Playing Sally’s character in “Nightbitch”, a movie set to be released by Searchlight Pictures Dec. 6, Adrienne Rose White portrays the character of an upbeat, polished young woman in a story where motherhood is portrayed as dark, magical and wild.
Sally adds depth to the world around her, highlighting the societal and relational pressures women often face, particularly in the context of motherhood. She both contrasts and supports Amy Adam’s role as her mother, effectively emphasizing the protagonist’s sense of isolation and frustration. This interplay is crucial in exploring themes of identity, sacrifice and the clash between societal expectations and primal urges.
In an interview with NYC Daily Post, Adrienne describes the movie as a comedy for women and a horror for men, describing the movie as a reflection of life and marriage as it is in real life, something that is rarely done in Hollywood.
How Sally’s role fits into the larger story of the movie
Contrary to the protagonist’s character, White shows up as a foil for Adams’ character, representing everything the latter has let go of since becoming a mother.
Sally is a well-rested woman with both her life and career flourishing, which brings out a lightness about her. This contrasts Amy’s character, who spends most of her time at home tending to her baby.
Q: The film explores themes of motherhood, identity and empowerment. Can you speak to how Sally contributes to these themes?
To contribute to the movie’s themes of motherhood, identity and empowerment, Sally shows life before motherhood, portraying the type of empowerment most people are accustomed to, whereby a single woman thrives in her world, as she finds her way towards her goals. Adrienne confessed that she loved the concept of empowerment in the movie. “We are used to seeing a single girl in the world making it work. I love that story,” Adrienne said.
The movie is set on a new path when Sally shows up, when it dawns on Mother that Sally is everything she used to be. Their meeting is like a boomerang of time.
Adrienne explains that Sally and Mother’s meeting is not coincidental. “Sally shows us where we have been, and Mother shows us where we can go,” added Adrienne.
Q: What was it like working with Director Marielle Heller and the rest of the cast, particularly Amy Adams?
Adrienne said working with Marielle Heller was fantastic. She describes the experience as “incredible.” Marielle, according to Adrienne, is a visionary director who can steer the crew towards the right path of acting.
“The way she integrated play into her directing really set her apart, and made the set come to light, and made the story come to life in a way that was unique to her,” explained Adrienne.
Referring to her working alongside Amy Adams, Adrienne reveals the moment was a dream come true on its own. She calls it “a masterclass in the craft of acting.” Adrienne almost started crying during some parts of their scenes together, stating that she was overwhelmed by how good of an actor Amy is.
“This is what an Oscar winning award performance looks like, and it was such an honor to be in it with her,” Adrienne further explained.
Q: Without giving away too many spoilers, what do you think is the most impactful or memorable moment in the movie, and why?
For Adrienne, her most memorable moment in the movie are the scenes between Amy Adams and Scoot McNairy’s character, who is her husband. She explains the scenes are portrayed honestly, not far-fetched, but close to real life events. To see such moments on the big screen is funny and heartbreaking, as Adrienne puts it.
Being in a relationship, Adrienne highlighted that she plans to have children, and “Nightbitch” posed as a perfect guideline with regards to what to follow, and what not to follow in the early stages of motherhood. For Adrienne, that was impactful.
About ‘Nightbitch’ the movie
“Nightbitch“ is a neo-horror and comedy film, directed by Marielle Heller and starring Amy Adams. The movie is based on Rachel Yoder’s debut novel and follows the story of a woman who gives up her career to become a stay-at-home mom.
As she adjusts to her new life, she notices strange, animal-like changes in herself and suspects she may be transforming into a dog. The film blends dark humor and horror, delving into the pressures and surreal aspects of motherhood as the protagonist uncovers the feral power within herself
For a society that puts a lot of pressure on women, “NightBitch” is a perfect reflection of how the pressures of motherhood can be overwhelming for women. The movie manages to show how exhausting motherhood can also be for men. A toll is taken on men who have to support the family financially and be emotionally and physically present throughout the child-rearing process.
The movie is set to be released in select theaters and features a cast that includes Scoot McNairy, Zoë Chao and Mary Holland. It premiered earlier at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it garnered positive early reviews.
Featured image: Photo by Sandeep Kashyap on Unsplash
Edited by James Sutton
