“It almost felt like a silent-film-star performance,” the 72-year-old icon tells Vogue over breakfast. “The Catholic Church is a very patriarchal society, and women often don’t speak, so when I finally do speak towards the end of the film, it feels like a bomb going off.”
Here, Rossellini catches up with Vogue to discuss Conclave, Death Becomes Her opening on Broadway, why Blue Velvet almost ruined her career, and leaving Hollywood behind for a farmhouse on Long Island.
Vogue: What does it take to lure an actress of your stature into a project these days?
Isabella Rossellini: Edward Berger simply sent the script to my agent—which I read and immediately loved. I had seen All Quiet on the Western Front, which is quite a superior film, so I was delighted to work with a director of his caliber. Some of the actors were not cast yet, but there was a rumor that John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci might be doing it, so I called them up and told them I was doing it.
Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features
Is it common to speak to the other actors in negotiations for a project when you’re considering a role? Like, “I’ll do it if you do it”?
Sometimes! But you can really only do it with friends, otherwise it feels like an indiscretion. I made a movie with Stanley years ago [1996’s Big Night], and we’ve been friends ever since. I did want to know if they were doing it, partially because their involvement made me wanna do it even more.
Your character, Sister Agnes, is sort of a specter who observes a lot of action from the background of the film. How did you find your take on her?
I have a very silent role—Sister Agnes is almost like a shadow. She’s present all the time, even when you can’t see or hear her. Thankfully, I am very familiar with silent films because this almost felt like a silent-film-star performance. The Catholic Church is a very patriarchal society, and women often don’t speak, so when I finally do speak towards the end of the film, it feels like a bomb going off.
What did Edward communicate to you about what he wanted out of your performance?