Dakota Johnson and Maggie Gyllenhaal Unpack the Nuances of ‘The Lost Daughter’
The director and star share their thoughts on the poignant and critically acclaimed film.
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, “The Lost Daughter,” premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last September, and public interest around the movie has been building since its limited theatrical release and subsequent Netflix release in December. But the low-key rollout hasn’t stopped the accolades from rolling in, including (but not limited to) four Gotham Independent Film Awards, the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay at the Venice International Film Festival, two Critics’ Choice nominations, and a certified-fresh 95% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie stars Oscar winner Olivia Colman and “Fifty Shades of Grey” actress Dakota Johnson, who play Leda and Nina, two women grappling with motherhood at different walks of life, and have a chance encounter on the beach in Greece.
Both Gyllenhaal and Johnson joined hosts Jess Cagle and Julia Cunningham on “The Jess Cagle Show” on SiriusXM Stars to discuss the film’s themes and nuances, including the sometimes-mysterious tension and vulnerability between Johnson and Colman. During their chat, Gyllenhaal praised Johnson as much more than “a woman in a bathing suit.”
For Johnson, she ruminated on the concept of being a muse and how entire conversations can be said without a word, which deeply impacted the dynamic between Leda and Nina.
“Usually in a script, if you see the stage direction and it’s like, ‘Leda looks at Nina,’ I glance over, and I’m like, ‘OK, whatever,’ but in this, it’s a real moment that stays with you; these tiny little moments, and they could mean anything. At a certain point, you’re like, ‘Is she gonna kill her? Are they gonna have sex?'” Johnson said. “It’s just the way that you never really know what can occur between two people.”
