What’s more real or gratifying than a genuine connection between two people? DirectorSophie Hydeinvestigates the bond between two people, the stigma of female pleasure, and the topic of sex work in her charming dramedyGood Luck to You, Leo Grande. Among the more dour and heavy films of Sundance Film Festival,Leo Grandeserves as a breath of fresh air, effusive with charm and charisma. WithLeo Grandecoming to streaming this weekend on Hulu, take a look back at our interview with Hyde and the stars of her film for a deeper look into the story behind the screen.
Written byKaty Brand,Leo Grandetells the story of Nancy (Emma Thompson), a retired schoolteacher, who has spent all of her life sexually unsatisfied. Determined to do something about it, she hires a young sex worker named Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack) to help her. Beyond the big O, Nancy simply wants to explore the sexual avenues she’s never gotten to walk down in her life, and along the way, she and Leo form a surprising connection that leaves them both changed.
Thompson and McCormack have tremendous chemistry together, bantering back and forth as Nancy and Leo slowly grow comfortable with each other. Although the story focuses a lot on Nancy’s life, particularly her love life and her complicated relationship with her kids, we slowly get to know Leo and his feelings about his family and also his feelings about sex work.
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We had a chance to speak with Sophie Hyde, Emma Thompson, and Daryl McCormack about the film at Sundance. During the conversation, we talked about what drew Hyde to direct the project, what Thompson and McCormack found attractive about their characters, how Thompson faced scenes with nudity on her own, what advice McCormack got from real sex workers for his role, and more. Additionally, the trio detailed their extensive nude rehearsal (yes, they were all nude) and filming schedule during COVID and how that changed their experience on this set.
Watch what Sophie Hyde, Emma Thompson, and Daryl McCormack had to say in the player above, and below is exactly what we talked about.
