‘Nosferatu’: Emma Corrin Calls Robert Eggers A “Total Genius” & A “Singular Phenomenon Of A Director”

Emma Corrin is amid a breakout year thanks to their turn as “Deadpool & Wolverine” villain Cassandra Nova. But some cinephiles have their eyes on another buzzy upcoming film of Corrin’s: Robert Eggers‘ “Nosferatu” remake, in theaters this Christmas. And certain outlets didn’t hesitate to ask the actor all sorts of questions about the new horror film, including how Corrin liked working with Eggers. Their verdict on him? Read on below.

READ MORE: ‘Nosferatu’ Trailer: Robert Eggers’ Vampire Horror Arrives At Christmas

“[He’s] is a total genius, and a real artist,” Corrin told GamesRadar+ and Iniside Total Film about Eggers and “Nosferatu” in a new interview. “He puts together these incredible ensembles of actors and then, no matter what part you’re playing, you just really feel like it’s a group effort, and it’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.  You’ll love it, it’s brillant.”  

And what a cast Eggers culled for “Nosferatu.”  Bill Skarsgård stars as the vampie Count Orlok in the film, which amalgamates features from Bram Stoker‘s 1897 novel “Dracula” and its subsequent adaptation by F.W. Murnau (not to mention Werner Herzog‘s 1979 film and, with any luck, Francis Ford Coppola‘s 1992 take). But Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Willem Dafoe, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Simon McBurney, and Ralph Ineson also star. Corrin plays Anna Harding, wife of Taylor-Johnson’s Fredriech Harding.

But Corrin had more to say about Eggers and his shooting style to Josh Horowitz on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast. “Eggers is just the most singular phenomenon of a director working today,” the actor described Eggers. “He’s fascinating, as a person, to watch direct, and experience. It’s interesting, and such a fun time working with him. And challenging, because he’s so specific [and] particular, but it’s a real challenge.”  No surprise that Corrin’s comments make Eggers out as so demanding. His meticulous visual style was apparent even in his feature debut, 2015’s “The Witch,” and it’s only gotten more singular in subsequent films.

Curiously, Corrin likened an Eggers set to a theatrical stage production in both it design and choreographed nature.  “It’s not dissimilar from theater because the sets are designed meticulously, and there’s action throughout the sets,” the actor said about the “Nosferatu” sets. “Eggers and his DOP, they map out your course of action and they follow you with a camera.  It’s a lot of sweeping movements, so there’s no coverage, really, per se; sometimes there is.  So you’d rehearse it as you’d rehearse a scene in a play. You bring the cup here and you put it exactly there, it must be facing this way …Willem [Dafoe] will say something and put the vial there, it’s so cool. It’s a fantastic way of working, and I was really soaking it all up.  I mean, it was such an honor to be on that set, I couldn’t believe it.”

But how did it feel working in such a cramped, repetitious environment? “It’s an incredibly safe environment to be in, actually, [although] it’s sometimes meticulous and challenging because of that,” Corrin continued. “It’s a good thing.  You grow as an actor, it takes you out of your comfort zone, which is really important, and …Robert is so confident in setting his vision.  It’s a great feeling as an actor, to be honest, a set like that.”

Audiences get to see Eggers’ vision in full force when “Nosferatu” hits theaters on December 25. Is it the most anticipated horror film of the year? Undoubtedly! Check out a trailer for the film below.