Marielle Heller shares how ‘Nightbitch’ became a vital project during motherhood
Toronto: So, have you heard about this new movie called Nightbitch? It’s streaming on Disney+ and stars Amy Adams. The film is based on a book by Rachel Yoder, and it dives into the wild and sometimes surreal world of motherhood. Marielle Heller, who directed it, said the book was like a lifeline for her during a tough time.
Heller shared that when the pandemic hit, she was pregnant with her second child and feeling super isolated. She moved to the woods and found herself really struggling. That’s when she picked up Yoder’s book and felt an instant connection. It was like someone understood what she was going through.
She mentioned that even though she was experiencing motherhood for the second time, she found the challenges a bit funnier this go-around. It just felt right to tell this story, especially since it resonated with so many women.
In Nightbitch, Amy Adams plays a mom who’s trying to juggle her new life in the suburbs after leaving her career behind. She feels pretty lonely, stuck in a routine of cooking and cleaning while her husband is away for work. It’s tough for her to connect with other moms, and she misses her friends from the city.
As she deals with her frustrations, she starts to undergo a bizarre transformation—she literally begins to turn into a dog! Heller found that sharing the script with her female friends was a hit, but the guys were a bit freaked out by it. They found it uncomfortable, which made Heller realize how different perspectives can be.
She pointed out that there’s often an underlying issue of misogyny when people react negatively to stories about motherhood. It’s like their discomfort reveals something deeper about how society views women’s experiences.
Heller also talked about how, as a mother, she often wondered if her stories were worth telling. She feels that as women age and become mothers, they can feel invisible, like their voices don’t matter anymore. It’s a tough feeling, and she wanted to capture that struggle in her film.
She’s passionate about creating a positive work environment on set, especially for parents. Heller believes that when people feel comfortable and respected, they do better work. She’s made it a priority to ensure that her sets are family-friendly and supportive.
Heller also mentioned that we still have a long way to go in honestly portraying the complexities of parenthood on screen. She was shocked by how little she knew about the realities of being a mom before she became one. The film even features a birth scene that left many viewers stunned, highlighting how we often don’t see the real side of childbirth in movies.
She’s determined to change that narrative, saying that birth isn’t like what you see on TV. It’s messy and transformative, and she wanted to show it as it really is. It’s all about being real and honest about the journey of motherhood.
