What made the story right for a modern day interpretation?
Nicholls: I think if you pitch the story – an independent woman has to choose between three different contrasting men while maintaining her independence – I think that would feel very modern and contemporary.
How did you arrive at Nathan being this weightlifting, heavy drinking, bro-ish guy?
If the people you’re interacting with are physically intimidating and intellectually intimidating and also very rich, it doesn’t leave you much room to maneuver.
Mr. Chandor, why did you want to bring this story to the screen?
It was sort of two ideas that ran into each other. There was this core story that I had been working on for many years – probably six or seven years, actually – about a husband and wife who ran a business together.
How did you approach the preparation that went into portraying Dr. King?
After I read an early version of the script, I just knew this film and playing this man was going to be a part of my future.
Mr. Turner seems to use a wonderful shorthand of grunting in the film at times to communicate his point.
He did grunt, but – and we also have this in the film – he was capable of great articulacy and a great number of classical references.