Written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, Drive-Away Dolls is a comedy caper that follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.
In keeping with the spirited nature of the film, Peter Gray had an equally in-tune chat with the two lead actresses about starring in such a “horny” film, how it was to work with two creative voices on set, and navigating a “real diva dog” on set.
I spoke about this with Ethan and Tricia, because one of my favourite exchanges in the film happens very early on with your character, Geraldine, regarding the word “anyhoo”. And I wanted to know what’s your “anyhoo”?
Geraldine Viswanathan: What did you say before? Luke?
Margaret Qualley: Yeah, growing up I thought that was a hard word to say. I don’t know, like “lukewarm”…it just made me think of, like, loogie. But now I’m kind of fine with it. I feel bad for all the Lukes out there, so I kind of take it back (laughs). But that was mine.
Geraldine Viswanathan: Mine feels like a bit of a classic, but moist is kind of…I have a visceral reaction to that word. I feel like a lot of people do.
Margaret Qualley: Growing up, for me, I remember in our household my mom would always get at us for ending a sentence with the word “at”. Because I grew up in North Carolina, in the South they would say things like, “Where you want to eat at?”, and you’re not really meant to do that. So that was the “anyhoo” of our household.
Geraldine Viswanathan: Where do you want to eat? Period. Question mark.
Margaret Qualley: That’s it.
I heard on set that there was a certain co-star who wouldn’t say their line during the wall-dildo scene?
Geraldine Viswanathan: Yeah, we had a real diva on set. Our first scene with Beanie Feldstein, she had to be hysterically crying as she’s taking off a dildo from the wall with a power drill, while this little chihuahua, Alice, is barking and yapping and jumping. So, that’s a lot of variables. There’s a lot of things that have to be done, and this dog was just too well behaved. It was not barking on cue. And then the trainer had to be like, “Bruiser. Where’s Elle? Where’s Elle Woods?”, and the dog just started going off! It had been doing the Legally Blonde musical tour for years and just responded to that phrase. It was a real diva dog.
And how did you find working with both Ethan and Tricia on set? Obviously it’s a collaboration, but are you ever navigating separate opinions?
Margaret Qualley: I feel like they had a shared North Star that was very clear to both of them. They wrote it together, they created the whole thing together. But, I will say that sometimes they had differing notes on how to achieve the same end result. It was really nice. Ethan’s a very dry man, and sometimes Ethan would say something and I’d look to (Tricia) to get her note and some clarity on the situation.
Geraldine Viswanathan: Yeah, perfect balance in that sense.
Given the nature of the film, was there any room for improv?
Margaret Qualley: Oh, we didn’t dare. This thing is so specific.
Geraldine Viswanathan: It’s a tight script.
Margaret Qualley: And it’s as ludicrous as it is, you know? It’s almost like its own language.
Geraldine Viswanathan: I feel like often too, usually with comedies, you’re trying to punch up the jokes in a scene, and that’s when you improvise and try to find something new. But we didn’t need to do that here. I think the script is so brilliant and perfect, and the dialogue is so specific and melodic. It’s going for something tonally. I think anything that we tried would have felt off. It would have been hard to match that. In one word? Ridiculouso (laughs). It would have sounded ridiculouso.
I’ve seen this being described as a “horny film”…
Margaret Qualley: A horny film?
Geraldine Viswanathan: Oh, it’s horned up!
Is there a level of comfort you have to get used to with the material?
Geraldine Viswanathan: How do you get horny? (Laughs) By the way, this giggling that we’re doing is exactly what it was like on set together. Ethan would have to be, like, “Hey, action, kids. Get it together, please.” But, I think the sexual nature of it all…we were just in such good hands. All the sex scenes felt either really silly and outrageous and over-the-top, or they were meaningful to the story, and beautiful and tasteful. Elegant.
Margaret Qualley: Honestly, it all just felt so elegant.
Geraldine Viswanathan: It was just a safe space to feel free.
And I understand this film is the first in an intended trilogy. Do you know if your characters will be further involved?
Margaret Qualley: From what I gather, and I’ve gathered quite a bit, they’re quite different. I think the stories aren’t connected. I think the throughline is that their lesbian stories. Or have a lesbian character at the helm.
As a gay man I loved how unapologetically queer this film is, but I do have to ask you about “the suitcase”. Were you privy to what was in there? Or was it kept separate from you so that your reaction on screen is genuine?
Margaret Qualley: It was a mystery, yeah. They let us have that genuine reaction. What more could you want from that? (Laughs).
Drive-Away Dolls is screening in Australian theatres from February 22nd, 2024.
