"It's a very soulful comedy about a very troubled relationship"

The stars of "Fifty Shades of Grey," "Suspiria," and "Madame Web," Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona, who just released the key Star Wars series "Andor," brought the film Splitsville to Cannes. The Russian name of the film has not yet been approved, it will happen closer to the rental. The comedy Splitsville tells the story of two married couples who are so entangled in their relationships with each other that at some point they themselves no longer understand who loves whom. Izvestia is the only Russian media outlet to which Dakota Johnson and Adria Arjona gave a TV interview about this project.

— First of all, I really liked the movie. I suggest you start by saying a few words for the Russian viewers who love you and are waiting for this picture.

Dakota Johnson: It's a very soulful comedy about a very troubled relationship. She's also completely unpredictable.

Adria Archona: How well you did it! I'm just joining in.

— How did this scenario, which is really unpredictable, appear in your life?

Adria: Uh... let Dakota tell you, it's more a question for her film company, she was making the film. So she read the script before me, of course.

Dakota: But we came to the set together at the same time!

Adria: Okay, let me do it. The screenplay is written by Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin. I met Michael in New York. I participated in press events for a movie there, I don't remember anymore. I studied everything carefully, read the script. And quite quickly. It was one of those scenarios that you don't have to sit over for a long time, like some of them. Everything was immediately clear there, something was happening on every page. Everything was very funny, funny, fast, interesting transitions, turns. I liked everything. We started discussing the script with Michael, and, fortunately for me, he said that he was offering me the role of Ashley. I agreed. That's how it happened.

— Dakota, what were your impressions of the script when you read it?

Dakota: I met Mike and Kyle a year ago when we were working on another project. And they had an idea, and there was also some very early draft of the script. They worked on it for quite a long time, and we met again and talked. As a result, my company TeaTime Pictures decided to make this film. We spent a long time refining the script, the characters, and then shooting, as you know. It's a long process.

It seems to me that Michael and Kyle have found a very correct, precise intonation and their script is very smart, special, original. It turned out to be very interesting. I like the way they build the scenes, the structure of the film. And they themselves are very smart people with a great sense of humor, while being very humble. They are interested in people, they notice a lot, they know how to talk about it.

— In the film, you created the images of two strong women. Bright, multi-layered characters. How would you describe them in a few words?

ADRIA: I think this film is primarily about relationships and the complexities of those relationships. Ashley has a husband, but she feels the need to free herself, understand herself better, and meet others. At the beginning of the film, she experiences a traumatic experience of encountering death, which gives her the opportunity to find the strength to tell her husband about her experiences. And then she starts exploring herself, discovering something new, having fun - and so on until she realizes that what she was looking for was right next to her all along.

Dakota: Ashley...

Adria: No, it's my character!

Dakota: Yes, that's right, your character.

Adria: And your character's name is Julia!

Dakota: Julia. Exactly. My character. That's it, I get it. So, Julia... this... He's a strange man. She's kind of... I think she has a lot of love, care, attention, and is amazing. She is full of love for people. But she's also very lonely. It seems to me that this feeling makes her clamped, closed, somewhat cold. It was as if she was slightly detached from the world, from real life, from everything around her. We've been thinking about this character for a long time, working on this image. She's a pretty young woman, she has an ideal relationship, nothing should bother her, but it all seems kind of ridiculous and strange to her. She doesn't look like me at all, because I personally am very emotional. And she has everything inside.

— Thank you! Could you also say "Privet, Rossiya!" to the Russian audience at the end?

Adria: No, I won't take any chances, I might make a mistake, then everyone will hate me. So that: hi, Russia!