Sigourney Weaver ‘fearless’ in ‘Misplaced Flowers’ drama: producer

Sigourney Weaver stars within the new Prime Video miniseries, “The Misplaced Flowers of Alice Hart.” 

Primarily based on the eponymous novel and set in Australia, the sequence follows Alice (Alyla Browne as a toddler; Alicia Debnam-Carey as an grownup), an orphaned lady who survives a horrible home fireplace. She’s taken in by her estranged and secretive grandmother, June (Weaver), to her rural property that’s full of flower fields — and girls who’re fleeing abusive pasts. 

Government producer Jodi Matterson (“9 Good Strangers”) answered some questions through electronic mail. 

What attracted you to “The Misplaced Flowers of Alice Hart?”

We get despatched quite a lot of books to contemplate for adaptation at [production company] Made Up Tales, and I can truthfully say that I knew from the primary web page that I needed to make this right into a present. I completed it in a single night time as a result of I couldn’t put it down. 

 How was working with Sigourney Weaver?

There are only a few roles that come up for a girl in her 70s which have the complexity of June, our central character on this story.

It required an distinctive actor, and Sigourney was on the very high of our want checklist. It was an absolute privilege to look at her work day-after-day enjoying this extremely troublesome character that spans a long time. To have had her fierce mind, distinctive style, and expertise — and to even have her as a producing accomplice — has been an absolute present for me professionally.

Was it difficult to seek out the fitting actresses for Alice? 

We underwent a large search to seek out an actress to play grownup Alice. Fortuitously, it was a task that virtually each Australian actress needed to play, so we have been inundated with individuals testing for the half.

Although Alycia Debnam-Carey had been working for years on “Fear the Walking Dead” and had a really devoted following, I used to be utterly unaware of her as a result of I had by no means seen the present. After I noticed her first audition, she was a revelation … We then needed to discover an actor to play younger Alice who couldn’t solely go as a younger Alycia however who may additionally deal with a really difficult and dramatic position.

We had beforehand labored with Alyla Browne on “9 Good Strangers,” the place she performed Nicole Kidman’s daughter. I’ve labored with quite a lot of younger performers in my profession and I can truthfully say I’ve by no means seen anybody as proficient as Alyla; I inform everybody she is the Meryl Streep of kid actors! I’ve by no means earlier than been on a set the place everybody from the lighting technicians to the standby props individuals have been in floods of tears watching her do emotional scenes. She goes to blow individuals away.

Did Sigourney Weaver do something with the character that shocked you? 

The phrase I might use to explain Sigourney is “fearless.” She jumped head first and inhibited this character with no ego or self-importance, and allowed herself to be utterly uncooked and weak — all whereas tackling an Australian accent!