Tilda Swinton ON HER PASSION FOR EXPERIMENTATION
It is no surprise that Tilda Swinton has established a space in the cinema world that she shares with no other personality. The Scottish actress is a shape-shifter, seamlessly embodying characters with an intensity and authenticity that leaves an indelible mark on the audience. She stands as an icon of unparalleled artistry and versatility. To this day, the Oscar winner considers herself an outsider in Hollywood and believes that commercial success is part of her experimentation.
L’O: How does it feel when you look back at your glorious career? Tilda Swinton: I wouldn’t say I enjoy it because there’s something quite confronting about looking back at your work. I try not to look back, but I find it useful when I do because I’ve been working for over 30 years. I can now perceive from a distance like I’m away from a mountain, and I view its overall shape. I picture my younger self as an artist and notice my development as an actor. The most beautiful thing for me is that I have established a solid link between my early work and my most recent work.
L’O: You recently said that you wanted to stop acting…
TS: Honestly, I’ve always wanted to stop; I never really intended to start. I have other creative avenues that nourish me. I produce work, I write, and I stimulate my creativity in other ways. But it’s true that during the pandemic, I said that I was seriously thinking of retraining and training to work in palliative care. I’m very invested in good end-of-life care. L’O: Hollywood actors above a certain age have lower job opportunities. Have you experienced that?
TS: You know I am not in Hollywood. I don’t know about Hollywood, and I’m on another planet. I’m always working with filmmakers to develop work. So, no, if anything, my work is becoming more and more enriching for me. My children are now adults; I have less school organisation to do and more time for myself. In fact, in recent years, I’ve been able to be more involved in projects that take longer time.
L’O: You talked about the power of cinema in reinventing itself. How do you think this can happen in this day and age?
TS: I think it’s up to the programmers; it’s now their moment. We need to support and encourage them and push them to be bolder in their programming. One way for them to really strengthen their work is to show the last over 100 years of cinema and build up this knowledge and hunger in younger audiences.
L’O: Let’s talk fashion. How do you decide with, say, Chanel or Haider Ackermann and choose what to wear?
TS: I’m actually a very shy person. When I go out in public, I need my friends with me. Wearing clothes my friends make is a way of being with them. I do love it. It’s like setting up a safe environment; I’m fortunate enough to have these close relationships with people who represent me well. Haider Ackermann, in particular, is someone I’m very close to, and we work things out together in a very conceptual way. The choice of colour, shape, or whatever is incredibly important
WHEN I go out in public, I NEED MY FRIENDS with me. WEARING CLOTHES my friends MAKE IS A WAY of being with THEM.
for the occasion. I wouldn’t wear any of the looks that I wear anywhere else in my daily life. They are for this moment, that place, this particular film or festival. It’s a piece of work, and I really enjoy being engaged in that today.
L’O: And how much has this muse status contributed to your career? TS: I’m a dinosaur. I don’t use any social media, and I never have. I don’t know the impact. I don’t do it for impact. I do it for how it makes me feel.
L’O: Tell us more about your partnership with Chanel.
TS: My work with Chanel has a very particular part in my life because I also have the honour of being their arts and culture ambassador. Chanel’s commitment to arts, especially in the last few years, is off all the scales. They are investing in young artists; there are two prizes that I’m fortunate enough to have been part of launching last year. There’s the BFI award for filmmakers, not just for one film, but for their creative audacity. And then there’s the extraordinary The Next Prize, which is for ten artists of all disciplines worldwide. I’m honoured to be on the jury; they each get a grant of 100.000 euros. So that’s a million euros that Chanel is giving every year to that prize. They’re so serious about it. So, it’s much more than just wearing a dress, and I love the relationship we have established.