7 Strangest Things Actors Had To Do To Win Movie Roles
4. Emma Stone Had To Pant Like She Was Giving Birth (The Favourite)
Emma Stone's character in The Favourite is Abigail Masham, who spends the entire plot trying to win over Queen Anne, played by Olivia Colman in an Oscar-winning turn.
And just like Hoult, Stone also had to follow some of Lanthimos' weird auditioning practices in order to land her part in the film.
According to the actress, the director asked her to "pant like I was giving birth" while testing her for the role, even though Abigail doesn't squeeze out a baby - or indeed, doesn't fall pregnant - at any point in the movie:
"[When] I auditioned for Yorgos, he had me pant like I was giving birth throughout the lines. I think he just does this to everyone."
As previously mentioned, Lanthimos' films are quite weird and surreal. At the same time though, they also feel quite down-to-earth. It's an odd tonal balance that must be very tricky to get right, so maybe he tests his actors in these strange ways to make sure that they can play normal characters, but in a heightened environment?
Either way, it can't have been easy for Stone. Ever tried panting and talking in a posh English accent at the same time? It's bloody difficult.