When Poor Things premiered at the 2023 edition of the Venice Film Festival, the absence of the cast due to the SAG-AFTRA strike was deeply felt. However, now that the film has hit its Blu-ray release and streaming debut on Hulu/Disney+, the stars have had their well-earned chance to bask in the glory of their creation. For Egyptian-American actor Ramy Youssef, the success of Poor Things has been a momentous occasion, seeing him celebrating his first feature film role.
Ramy Youssef has made a name for himself in both stand-up comedy and television. He is perhaps best known for his semi-autobiographical Hulu original series, Ramy. The show received widespread praise for its portrayal of a first-generation Egyptian-American navigating the challenges of identity, faith, and relationships in modern times. His commitment to authentic onscreen representation has arguably turned the tide in regard to Arab representation in Western fictional media. Following the premiere of Ramy‘s first season, Youssef took home the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2020.
Ramy Youssef’s journey with Poor Things began with a mysterious casting process, shrouded in secrecy characteristic of the film’s director turned modern auteur, Yorgos Lanthimos. As details trickled in, Youssef found himself increasingly intrigued by the prospect of joining the project and acting opposite a pair of cinematic powerhouses. Based on the novel of the same name by Scottish writer Alasdair Gray, Poor Things sees Youssef as Max McCandless, a student turned mentee of Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) who finds himself tasked with monitoring the physical and mental development of Baxter’s experiment and adoptive daughter of sorts, Bella Baxter (Emma Stone).
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things flaunts a unique blend of fantasy, drama, and dark comedy which are all further elevated by the undeniable craftsmenship on display that has resulted in a staggering 11 nominations at the 2024 Oscars. The film’s elaborate sets and meticulous attention to detail provided a rich tapestry for Youssef and his co-stars to inhabit, resulting in a fully immersive experience not only on set, but also upon viewing as an audience member. Being used to television primarily, working on Poor Things allowed Ramy Youssef to reflect on the differences between the different mediums, savoring each moment, delving deep into his character’s psyche, and exploring new creative horizons.
We sat down with Ramy Youssef for an exclusive interview, diving into his collaborative experience with director Yorgos Lanthimos on Poor Things. Looking ahead, we also discussed Youssef’s foray into directing. The star has directed several episodes of Ramy throughout its three seasons and most recently an episode in The Bear Season 2. We explored the prospect of balancing his passion for acting with his burgeoning interest in directing, with a bright future filled with exciting possibilities and creative endeavors ahead.
Exclusive Interview with Ramy Youssef for Poor Things
Tell me about when you first got involved in Poor Things, what was the casting process like?
Ramy Youssef: I think Yorgos [Lanthimos] keeps a lot to himself. So, it was funny because even with my agents, no one really knew. They were like, “Hey, there might be a role for you in this movie and Yorgos wants to talk to you,” but they didn’t know the full story. At first someone said it was going to be three really good scenes, and I said, “Oh my god, three really good scenes would be amazing.
Then I talked to him and we had this really great conversation where he said, “I’m going to send you this script, let me know if you want to be in it.” Even before the script, I called everyone and said I think this might be more than three scenes from the way that he described it and I think this is like, a big part in the movie. I was so honored to be thought of and hit it off with him right away.
You speak in a British accent in the film. How did you prepare for that and did you draw inspiration from anywhere specific?
Ramy Youssef: The inspiration for the accent was my best friend from acting school, who has been my friend now for going on thirteen years, and he is British. I probably had his voice in my ear because when I started to work on the film, it just slipped in. We were working with this guy called Neil [Swain], who was great, and I told him where my friend was from and he said, “Those are the kind of sounds that you’re doing.” So, I was thankful for my buddy and I’m very grateful for his voice because I think it helped me sound like I was actually from there.
Your character Max and Willem’s character Godwin have a mentor and mentee relationship in Poor Things. How did you go about approaching that dynamic together and did you do any preparation for the medical aspects of the role?
Ramy Youssef: There was a mortician that we worked with when we shot and we were using late 1800s scalpels and trying to reenact what it would have been like to stitch someone up. We were doing it on animal organs and getting into it. So, I think that process and some of the rehearsals that we went through with Yorgos put us all in a headspace where we didn’t have to do a lot of traditional talking about dynamics, we just felt them and got into them. The script is so good that you kind of have to go out of your way to mess it up. The relationships were so clear on the page, all we had to do was be honest with each other.
I recently worked with someone who was part of the crew on Poor Things and they told me about the incredible scale of the sets. Do you remember how it felt when you stepped on set for the first time?
Ramy Youssef: It felt so special. Anything that you see on screen, any door you see, if you were to open up that door there was something behind it. It wasn’t one of those things where it’s a movie set and everything was fake. It was so real that sometimes I would get there early before shooting and walk around to take it all in. By the time the cameras were rolling, it just felt like we were living there and experiencing that. I think that added so much to why the performances feel so rich, because the whole world was rich and we got to fall into that fantasy.
The relationship between Bella and Max is so special. What was it like having Emma Stone as a scene partner?
Ramy Youssef: She’s the film. I think she’s a genius. She’s the funniest, fastest, most, comedically timed person I’ve ever come across. I really enjoyed working to keep up with her, especially as she was tracking Bella, and all of the different stages of growth that she was going through. It was it was really, really cool watching her build and develop that first hand.
Do you have a favorite memory from your time making Poor Things?
Ramy Youssef: Our very first camera test was cool because we had been working on building these characters, finding these accents, and costume fittings. During the camera test process was when Yorgos actually realized that he wanted to shoot some of the beginning of the film in black-and-white. One of the camera tests we did was the first scene I ever shot with Emma, it’s the scene where I’m documenting her eating and she’s spitting fish out on me.
I remember we shot that as a test and then I said to Yorgos, “That felt pretty good, are we going to do it again because it kind of felt like we got it?” He looked at me and was like, “You think that was good enough to be in the film?” And I said, “I felt like it was but maybe it was missing something.” Then they took it off the schedule and he was like, “Yeah, we’re going to use it (laughs). That’s part of why it’s so natural with him, because it’s like we’re just testing it out and trying whatever but it’s in the film. I think that’s such a cool way to work.
On a similar note, you have done plenty of TV of course, but this is your first big film role. Are there any major differences you spotted between the two mediums throughout this process?
Ramy Youssef: This is my first real film role and I feel privileged that this is the one I get to start with. Time is a big difference, I think television is so blindingly fast. When we’re making Ramy, Christopher Storer and I will be crossboarding episodes that we are directing and I’m also acting in. Some weeks, we’re shooting anywhere from five to seven episodes at the same time in terms of the pieces that we’re picking up.
So, to be on a set where we’re tracking around a hundred pages, seeing the patience with which Yorgos works, and just the pace of the film was exciting. I said to Yorgos, “Dude, you’re so lucky that you have all this time.” Obviously, he’s earned it and deserves all of it, but for me the experience felt like something to aspire to — just even being able to have this much time.
To wrap things up, you mentioned how you have directed many episodes of Ramy, but you also directed a fantastic episode in The Bear Season 2. Is directing something you want to continue doing?
Ramy Youssef: It’s a really exciting chapter for me. I got to go off and do The Bear and there are a couple of other things I’m looking at directing. I think this experience also made me feel that getting to act in the right thing is something that I really enjoy. To play this late 1800s British student wanting to be a doctor, it’s so far from my wheelhouse but I’ve always felt like I can step into anything and the real honor was someone like Yorgos knowing that as well, without me even having to try to convince him.
Release Date: December 8, 2023.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
Screenplay by Tony McNamara.
Based on Poor Things by Alasdair Gray.
Produced by Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos, & Emma Stone.
Main Cast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael, Kathryn Hunter, Vicki Pepperdine, Suzy Bemba, & Margaret Qualley.
Cinematographer: Robbie Ryan.
Composer: Jerskin Fendrix.
Production Companies: Film4, Element Pictures, & TSG Entertainment.
Distributor: Searchlight Pictures.
Runtime: 142 minutes.
Rated: R.
