The Empire Film Podcast The Interviews (Theo James, John Waters, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett)
Apr 2, 2026
Theo James, an English actor known for The White Lotus and Fuse, talks accents, auditions and shaping mystery around his character. John Waters, the self-styled Pope of Trash, riffs on trash cinema, shock tactics and his BFI season. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Radio Silence directors of Ready or Not, dig into tonal choices, the rocket-launcher gag and why hide-and-seek returns.
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Stop Thinking About Micro Expressions
- Don't consciously control micro facial ticks during close-ups because self-awareness breaks naturalism.
- Theo James says listening in the moment and truly reacting gives honest eyes and prevents self-conscious acting.
Thor Audition Taught Screen Acting Restraint
- Theo James recounts his first film audition for Thor where he performed as if on stage and was told to tone it down.
- That early mistake taught him the different skill set required for screen acting versus theatre.
Trash Cinema Is Rule Breaking Collage
- John Waters defines trash cinema as where sexploitation and art films collide to mock censorship and push originality.
- He cites George and Mike Kuchar and Doris Wishman as outsider artists who mixed high melodrama with shocking images.