Elizabeth Debicki can keep a secret.
Maybe it comes from her stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where she made a memorable appearance as a gold-painted alien in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.” Or from dabbling in the world of espionage in AMC’s adaptation of John le Carré’s spy thriller “The Night Manager.” Maybe it’s her elegant appearance, which might be why she is frequently cast as cool and aloof figures, something that started with her breakthrough roles as the alluring but deceptive Jordan Baker in “The Great Gatsby” and a stylish villain in “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” But to hear the Australian actor tell it, convincing the world she’s an enigma is her greatest performance yet. “One time, Isabella Rossellini said I was mysterious, and it basically made my life because I’ve always wanted to be mysterious!” Debicki says with a laugh. “The truth is, I can’t keep up that act for more than four seconds. As soon as I get to know somebody, that narrative goes away pretty quickly.”
There’s an Australian word — “dagginess” — which Debicki says roughly translates to dorkiness. “Yeah, I’m a big dag,” she admits. “I always have been. I was that kid in school who would always write 500 words more than the assignment required.”Debicki is calling from Los Angeles, where she’s been quarantining, and quickly proves her dag credentials by geeking out about her lockdown entertainment diet. She just watched Judd Apatow’s “The King of Staten Island,” which she adored. She’s also a huge fan of Trevor Noah, particularly how he’s been handling the coverage of the current protests with intelligence and humor. Asked if she’s been approached to do a comedy, she says, “People don’t approach me — remember the aloof thing?” she jokes. “Even before Fauci, it was always ‘Six feet away from Debicki!’ It’s too bad because I do love smart, fun comedy.”
“Oh, she’s got a great sense of humor,” concurs director Susanne Bier, who cast her in “The Night Manager,” where she says that off-screen, Debicki held her own in a battle of wits with Hugh Laurie. “She’s very good at diffusing her own elegance. It was funny to watch her wearing some gorgeous gown and then realize she left something in her trailer so she’d throw on running shoes and go racing off, still in this beautiful dress.”
Today, Debicki has a unique responsibility suited to her secrecy and befitting that mysterious persona: She is supposed to talk about her new film “Tenet,” without revealing much of anything. Originally slated to open July 14, the film has been pushed back twice due to the coronavirus and is now set to bow on Aug. 12. Because director Christopher Nolan commands his cast and crew to stay tight-lipped about his movies, it’s impossible to guess what’s in store. What has been gleaned from the trailer and early buzz is that “Tenet” features many of his trademarks: an impressive ensemble (in addition to Debicki, there’s John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Michael Caine and Kenneth Branagh), big-budget spectacle, monochromatic suits and a sci-fi storyline having to do with … manipulating time, we think? The trailer features Washington learning how time can be inverted, with bullets appearing to load back into a gun after being fired. [More at Source]