Oscar Isaac says playing Victor Frankenstein in Guillermo del Toro’s film challenged him like no other.
The 46-year-old actor made the admission in a recent Variety interview, saying the role offered a rare sense of freedom
“There was something about playing somebody so unhinged, with no regard for moral judgement, that it’s this vitalist energy that was really exciting and pleasurable to play. Leaving that was really hard,” he admitted.
Isaac described how the character stayed with him even after filming ended. “I did have a hard time when I went into another project after Frankenstein. It wasn’t until I brought back Victor to talk for a moment that I realised … Victor was still in there, angry that he had to be in this tiny little sad man,” he said.
Isaac also said he developed some personal rituals during shooting. “I show up in the morning and do a little ritual just to get my nervous system ready. To thank the ancestors and begin in a place of openness.”
“Then at the end of the day, even more important, I do a little ritual to say, ‘Thank you, body. Thanks for being open, and now you can release.’ I’ve got kids and stuff to do, so I don’t need your help anymore,” he explained.
His costar, Mia Goth, who plays Elizabeth Lavenza, also admitted she felt nervous joining the project. “I was so scared that I was going to be the one bad thing in it, and I would ruin it,” she said.
