Three-time Academy Award nominee Laura Linney chatted about directing the crime thriller TV series “Black Rabbit,” which will premiere on September 18th on Netflix.
The synopsis is: Set against the backdrop of New York City’s high-pressure nightlife scene, “Black Rabbit” centers around two brothers who learn just how far family, and the pursuit of success, can push them to the edge.
Jake Friedkin (Jude Law) is the charismatic owner of The Black Rabbit, a restaurant and VIP lounge, poised to become the hottest spot in New York.
When his brother, Vince (Jason Bateman), returns to the business unexpectedly, trouble soon follows; opening the door to old traumas and new dangers that threaten to bring down everything they’ve built.
“Black Rabbit” is a propulsive thrill ride and character examination about the way an unbreakable bond between two brothers can shatter their world and everything in its orbit.
Linney directed the third and fourth episodes of “Black Rabbit” titled “Skin Contact” and “No More F-Ups” respectively.
On getting involved and being drawn to this series, Linney said, “As with all things that connect me to directing, Jason Bateman is responsible for getting me involved.”
“The two of us had dinner in New York, and a few days later he asked if I would direct two episodes of Black Rabbit. He encouraged me to do it, and I’m so grateful that he did,” she revealed.
“So, of course, Jason was reason No. 1 to be involved. Reason No. 2 was reuniting with the crazy talented Jude Law. Jude and I acted together in a movie called ‘Genius,’ and he is just one of the great people to work with; a complete joy,” she explained.
“Reason No. 3 was that the script was gritty and challenging and I knew I would learn a huge amount,” she said.
“What I did not know at the time was how lucky I would be to work with Pete Konczal as my DP. He was a huge support and remarkable collaborator, and I thanked God for him and his talent every day,” she elaborated.
On re-teaming with Jason Bateman, she shared, “Well, it’s no secret that I love Jason, and that I love working with him as well. He fiercely loves the projects he is a part of and understands the marriage of the creative and the technical at a very high level.”
“Jason has spent so many hours watching, learning, and practicing filmmaking — he is so adept and facile with it, and he loves it. Which is infectious, and very exciting to be around,” she elaborated.
When asked about what influence she brought to the series, Linney responded, “I think that may be a question for other people, but I wanted the filming of ‘Black Rabbit’ and the acting to be deeply tied to the scripts.”
“It is very easy to skip steps in storytelling (and in acting choices) when working under a tight schedule, and I wanted to make sure that the unspoken territory of the story wouldn’t be lost and would be what determined the technical and creative choices,” Linney explained.
“Hopefully, all of those choices would be interconnected and clear,” she acknowledged.
On working with the “Black Rabbit” cast and crew, Linney remarked, “One of the things I love about directing is working with different types of actors and being diagnostic about how to talk to each of them about the work.”
“Different people respond to different language, and I hope I was considerate of that,” she noted.
“All of the ‘Black Rabbit’ actors came to work ready to go. They were open and eager and inspiring,” she added.
For fans and viewers, she expressed about “Black Rabbit,” “I hope that ‘Black Rabbit’ takes its viewers on a surprising, suspenseful journey, filled with characters that stick with them. Especially those two fantastic brothers.”
To learn more about three-time Oscar nominee Laura Linney, follow her on Instagram and check out her IMDb page.
For more information on the show “Black Rabbit,” visit its Netflix homepage.
