Netflix’s ‘Leave The World Behind’ Helped Debunk A Conspiracy Theory

In the movie 'Leave the World Behind', the characters G.H. is played by Mahershela Ali, Ruth is played by Myha'la Herrold, Amanda is played by Julia Roberts, and Clay is played by Ethan Hawke.

Some of the actors in the ensemble cast of Leave the World Behind had a moment of realization that really impressed them. The thrilling Netflix movie, which has an apocalyptic and psychological theme, features big names like Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, and Kevin Bacon.

The director Sam Esmail shared a memory from the set where it occurred to everyone that the three actors had never worked together before. This was surprising because they all started their careers at similar times and often worked on similar projects. Esmail felt proud that he was the one who finally brought them together for this film, but it was still something that surprised them all while filming.

He went on to say, "I don't believe Ethan and Julia have collaborated before. Julia and Kevin had a joint project many years back on Flatliners, but Ethan and Kevin never had a chance to work together."

Esmail thinks that he was fortunate in selecting his cast, as the plot was quite intricate and the roles were challenging. He commented that he approached the most skilled and talented performers, who agreed to join the project, which was overwhelming for him. His team is made up of outstanding actors. He creates each character with great detail, which is necessary to bring out their authentic personalities. Later, he grants full control to the actors to showcase their strengths in their own way.

My ability to convey depth and meaning is limited when it comes to written text. The brilliance of bringing a script to life and giving it a tangible quality lies in the skills and expertise of the actors. This is where the enchantment occurs. The content is demanding, and it requires actors who are willing to go above and beyond.

Esmail, who was in charge of producing and creating the adaptation of Rumaan Alam's book, was delighted that the encounter enabled him to put an urban legend to rest once and for all.

"I was unaware of this, but apparently there is a conspiracy theory circulating that Ethan and Kevin are one and the same," he chuckled. "I am glad to put an end to this falsehood by presenting them together in a single scene. Collaborating with the trio was an absolute pleasure. As someone belonging to the same era as them, I hold them in high regard - they were my idols while I was growing up. Seeing them on screen in a movie I was directing, battling it out with each other, was an exhilarating experience."

At the AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles, a movie called Leave the World Behind was shown. It's about a family that goes on vacation in a very fancy rental home. Unfortunately, things become very scary and dramatic when their devices stop working due to a cyberattack and they lose contact with the outside world. The family tries to figure out what's going on, but then two people they don't know show up unexpectedly.

It was an obvious decision for Esmail to bring Roberts on board. They had already collaborated twice before on Homecoming and Gaslit. This time, Roberts played the character of Amanda Sandford, who was similar to a Karen.

The director said that Julia finished reading the book in a day and called him to accept the role. He thought of her right away when he read the book, and she was able to show a different side of herself. Casting Julia was great because she has a talent for making her characters relatable, even if they aren't perfect. Choosing her was easy, and she even came on as a producer for the film, making her a great partner for the director.

In my opinion, Julia is the equivalent of Michael Jordan in the world of acting. When a performer is at that caliber, your artistic endeavor will draw in a vast array of individuals who wish to collaborate with such a profound talent. The ensemble for this project is truly astounding.

Kevin Bacon was present at the New York premiere of Netflix's 'Leave The World Behind' on December 4, 2023, at the Paris Theater.

In addition to Roberts, Hawke, and Bacon, the main stars of Leave the World Behind also include Mahershala Ali and Myha'la as the father-daughter duo G. H. and Ruth Scott. Esmail, the creator, decided to modify their relationship, which is a major departure from the original source material.

The director pointed out that Mahershala and Myha'la work well together because they have diverse characteristics, which results in a remarkable drama. Even when they have similar opinions, they have unique approaches. That's why the director decided to change some things from the book.

I altered the story to give Ruth a different role than being G.H.'s partner as depicted in the original novel. My intention was to introduce a viewpoint that would bring a fresh perspective from the Gen Z and millennial generation. This would create a dynamic contrast with G.H.'s more prudent and deliberate way of thinking, which is particularly important during a crisis like the one portrayed in the story.

Besides the main acts, one of the most fascinating artistic aspects of Leave the World Behind is the intricate and occasionally confusing camera work.

Esmail said that the main inspiration for the show's appearance came from Julia, Ethan, and Mahershala. To create this, Esmail brought the entire cast to the set during production planning, where they worked out the placement and staging of scenes involving multiple characters. This creative process influenced not only the cinematography but also the overall production design of the series.

The people were very much involved in the making of the film and contributed to the camera angles, the positioning of the characters in certain scenes, and the layout of the living room and kitchen. I understood from the beginning that the characters were the most important aspect of the story and it was essential that they were portrayed effectively. The audience would connect with the characters emotionally and this would be the main focus of the film. The visuals were created to support the characters and their journey throughout the storyline.

He went on to say that when the camera moves during long takes and captures a significant portion of the scene, it becomes similar to performing in a theatrical production, which greatly excites actors. It can be irritating to carry out performances in fragments, but the ability to commence a scene from the start and perform it in one go while the camera captures all the action generates enthusiasm amongst the cast. This contagious energy is thoroughly enjoyed by the actors.

In the photo, we can see Julia Roberts, Sam Esmail, and Myha'la Herrold attending the special screening of 'Leave The World Behind' in London at The Curzon Mayfair. They are standing from left to right.

Alongside Alam's book, Esmial also provided his actors with a compilation of films to view for motivation. Though distinctively inventive, aficionados of the style will detect traces of obscure timeless films like Threads, a British-Australian television movie from 1984.

"I'm really invested in this," he chuckled while opening the full catalogue on his device. "When I'm embarking on a project, I like to unify my entire artistic crew, and cinematics are an excellent way to achieve that goal. When I curated this inventory, it comprised roughly 20 films, and Threads happened to be one of them. There was also Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, The Day After Tomorrow, The Shining, Miracle Mile, High and Low, and Vertigo."

Additionally, there was a movie called Fearless that Ethan suggested. He spoke highly of its director, Peter Weir, with whom he has collaborated numerous times. The other films we watched for inspiration included 2001, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Seven Days in May, Funny Games, Signs, The Thing, The Mist, and Chinese Roulette - a Fassbinder production. This selection of movies was quite impressive.