(Left to right) Margaret Qualley as Jamie and Geraldine Viswanathan as Marian in director Ethan… [+] Coen's “Drive Away Dolls.”
Wilson Webb/Working Title/Focus Features
The comedy film “Drive-Away Dolls” may be “trashy,” but it is prestigiously trashy.
“When I first read the script it was so irreverent, fresh and original, but it still has that nostalgic feel. “It felt really specific and fun and tonally Coen-y with a twist,” enthused the film’s co-lead, Geraldine Viswanathan. “There are trash elements, but there is also a certain level of prestige when you work with these people. They are the best there ever was and they made the greatest films of all time. I've done some really trashy movies, but this feels like the best of the best B-movies with this trashy world.”
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ethan Coen and co-written with his wife Tricia Cooke, it follows Viswanathan's reserved Marian and free-spirited Jamie, played by Margaret Qualley, who teams up on a spontaneous road trip. But on the way to their final destination of Tallahassee, Florida, their paths cross with a group of incompetent criminals and hilarity and chaos ensue. Hitting theaters Friday, February 23, 2024, Drive-Away Dolls are toys with tropes popular in every genre, from classic road movies to the works of John Waters and Russ Meyer.
“It was written so specifically,” Qualley explained. She loved working with Coen and Cooke and considered producing it a dream job. “The script was the Bible and the dialogue was out of this world. Everything was prepared. The stage directions were there; you arrived on set, did your little rehearsal and Ethan said, 'You're standing.' “Here, you stand there, the box is here.” When I arrived, everything was pre-blocked to a certain extent and almost edited. When a director knows what he wants like that, it's liberating because now all I care about is my job.”
“All I had to think about was being present, doing the thing and hanging out with Geraldine. It is an absolute dream and luxury to work this way. After I took a shot and gave it a shot and saw what happened, I'd take care of it.” Ethan, and he'd say, “Good job,” or whatever. That's dad's answer and then you would look at mom and Tricia could give me a message or vice versa. There is freedom and security knowing that the captains have piloted many ships and know where they are going.
(Left to right) Writer/Producer Tricia Cooke, Director/Writer/Producer Ethan Coen, Actress Margaret… [+] Qualley and actress Geraldine Viswanathan on the set of “Drive-Away Dolls.”
Wilson Webb/Working Title/Focus Features
Viswanathan's Marian and Qualley's Jamie are completely different types of people, but their natural chemistry is flawless. It can be difficult to pinpoint the dynamics of opposites attraction, but they felt the connection immediately and naturally.
“It's so hard not to fall in love with Margaret Slash Jamie,” Viswanathan revealed. “These characters are polar opposites and the way I wanted to play them couldn't be more different than Margaret and Jamie. Opposites attract and both can learn something from each other. At first you ask yourself: 'Why?' Do you like each other?” You go on this journey together. It's easy to fall in love with someone when you're working on a project together, like Margaret and I or Marian and Jamie, because they had this common focus. When you “If you get to know each other better, by chance, side by side, then true love can blossom.”
Qualley continued, “The experience of being in a film was really similar to the experience of being on a road trip. Some of my favorite friendships are the ones that are forced upon you. It's like being friends with someone from your childhood and now with yourself.” We're nothing alike, but you're still friends. That's how it feels with Geraldine, where who knows where, when and where we could have found each other in this world, but it was a joy to be forced on this journey together and now we're damn friends.
Both actresses felt such a strong bond and affinity with the characters and each other that they would happily jump at the opportunity to bring Marian and Jamie back together for another adventure. They agree there is potential, but it seems unlikely.
“I don’t think there are any plans for it, but I would love it,” Qualley said. “I know Ethan and Tricia are doing a trilogy, but I think the next one is just completely different characters. I agree 1000 percent that it has a lot of significance there. I love Marian and Jamie, and from the moment I arrived on set, I was afraid it was over and I would say so. I enjoyed the experience of the film and working with Geraldine so much. Normally I hate doing press, but when I do it with Geraldine it's great. I can see her again.
(Left to right) Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” and Margaret Qualley as Jamie in director Ethan… [+] Coen's “Drive Away Dolls.”
Wilson Webb/Working Title/Focus Features
Along with Qualley and Viswanathan in the lead roles, Drive-Away Dolls features an ensemble cast that includes Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, and Joey Slotnick and CJ Wilson as The Goons. Plus, Matt Damon stars in his most chaotic and hilarious extended cameo since Eurotrip. Here he plays Senator Gary Channel, a politician with a secret weakness.
“He’s a legend,” Viswanathan laughed. “We had our Matt Damon day where we shot this scene closer to the end of the movie. Watching him give that speech and taking off his hat so earnestly, and just watching one of our best actors do that while being handed a box of dildos was a gift. It was one of my favorite days on set and he couldn't have been a nicer guy. He was disarmingly nice. I could not believe it. I was like, “We’re just hanging out with Matt Damon.” . This is surreal.'”