Observation - Cillian Murphy

A Fresher Feeling

I sipped from my water bottle as Chiara slowly made her way through several messy half-open suitcases and stood facing me, answering the calls in Italian.

Giulia and Matilde, two tall dark blondes with skin so tan and precious, entered the hotel suite with large bags of makeup products and hairspray and began performing their magic on me while giving instructions in Italian and broken English.

"No, no, no, no!" Chiara snapped, turning away from her phone. "This is not some cheap club party Rochelle is going to! It's a press conference, Madonna!" She hissed in Italian, taking away the outfit Matilde prepared.

"Stick to what her stylist picked out. She has more fashion sense in this sector for sure." Chiara expressed, giving Matilde a look before going back on her phone.

Giulia finished my hair with a strong wave of hairspray and a variety of tongue clicks, as the weather has been getting hotter, which meant the hairstyle wouldn't remain for long. My outfit, a light-pink dress with raven beaded flowers, blended perfectly with the nude makeup, mainly consisting of a glittering- snow palette and light-pink lipstick.

-

The area was spacious but a bit dark. The lights were positioned across the room to create an ambivalent feeling as it was dusking outside. A table, covered in pitch-black textile, had signs of our names written on them. Behind it was a background with the name of our movie and tiny logos of the Venice Film Festival.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the STARVED press conference. Now, please welcome your host, Rebecca Sanfield." A mysterious voice announced across the speakers. Immediately, the audience applauded.

The host voiced, "Hello there. Thank you for coming today. It's so nice to see you. So, STARVED is a movie that united many talented actors.. and it is such an honor for me to be standing here." She smiled. "Okay, let's introduce everybody, of course! Please welcome- Marcia, Austin Butler, Cillian Murphy, Jodie Comer," Rebecca continued, eventually losing me at the count.

Once we sat at the table, the press conference started.

"Alright, well, this question is for Rochelle. The first question is from Ginny from Rome, who is actually here today," Rebecca politely pointed at the woman in the crowd. "Knowing you as a person who, sometimes, isn't so cooperative, was it hard to bond with the cast?"

I laughed, leaning closer to the microphone. "Surprisingly, during this filming experience, I've barely had any problems connecting with the cast. I think this film could be the true definition of a masterpiece since all of us felt comfortable and safe on set. Of course, all credit to Marcia. She has done a terrific job." I smiled.

"Fantastic, thank you so much. So, now it's your turn," the host motioned to a teenage girl sitting in the first row of the audience. "Please wait for your microphone."

"Hi! I really enjoyed watching the movie. Jane was such a complex character... and it's such a shame we can't see more of her on-screen as this is a one-in-a-lifetime movie. So, I was wondering whether the cast had some sort of music playing behind the screen that helped them get into character, but most importantly, for Rochelle, which artist did you listen to for this powerful performance?"

I nodded, trying to find words. "It's such a hard question for me, bu- but I think Lana del Rey has been having a chokehold on me." I smiled. "She and Jane share similar energy... and I know that Lana would just be an idol for Jane," I confirmed, earning a few laughs from the audience.

"Thank you. The following question I'd like to ask Jodie Comer," The young girl voiced. "Is there a 'STARVED' group chat? Who is the most active there?"

"Oh, there definitely is." Jodie pushed her tongue out, looking at me. "And it might shock you, but I think Marcia is the most active." she chuckled.

Marcia covered her face, giggling. "I usually send random funny videos or info on our movie I stumble across!"

"Shows your dedication!" Rebecca intervened, making the audience laugh.

The audience has slowly been emptying, and an hour has passed before we, extremely tired but happy, returned to our boats. The night drive across Venice was a different, much fresher feeling I'd never experienced before.

Italian flag colors lighted up one of the tall buildings, reflecting them into the water. The starry sky blended peacefully with the yellow gleams of people's apartments. As I looked out into the distance, I noticed that even small arches had their illuminations among the darkness.

Leaning back at the soft pillows, Austin stared at the sky. "I love this city. It's so magnetic."

I looked up, nodding as I noticed the nearest shooting star.