In adapting Renée Knight's novel “Disclaimer” into the Apple TV+ limited series, writer-director Alfonso Cuarón recruited fellow Academy Award winners Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline to play his central archenemies. In seven “chapters,” the two share relatively little screen time. But its eventual pas de deux will have viewers rushing to rewatch the smoke-and-mirrors mystery thriller to discover everything that initially went unnoticed.
The Envelope sat down with Blanchett and Kline for a quick Zoom chat at the end of a long day of press in London 48 hours before the series debut. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you about working with your respective on-screen spouses, the greats Lesley Manville and Sacha Baron Cohen.
Kevin Kline: [Lesley’s] a brilliant actress. It is a great joy. It was a great, great experience working with her. She is sensible. Or the character had no nonsense. Anyway, I'm very strict and very English about things. That was inspiring.
Cate Blanchett: I was working with Sacha, who is [an] Absolute genius at what he does. But this is part of a change he has been making in recent years. He was very open to experience. It was really great. We talked a lot about the relationship. We had a lot of time to talk, because Alfonso works quite slowly. I really enjoyed those conversations. …The only thing we should say is also to our children. [Louis Partridge as Jonathan Brigstocke and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nicholas Ravenscroft] – talk about phenomenal actors. I've always wanted to work with Kodi, ever since his first film, when we were producing theater in Australia. Desperate to work with him. For me, at the center of this piece is the relationship between fathers and children, mothers and children, and two parallel families. Kodi was a real pleasure to work with.
Kevin Kline and Cate Blanchett star in Alfonso Cuarón's series “Disclaimer” for Apple TV+.
(Apple TV+)
Without giving away spoilers, tell me about the filming of your pivotal sequence.
Line: Well, it's on Cate. Mainly he listens to me.
Blanchet: It's easier said than done. There are qualities to listening, Kevin.
Line: Well, I was hoping you'd say that. [All laugh.] I was very attentive and listened with a fairly deep-rooted prejudice about what I hear, what I believe and what I doubt.
Blanchet: But your character has been egging mine on for such a long period. It is a very unlikely scenario for a very unlikely relief. And so the strangeness of the setting really influenced the way we shot it. Also, knowing (I spoke to Alfonso a couple of days before I started doing it) that there would be flashbacks, we decided to film the 40 pages in camera instead of treating some as voice-over and flashback, so that he could know the full story and then he could decide what I wanted.
Line: Which was extraordinary for me. … [Cate] He narrates the whole story to my character, and she just did it! It's just a phenomenal act of faith and talent.
Is this the first time you've worked together?
Line: Yeah.
Blanchet: Is it the last one?
Line: I think so. [Both laugh.]
(Jennifer McCord/for The Times)
In general, what surprised you about each other?
Blanchet: Alfonso is quite demanding about what he wants. So, we had to find a way to all work together in a similar way. I was so captivated – [to Kline] I mean, I knew your invention, your ingenuity, your humanity, all of that. And your job. That was, as expected, brilliant. But I think his patience and his openness to the process, I was…
Line: He was going to say all those things about me. But I would also add that…
Blanchet: More grumpy. [Both laugh.]
Line: It's always interesting to see your fellow actors work with the same director as you, obviously. My first film experience was working with Meryl Streep in “Sophie’s Choice.”
Blanchet: It's all been downhill since then, is that what you're saying?
Line: More or less, yes.
Blanchet: Look where it is now. [Laughs]
Line: I know. …I learn a lot from watching my fellow actor.
Blanchet: Looking at you. You were exceptional. I mean, it was amazing.
Line: The degree of confidence that Meryl exuded. I say, “Wow! She just doesn't question it at all. How do you do that? And then [indicates Blanchett]I got the same vibe from this one.
Blanchet: Oh, I question myself a lot, don't worry.
Line: Well, I guess we all do. But when someone acts with authority, you forget it. It doesn't matter what past things you've seen them do. There is only one presence to which you react. I'm not making comparisons, but [affected voice] I've worked with some of the best. [Both laugh.] No, it was great to see how Cate works.
(Jennifer McCord/for The Times)
What would you like audiences to take away from the end of “Disclaimer”?
Blanchet: Well, the most satisfying thing I've heard is the fact that you saw it for the second time. I cannot express the joy and relief that this brings me. Because often with episodic storytelling, people want to binge watch it, or they're short on time, or watch it with two or three other things on board. And there are so many almost imperceptible details that Alfonso has woven (and encouraged us to weave into our performances) that, hopefully, is gratifying to see it for the second time.
Line: Alfonso is very, very detailed. That's what caught my attention on the first day of work. I have never worked with a director who was so meticulous and so concerned with foreground, background, decoration, costumes, hair, makeup, accent, acting, mood and atmosphere.
Is there anything else you want to say in the last minute or two I have with you?
Line: [Long pause] I would just like to apologize.
Blanchet: [Laughs, reacts to offscreen voice] They say Kevin has to go. [To Kline] Is that what they are saying?
Line: Ah, I have to go. Oh good! No no. My actions are indefensible. [Blanchett laughs.] I have nothing more to say. The defense rests. [Both laugh.]
