Last Night in Soho
“Dreaming of Sandie” Featurette
Did you ever have a dream that felt real, like you were living it for yourself? If you have, then you know exactly how Eloise (played by Thomasin McKenzie) feels in visionary director Edgar Wright’s (the man behind Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) newest film, Last Night in Soho. The only difference between you and Eloise, however, is that her ‘dreams’ aren’t dreams. They actually happen!
Every time Eloise goes to sleep at night, her visions are seen through the life of a swinging-sixties star named Sandie (played by Anya Taylor-Joy). What starts off as a true fantasy soon turns into a complete nightmare for both Eloise and Sandie. If you’re curious to find out what dreams are made of in Last Night in Soho, be sure to check out “Dreaming of Sandie,” one of the many extras that can be found in our “Featurettes” section.
At the beginning of the featurette, you’ll learn that Edgar Wright wanted Anya Taylor-Joy’s character to almost be like a dream herself. Co-screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns says it best when she explains that both she and Edgar Wright “always wanted Sandie to be iconic. You’re looking for something that’s slightly uncapturable on the page and uncapturable on film.” A role like Sandie, therefore, requires a certain brand of playfulness and confidence that only a few actresses can successfully pull off. Luckily for production, Anya Taylor-Joy was able to embody all that Sandie was envisioned to be by the Last Night in Soho crew.
Further along in this behind-the-scenes look, Anya Taylor-Joy discusses her experience working with Edgar Wright. Ironically, Anya Taylor-Joy was the first actress that Edgar Wright talked to about this project. However, Edgar Wright admits that Sandie was not the original part he had in mind for Anya Taylor-Joy. Rather, Wright saw Anya Taylor-Joy in Thomasin McKenzie’s role of Eloise. Despite this initial casting pitch, Edgar Wright says that after a few years, “the character of Sandie was getting bigger. And as that character’s starting to expand, it became clear to me that Anya should be playing that part.” If you have seen Anya Taylor-Joy in any of her previous performances, then you know about her range as an actress. She can effortlessly transform into any character on-screen, so it only makes sense that she was picked for the role of Sandie.
Interestingly, though, Anya Taylor-Joy doesn’t really see herself as having the same personality as Sandie. Anya Taylor-Joy, on behalf of her on-screen counterpart, says “she really just does throw herself into every situation, has very little shame. I kind of wish I had a bit more of her in me.” You would never think that someone who expertly plays a confident and captivating role on-screen would be so different off-screen. Despite this paradox, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Anya Taylor-Joy gives a performance unlike any other. In every scene in Last Night in Soho, Sandie demands attention and exudes a certain kind of power in every movement she makes. Whether she is dancing or simply walking down a staircase, everything Sandie does is front and center. That is all thanks to Anya Taylor-Joy.
This is only just a taste of what you can learn about the making of Last Night in Soho in this exclusive. Watch this bonus video and other exclusive content when you purchase Last Night in Soho on 4k Ultra HD, DVD, Digital, or Blu-rayTM*.
*Bonus features are only available at select digital retailers. Check the retailer for details.