterpiece packed with Nottingham talent.
You see, Aftersun’s casting director Lucy Pardee (quite rightly) looked to graduates of the Television Workshop to make up a gang of young holiday-goers who play an important role in the story of Sophie, the lively lead played by debutante Frankie Corio. Among this group is Laura, a more mature role model for Sophie to look up to, with the pair forming a close, meaningful bond as the runtime progresses. And playing Laura is our own Ruby Thompson - who delivers a top performance in this magical movie.
There’s a beauty to it in that it’s not forcing anything on you. It allows you to respond in a way that feels right to you. Every time I’ve watched it, I’ve responded differently
“The way they casted it was really friendly, and the script was really beautiful,” says Thompson of joining the project. “Lucy is incredible. All the projects she’s worked on have been the same in that they have something special about them. So the fact that she was casting this meant I knew it was going to be great.”
If Thompson’s time in pre-production was beautiful, though, her time on set took things to a different level. Working with Wells - who, like Thompson, was experiencing feature films for the first time - “was a dream come true”, she explains. “Her language and the way she works with actors is really human, and the way she includes you means you always know what’s going on. You can see the vision that she wants for each scene. It’s incredible to watch how she works. What she produces is stunning.”
Stunning indeed. Like most who watch the film, Aftersun left its mark on Thompson when she saw the final product on the big screen. “It made me cry a lot,” she admits. “There’s a beauty to it in that it’s not forcing anything on you. It allows you to respond in a way that feels right to you. Every time I’ve watched it, I’ve responded differently, because it allows for that. Everyone did such a phenomenal job, from Charlotte to Greg [Oke], our cinematographer, to everyone working on the music. There’s so much heart and effort put into the film.” So touching is Wells’ debut, in fact, that it even made a certain cold-hearted LeftLion Editor shed a tear. That might be a greater achievement than picking up a BIFA.
Getting the chance to collaborate with more familiar faces was also a joy, she adds. For Thompson and fellow Workshoppers like Spike Fearn and Kieran Burton, Aftersun was not only a chance to contribute to a special project, but to do so together. As friends. In Turkey. For weeks on end. Not a bad gig, that. “It was like being on a little holiday,” Thompson laughs. “You’re with all these people that you really get on with. We had such chemistry, which is what they were looking for. You’re there to do a job, of course, but in your spare time you’re in Turkey. That was pretty magical.”
Put simply, it’s a masterpiece. And, most excitingly for us, it’s a masterpiece packed with Nottingham talent
Working with Frankie Corio was also one of Thompson’s favourite aspects of the film, and much like co-star Paul Mescal (of BBC Three’s Normal People), she gave a beaming review of the young actress, who is currently only thirteen years old. “Frankie was phenomenal. She was so mature and was able to separate her character from herself,” a feat that is often difficult for young actors. “She played the role so well that you might think she’s just being herself in front of the camera, but it’s not like that at all,” Thompson continues. “She’s highly intelligent, she doesn’t miss a beat. Nothing goes over her head.”
As a viewer, it’s easy to agree that Corio’s effortless acting style really is something of a wonder, particularly in her scenes with Mescal, who plays a father struggling with depression. The chemistry between the two actors is profoundly affecting. However, there is also real beauty in the beats between Thompson and Corio, particularly when Laura shares a moment of kindness with Frankie, which temporarily provides respite from the character’s otherwise dark narrative.
“I was just focusing on how much I wanted to get it right,” Thompson muses. “There was a subtlety to doing that one small thing. To my character it’s nothing, but she can see where Sophie is at in her life. I just wanted to nail that sentiment.”
Moving to the audience, and to Thompson herself, the actor admits that the scene resonates with her personally. “Through my character you really feel like you’re thrown back into that teen era of your life, dealing with peers, boys, making friends, growing pains. That scene was an example of how impactful it can be when someone you look up to lets you in. When I was a kid and older kids would do that, it really made me feel seen.”
Overall, then, a glowing success for Ruby Thompson, who acts with great subtlety and emotion in Aftersun - adding a new dimension to protagonist Frankie’s story, one which celebrates the small kindnesses of adolescence and the impact a single moment can have. Likewise, this marks yet another roaring achievement for the Television Workshop; just one of many examples of the high calibre actors that Nottingham is producing. We can’t wait to see what comes next for Thompson and her fellow Workshoppers.
Aftersun is available to watch on MUBI
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
