Sarah Paulson has made quite a name for herself starring in various entries of the American Horror Story series. She’s put on a bevy a great performances and is always trying vastly different things. Annaleigh Ashford has been incredible on Broadway for years and in the great-for-one-season-and-inexplicably-terrible-in-its-second series, B Positive. The two Tony Award winners combine forces for the Hulu horror film, Hold Your Breath. While I wasn’t a massive fan of the film (check out my review HERE) there’s no doubt that their performances are incredible.
It was clear that the most important element for both actresses was to get across the point that the 1930s Dust Bowl was man-made. This makes the story, despite its period setting, have a modern problem. But don’t worry, the film isn’t just about dried-up crops, as it mostly contends with Paulson’s Margaret going crazy during the drought. A descent into madness is always an intriguing story element in horror and Paulson does a great job. I talked to her about the challenges of the role and how she was able to keep track of her character’s insanity despite filming out of order. It was a great talk so make sure to check out the video above!
HOLD YOUR BREATH plot synopsis:
Oklahoma, 1930s. The Bellum family house rests in a valley of dirt as clouds of dust blot out the sun. Margaret (Sarah Paulson) and her two daughters, Rose (Amiah Miller) and Ollie (Alona Jane Robbins), tend to their sparse farm while Margaret’s husband has left in pursuit of work. As they struggle to survive the punishing Dust Bowl environment, a mysterious stranger (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) arrives, threatening all they know and love. But is the threat a closer one?
HOLD YOUR BREATH IS STREAMING ON HULU ON OCTOBER 3RD, 2024.
