Top Female Collaborations of 2019

Ana de Armas & Toni Collette

“Knives Out”

In Rian Johnson’s “Clue”-esque whodunit, a large ensemble soars as relatives of a rich patriarch who dies mysteriously on his 85th birthday. “I truly adore every single woman I worked with in this movie,” says Ana de Armas, who plays the dearly departed’s beloved nurse. “I have a special weakness for Jamie Lee Curtis. She went from being the most intimidating person to my closest ally and friend on set. I will never forget the first thing she said to me in between takes. She held my shoulders, pulled me close and said, ‘You have the most expressive eyes I’ve ever seen, you are incredible, you are going to be okay.’ That made my day, my week, my whole shoot!”

She continues, “Toni Colette is one the most versatile actresses I’ve ever seen. She can do any genre. I would just stare at her when we were together in a scene. So sharp, funny and free.” Praising Collette’s improvisational gifts, “The craziest things will come out of her mouth,” she recalls. “While Jamie was in the kitchen cooking or making tea for everyone, Toni was in the basement with us playing games. A treat to share this experience with her.”

“It’s freeing when actors are openly supportive of each other,” adds Collette. Early mornings in make-up were especially a pleasure for her. “A fabulous way to wake up in cold, dark Boston. Ana provided delicious Cuban coffee, hugs and warmth. Jamie made [everyone] laugh with her outrageous, moving honesty and I provided the tunes. We just couldn’t stop talking and yelling to each other from one end of the trailer to the other. I’m sure we drove the fabulous hair and make-up team bonkers with our constant head craning to listen to each other. Aah, listening to each other! That’s the key.”

— Tomris Laffly

Annie Beauchamp & Esta Spalding

“On Becoming a God in Central Florida”

In Showtime’s “On Becoming a God in Central Florida,” protagonist Krystal (Kirsten Dunst) has two jobs: a legitimate position at a water park and a darker affiliation with FAM, a pyramid scheme. “The Florida world was heavily focused on a softened, dusty pink and blue palate and then in contrast for Krystal and Travis’ home I explored saturated colors. With the water park, there were levels of aging that would represent faded glory, and with the pyramid system of FAM, we would create an austerity but then have a really seedy underbelly to it,” production designer Annie Beauchamp explains.

Since FAM does not have a traditional office setting, showrunner Esta Spalding notes that “Annie had to create these very, very elaborate work or rally events for every single episode,” from a Republican fundraiser in one episode to a sweat lodge in the next, as well as a “womb room.” Spalding brought the idea for the latter into the writers’ room based on an experience she had with a rebirther as a child, but “Annie took it to this extraordinary other place, as she did with everything,” she says. This includes not only the physical elements of the tub, but also the layout, which helped dictate how the cameras could move in the space. “We built stories based on the images she was building,” Spalding admits.

Since the writers’ room was in Los Angeles and production was in New Orleans, Beauchamp shares she would send “20-page packages in emails with all of the references and inspirations” so “there were no surprises on the shoot day.” But because the initial look book she created for her very first meeting with Spalding immediately matched the tone and feel the show was going for, both women point to an inherent level of trust that aids in their working relationship.

— Danielle Turchiano

Paula Bradley & Leslie Grossman

“American Horror Story: 1984”

“American Horror Story” actor Leslie Grossman says costume designer Paula Bradley earned her “implicit trust” on the “Apocalypse” season of the horror anthology. “Fittings can be incredibly daunting. It’s like, ‘Hey, why don’t you confront your body?’” says Grossman, who admits she tends to be body-positive for everyone but herself. “Paula has taken such great care to understand my issues, what’s comfortable and really figured out very quickly what looks best on my body so that every fitting with her is a success.”

Bradley says that Grossman’s “1984” season character, Margaret Booth, was inspired by Grossman herself: “Leslie has classic good taste and an amazing sense of humor and irony. We start with luxury fabrics, a lot of research of the era and a good look at Chanel. Who else but Leslie would inspire silk shorts and a pure white shirt with a flipped collar to chop wood at camp, the first time we meet her? She is always lit from within.”

Grossman shares that once the whole look was on, she truly felt like her character: “It changes the way you walk, it changes the way you sit.” Margaret’s camp look was so distinct it inspired a number of Halloween costumes (including from drag queen Pandora Boxx), but it was just one piece of a time-jumping season. Bradley also created a “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” design for the 1989 version of Margaret, coming up with the idea that she’d return to the campgrounds in riding breeches with great vintage designer blazers and belts (because she can’t wear heels in the dirt). “I believe that good costuming is an exciting and creative collaboration, but then it should be effortless and easy to allow the actor to get on with their work,” Bradley says.

— Danielle Turchiano

Ruth E. Carter & Da’Vine Joy Randolph

“Dolemite Is My Name”

Costume design and character-building are two crucial elements in filmmaking. “Dolemite Is My Name” actor Da’Vine Joy Randolph knows this type of creative partnership well, having formed her character with the aid of Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter. In order to accurately portray Lady Reed’s blossoming sense of style and swagger, the pair explored how clothing from that era could give confidence to both the character and the actor playing her.

“Lady Reed’s character and her presence in the Dolemite films was really dope,” Carter says. “She wore men’s hats and capes, marabou and lace. She really had individual ’70s style that was strong.” It became crystal clear that they could inform her interior motivations through her exterior choices. “Da’Vine and I talked about how powerful her look appeared,” says Carter.

“I felt so special in those outfits,” Randolph adds. “Her costumes were the connective glue that forged me with my character. It informed how I walked and carried myself in an era that I’ve never lived in before.” The collaborative process with Carter proved invaluable to Randolph. “It felt like I mattered and that she trusted my judgment in helping mold the character. It meant the world to me.”

For Carter, this project posed a meaningful opportunity to shift the depiction of plus-size women on-screen. “Fashion for the plus-size woman is underrepresented in film. When I looked around my community, the ‘divas’ were vibrant and proudly dressed with great style and I loved the way they stood for self-love at any size.” Randolph became her muse. “Da’Vine was perfect for this representation. She is an actress and woman who knows herself and her beauty. I knew she was fearless and would ‘work it!’”

— Courtney Howard

Chinonye Chukwu & Alfre Woodard

“Clemency”

Actor Alfre Woodard and writer-director Chinonye Chukwu explore the ripple effects of the death penalty in “Clemency.” The haunting drama revolves around prison warden Bernadine Williams (Woodard), whose mounting struggles dealing with death row inmates take an irreparable toll on her and others around her.

“I had everything to learn to tell Bernadine’s story,” Woodard says. “We developed trust through a shared sense of purpose.” In order to prepare for their compelling collaboration, the pair took a road trip together. “Alfre and I travelled to Ohio to speak with several wardens and other corrections staff, the director of Ohio corrections and two men who are currently on death row, and many other incarcerated men and women,” Chukwu says. “Our trip deepened our emotional understanding of the humanities at stake behind prison walls.”

Chukwu knew the power and poignancy her leading lady was capable of creating, yet was still blown away by what she delivered. “Watching Alfre work on set is a masterclass in acting,” she says. And everyone was caught in Woodard’s spell.

Woodard gives much of the credit to her director. “I could only make that journey because of my faith in Chinonye as a compassionate, balanced woman, a filmmaker of vision and restraint, who had committed her life to justice.” The experience has been indelible. “I carry with me all the people ‘high’ and ‘low’ to whom I listened, because they entrusted me with their rare moment to be heard. Chinonye was the creator and the catalyst for this truth reaching daylight.”

— Courtney Howard

Aisha Coley & Ava DuVernay

“When They See Us”

Writer-producer-director Ava DuVernay and casting director Aisha Coley first worked together on the 2010 film “I Will Follow.” It was DuVernay’s first foray into feature film length scripted production, but Coley, as DuVernay puts it, was already a “wildly successful” casting director known for such films as “Love & Basketball” and “Akeelah and the Bee.” DuVernay credits Coley with teaching her “everything I know about relationships with actors.” A dynamic duo ever since, Coley shares that as their partnership has continued, there has been a benefit to knowing the other person’s taste.

“Usually I have a sense of, if I like this person I think Ava will like this person, too,” she explains. “I also know Ava looks for the best in an actor, so the actor’s really got to bring it to the table in terms of chops. So that’s another thing I know to look for. All of those things are in play in your mind when you start to go through the process, so you know to cut to the chase in that way.”

Recently their partnership earned Coley the limited series/TV movie/special casting Emmy for “When They See Us,” the harrowing four-part Netflix series about the wrongfully accused men who became known as the Central Park Five.

“This is certainly the largest cast we’ve ever worked with, in terms of the number of parts and the muscularity of all of the performances and literally having two actors play one person,” DuVernay notes. “It was a real puzzle to construct. One of the things I’m really proud of is they really went deep, the casting team that Aisha led, in finding really strong actors at all levels. It was a huge effort to make sure everyone felt authentic in their roles.”

— Danielle Turchiano

Michelle Dockery & Anna Robbins

“Downton Abbey”

Art-deco glamour continues in Michael Engler’s alluring feature-length follow-up to the popular PBS series. Dressing the film (and the series since season 5), costume designer Anna Robbins commends the female camaraderie within “Downton Abbey” that advanced over the years, both in front of and behind the camera. “I love working with these women. There is a closeness; we all know [the show] so well,” she says. “Each of them is interested in the craft; the restoration of an original or the bespoke making of something new.”

For Robbins, finding the right look and movement for Geraldine James’ Queen Mary was a notable challenge, but nothing true teamwork couldn’t address. “[Geraldine] went through physical changes to embody the character,” Robbins explains. “There were complicated layers involving padding and corsetry, which not only formed the base for the costume to sit correctly, but also [helped] her to get into character as it altered her posture and physicality.” Meanwhile, the blue pleated gown worn at a royal dinner by Lady Mary (Dockery) was one of Robbins’ favorite garments. “Michelle looked stunning, modern and effortlessly beautiful. The collaboration with Fortuny Delphos to create this original was a privilege.”

“Another stroke of genius that resulted in the most incredible creation,” Dockery praises Robbins for the Fortuny gown. “Her passion for historic design and deep understanding of the character allowed us to create an incredible wardrobe for Mary,” she adds. “Coming back together for the film was a real joy, knowing also that the costumes would be seen in all their glory on the big screen. It’s an honor to work with her.”

— Tomris Laffly

Cynthia Erivo & Kasi Lemmons

“Harriet”

Star Cynthia Erivo might not sport any spandex, but with her magnificent turn as the titular heroine in “Harriet,” she slips into the role of a legendary American superhero. Director/co-writer Kasi Lemmons has fashioned an epic true-life origin story for Harriet Tubman, spotlighting her courageous actions defying laws and social mores in order to rescue many people from slavery.

Lemmons came to the project with high standards for her leading lady. “There are so many moments where she exceeded expectation,” she says. “She tapped into Harriet’s passion and her sorrow — the words seem to pour out of her unrehearsed,” she recalls of a scene where Harriet sways a group of abolitionists. “She completely nailed it and yet it felt effortless and real.”

Erivo found that Lemmons’ gentle spirit put her at ease on her most challenging, arduously emotional day of filming. “The scene at the tree where Harriet asks God why he lets her live after finding out her husband has found a new wife,” she says. “The day was emotional, long and tough and I was exhausted and tearful. Kasi made it OK to be exactly where I was and tell the story from that place.”

Trust was the foundational cornerstone of the pair’s collaborative efforts. “We walked arm in arm, hand in hand literally and figuratively,” Erivo says. For Lemmons, Erivo’s selflessness was key to their creative collaboration. “She was prepared enough to step aside and let the character come through her. She was completely unselfconscious. She was completely, utterly present and available.”

— Courtney Howard

Tina Fey & Sharon Horgan

“Modern Love”

For “Rallying to Keep the Game Alive,” the fourth episode of Amazon Prime Video’s “Modern Love” relationship anthology, Sharon Horgan found herself writing for and directing Tina Fey.

“She’s a hero of mine — she’s someone that I admire and respect, and I genuinely think the sun shines out of her arse — even more so now that I’ve worked with her,” Horgan says. Because of this, Horgan wanted Fey to first “have a good time,” but also to “do something that maybe she hasn’t done before.” Both women have comedy backgrounds, so Horgan says they share a sensibility of wanting to bring some lighter moments to a serious story. (The episode centers on a long-running marriage that has seen better days, with Fey’s character specifically feeling invisible in the relationship.)

“I think there’s something innately funny in how people who have known each other for that long talk to each other and treat each other. They know each other so well but at the same time, there’s no one you talk to as frankly and awfully as the person who’s closest to you,” she says. In order to ensure Fey felt comfortable enough digging deep for scenes such as confronting her on-screen husband (John Slattery) with her concerns about their relationship, Horgan says she tried to make the set as “respectfully peaceful as possible. You’re doing take after take after take, and in every take you have to well up, you have to respect that and know what it took to do that.”

— Danielle Turchiano

Jennifer Fox & Avy Kaufman

“The Report”

A slow-burn about the senate’s post-9/11 investigation into the CIA’s systemic torture methods, Scott Z. Burns’ procedural owes much of its highbrow quality to a key partnership between casting director Avy Kaufman and producer Jennifer Fox. “14 years ago, I worked with Avy on ‘Syriana,’ another political thriller,” Fox remarks. “So I was sure she could brilliantly assemble a deep bench of New York’s best actors. When agents get a call from her, they take it seriously.”

The duo wanted to maintain the story’s complexity, while recognizing its need for restraint. “Having respected actors in smaller roles created [a cohesive] sense. We have Avy to thank for organizing [the ensemble with] an $8 million budget.” Praising Kaufman for having the imagination to cast Ted Levine as former CIA director John O. Brennan, “What she does is alchemy,” Fox says. “[Levine] is probably most [recognized] as the ‘Silence of the Lambs’ serial killer. But she saw the perfect Brennan [in him]. She was right. ”

“It’s always special to be in sync with a great producer,” appends Kaufman. “ [She has] amazing patience, taste and acumen. The lanes of communication are always open and productive. [It was] wonderful, bouncing names and ideas — [it] made the process exciting.”

— Tomris Laffly

Pamela Fryman & Gloria Calderon Kellett

“One Day at a Time”

Gloria Calderon Kellett and Pamela Fryman hit it off so well on “How I Met Your Mother” that almost a decade later, Kellett reached out to Fryman to be a part of her new show, “One Day at a Time.”

Taping in front of a live audience “is, technically, supposed to be a high-stress situation,” says Kellett, but with Fryman running the soundstage, “you just feel like everything’s going to be OK. Actors love her and trust her because she’s going to ask for the thing that gives the showrunner what they want but still allow the actor to do what they’re going to do.”

Fryman was also instrumental in inspiring Kellett to direct the show — offering to be on set every day to guide Kellett as needed. “Work becomes more fun, work becomes more energized, work becomes more of everything good when you have a partner that you admire and trust. The day is better and the product is infinitely better,” Fryman says.

— Danielle Turchiano

Nisha Ganatra & Mindy Kaling

“Late Night”

“Late Night” was born out of writer, producer and star Mindy Kaling’s experiences in the industry. This comedy about the trials and travails of two women, a host (Emma Thompson) and writer (Kaling) of a late-night television show, puts female voices at the forefront of the narrative — and also behind the camera, with Nisha Ganatra’s insightful direction.

Ganatra related to both the material and star/screenwriter Kaling. “Mindy and I have had very similar experiences in television,” she says. “We joked that the movie was an ode to hard work in many ways.” Kaling concurs, stating that their connection proved invaluable when capturing such a personal story. “Working with another Indian woman was incredibly gratifying. We had so much in common culturally and how our backgrounds informed our ambition,” she says.

Since the characters verbally volley across a conference room table, Kaling was impressed by Ganatra’s ability to make those scenes feel scintillating rather than static. “Nisha went into the staging, wanting to make sure that no scene was just 12 people sitting around a table. She made things dynamic with camera movements when the actors were still,” Kaling says.

Crafting this labor of love left the dynamic duo moved and encouraged about the future. Ganatra says, “In the end I think we both emerged inspired by all that women can do, and inspired by the idea that two Indian American women working in comedy could collaborate to tell a shared story and have it feel so personal to us both and to audiences of all kinds.” She adds, “And inspired, most of all, by the immense talent and sheer stamina of Emma Thompson.”

— Courtney Howard

Renée Elise Goldsberry & Taylor Russell

“Waves”

For “Waves,” actors Renée Elise Goldsberry and Taylor Russell were tasked to establish a transcendent bond to convincingly play a stepmother and daughter dealing with the fallout from a fracturing familial trauma. (Sterling K. Brown plays the patriarch of the family, while Kelvin Harrison Jr. is the troubled son.) Their compelling dynamic is woven throughout the picture. It’s a relationship that required copious amounts of nuance.

The pair’s connection was formed off-screen by mirroring their characters’ roles in the family through a time-honored tradition. “Daughters empower mothers when they welcome our care. Taylor understands this,” Goldsberry says. “One of my favorite memories was sitting in a trailer wrapping Taylor’s hair for a scene she was about to shoot. She allowed me to do that for her, and it meant the world to me.”

During production, Russell immediately responded to their time together. “I felt her calming, wise, grounding energy around me in the moment,” she says. It was only after viewing the completed film that she appreciated all the gifts Goldsberry had given her. “Renée brings a strong sense of stability, buoyancy and reflection. She has the ability to open up your perspective.”

Perhaps most meaningful is the enduring respect they now share for each other as peers. Goldsberry says, “She treated me like my presence helped her complete the puzzle. I was able to take ownership of my role because of her graciousness,” adding, “I am inspired by her mind, her work ethic, and her humble spirit.” The feeling is clearly mutual. “She has been a mirror, a safe space, and has inspired me to keep reaching out in my own life to go beyond my lens,” Russell notes. “I hope I can emulate the sense of harmony she brings to a project into my own work.”

— Courtney Howard

Chang Hyae Jin, Park So Dam, Cho Yeo Jeong

“Parasite”

In Bong Joon Ho’s satirical social thriller, there is conflict between the affluent and the poverty-stricken characters. But behind the scenes, there was harmony and a sense of support. Playing the sly daughter of the poor Kim family who poses as an art teacher to the well-off Parks, Park So Dam says she was initially nervous to work with Chang Hyae Jin, who assumed the role of her mother. But Chang’s lively energy put the young actor at ease. “She is a [fellow] alumna; we have 17 years of gap. But when we met, she told me she might learn a lot from me. She hugged me and said, ‘Let’s do it together with fun!’”

In the role of the rich and susceptible mother, Cho Yeo Jeong says ignorance stemming from a lack of social experience was her character’s greatest vulnerability. And that burden defined her first scene with Park. “It was quite fun to listen [to her] intensely, believe everything immediately and express that trust quickly,” she reminisces.

Chang credits Cho for bringing out both the loveliness and the clumsiness of the wealthy homemaker who employs her character. She remembers acting with the feeling that Ki Jung (Park’s character) was the brains and the leader of the Kim family. She felt in safe hands with her charisma. “[It was almost] like I was in a stage play that makes actors commune with each other.” Park also felt fortuitous. “[These] actresses are not only my colleagues, but [also] my seniors for life. They advised me a lot about my future as an actress. We all could build this film together.”

— Tomris Laffly

Nicole Kassell & Regina King

“Watchmen”

“Watchmen” executive producer and director Nicole Kassell and actor Regina King previously worked together on ABC’s “American Crime,” where Kassell says they developed an all-important trust and shorthand that helped infinitely when diving into such an emotionally and, at times, physically complicated world as the one of superheroes and vigilantes in the HBO adaptation. Trust and shorthand, both women note, are created by communication.

“It was very important because we didn’t have a lot of time and things were moving fast,” says King, who admits that knowing Kassell was directing the pilot episode and would also be a producer on the show was “part of what attracted me to the project.” That first episode had to introduce King’s character of Angela Abar first and independently of her masked avenger Sister Night, for which Kassell and King spent specific time during pre-production to discuss the differences between personas, as well as their backstories and journeys they would take in the show.

During production, taking time to still discuss such things became a priority. “Letting an actor know your shooting plan or why you want another take is very important,” Kassell says. “For the emotionally challenging scenes there might be a moment where we had to pause to gather ourselves — check in, make sure we were both OK. Regina always, always wanted to make sure she was not over-acting — No ‘schmacting,’ she made me promise. Physical work is easier, in a sense, because it’s about safety — [being] very attentive to what I was asking her to do and how many takes.” King adds that Kassell’s approach to filmmaking “on a whole is invaluable” to her. “That’s what you want from any director: to always be learning, to never feel like you are out there alone. Nicole provides that on and off set.”

— Danielle Turchiano

Melissa Kent & Kerry Washington

“American Son”

Editor Melissa Kent never got a chance to see “American Son” when it was on Broadway, but this allowed her to come to the Netflix original movie version of the story without expectation. The tense story follows Kerry Washington, who also executive produces, as a mother fearing the worst as she waits for information about her missing son.

“We shot the play in acts and wanted it to feel continuous so we were always shooting with three cameras,” Washington says, “so we had a phenomenal amount of footage for Melissa to work with.” Washington saw the early director’s cut of the film — one that Kent shares she put together in less than a month, despite having approximately 11 hours of footage in each batch of dailies, with most takes consisting of more than 20 minutes of footage.

“Most of my notes were based on remembering nuances in performance and wanting to mine them,” says Washington. “There were also a lot of discussions about the pop outs/vignettes. It was important to take advantage of the visual liberties that this new medium allowed us.” Kent says she was impressed by Washington’s “willingness to embrace how the performance unfolded during shooting, as its own entity. Sure, she had performed this role over 100 times, but every performance was unique, including this one.”

— Danielle Turchiano

Thomasin McKenzie & Dannelle Satherley

“Jojo Rabbit”

To properly achieve the unkempt look of having hidden in an attic over a long period of time, “JoJo Rabbit” star Thomasin McKenzie turned to the film’s head of hair and makeup, Dannelle Satherley. McKenzie plays young Jewish girl Elsa, who’s been quietly tucked away behind the walls of the title character’s family home in Nazi-occupied Germany.

They tackled Elsa’s hair first, beginning with the cut. “We wanted Elsa to feel raw, slightly wild and also timeless,” Satherley explains. “Thomasin and I tested different hair silhouettes. It was important that the shape we decided on for her hair would feel natural where she could move and touch and use her hair.” McKenzie adds, “Dannelle and her wonderful team chopped my hair as unevenly as possible and coated it in oil.”

The character’s complexion also needed a little roughing up since McKenzie’s skin is naturally radiant. That said, her time in the makeup chair was brief. “The only makeup we really did consisted of covering my face, hands and any exposed skin in dirt,” McKenzie says. The organic filth served to augment her performance. “The fact that Elsa was covered in so much grime for most of the film made the sequence in which she is finally able to have a bath even dreamier.”

McKenzie admits that working with Satherley, a fellow Kiwi, made her feel “a little bit less homesick” during the shoot. She adds, “She created a warm and focused space for me to find my way into my character.” Satherley was impressed by McKenzie’s grace. “She is so obviously a rare and spectacular talent, but also an intelligent, curious, delightful human being.”

— Courtney Howard

Maja Meschede & Helen Mirren

“Catherine the Great”

For the titular Russian ruler (played by Helen Mirren) in HBO’s limited series, costume designer Maja Meschede had to make 60 costumes that combined jeweled elements and luxury fabrics. “During this time in 18th century Russia, costumes were heavily embroidered and had so much detail,” she says.

Meschede showed Mirren “mood boards,” as well as paintings of the real-life ruler to determine for which scenes they “should use an official court dress or a more relaxed look, including a banya.” Mirren says the relaxed looks were a welcome surprise. “I was very happy to see that Maja, as a woman who would understand these things, realized nobody wore those incredibly corseted, enormous skirts and dresses all day long — they had their equivalent of putting a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt on: an uncorseted day dress. Her understanding of that was very, very important because it made the character playable. You knew you could get through the day. In certain scenes you didn’t want to have that heavy formality.”

Mirren also notes that the fashion at the time was a very wide silhouette, and the “sheer enormity of it and the size of it” helped her better understand other elements in the world, including the architecture and furniture: “You realize they needed to negotiate through doorways and sitting on chairs,” she says.

— Danielle Turchiano

Victoria Monet & Tayla Parx

Songwriters

“You like my hair? Gee, thanks, just bought it.”

In combining the familiar melody of “The Sound of Music’s” Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “My Favorite Things” with lyrics about female empowerment and independence, Ariana Grande’s 2019 smash “7 Rings” was truly a work of pop art. Credit co-writers Victoria Monet and Tayla Parx for helping create the ubiquitous hit, one of several successful collaborations with the singer including kiss-off anthem “Thank U, Next” and moving ballad “Ghostin’.”

Parx, a native of Dallas, was at Grande’s side during her whirlwind romance with Pete Davidson — the breakup inspired “Thank U, Next” — and recalls seeing, “Ariana’s life unravel and re-stitch itself back up again within the span of a week.” The resulting songs, she adds became about “authenticity — she’s not asking for permission to be herself this time around.”

On “7 Rings,” it was California-raised Monet who connected the Julia Andrews film, her childhood favorite, to the song. “I love the juxtaposition of classic melodies over darker chords and trap drums,” she says. “Anytime there is a familiar melody, people warm up to a song quicker. It taps into some type of positive nostalgia.”

Sonically, both Parx and Monet have found their songwriting sweet spots, sharing cuts with the likes of Panic! At the Disco and Fifth Harmony, respectively, and establishing themselves as go-to hitmakers in a very competitive, male-dominated field. What does that mean for the future of their craft? “Honesty,” says Monet of emerging lyrical themes, “and celebration of the underdog.”

— Shirley Halperin

Rachel Morrison & Kristen Stewart

“Seberg”

Actor Kristen Stewart’s role as Jean Seberg in “Seberg” required her to dive down deep into the actor-activist’s crumbling psyche. Capturing her character’s mindset with a visceral sense of intimacy and immediacy required a world-class cinematographer to illuminate the performance with indelible imagery. Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison’s subtle, poetic style complemented Stewart’s pathos-filled delivery.

“I felt a profound connection to Kristen and through her to Jean Seberg,” says Morrison. Stewart felt the same bond. “Rachel danced with me intrinsically. She couldn’t ever drop a notion or miss an impulse.” Morrison concurs. “I operate my own camera because I find it so instinctual and so we were really dancing together throughout the film, funneling the core emotion through the lens and projecting it onto the celluloid.”

From introspective scenes where Seberg walks down a hallway, smiling for the camera, cloaking her sorrow and suspicion under sparkling evening attire, to the more vulnerable scenes shared with co-star Anthony Mackie, Stewart valued Morrison’s approach. “Rachel is visually and lyrically unafraid. In a terrifying time, I can’t believe I have her as an ally.” Morrison explains how she earned that trust. “I try to be present to the moment and also as invisible as possible so that Kristen could just inhabit the space, unfettered by the machine.”

Morrison was equally impressed by Stewart’s capabilities. “Kristen somehow manages to exude both vulnerability and confidence all at once. There is a beautiful unpredictability to her performance and yet it is so meticulously thought out and she is in full control of her emotion at all times.” Stewart hopes this collaboration won’t be their last. “As someone who wants to make movies about women, unafraid, I need her in my corner, in my lexicon, in my realm.”

— Courtney Howard

Zhao Shuzhen & Lulu Wang

“The Farewell”

“With any ensemble cast, strong chemistry is vital,” says writer-director Lulu Wang, whose beloved grandma in China was diagnosed with terminal cancer years ago, but since then, had been kept in the dark about the bleak truth by her family.

Wang tells this cross-cultural and “based-on-an-actual-lie” story in her sweetly autobiographical film, through effortless bond between Awkwafina (playing a semi-fictionalized version of the filmmaker) and veteran actor Zhao Shuzhen, in the role of her “Nai Nai” (Mandarin for grandma).

“The first shot on our first day of production was the [exercising] scene between Awkwafina and Zhao, which establishes their dynamic,” Wang recalls. The two women had barely met before shooting the scene intended as one continuous take. “I asked them to improvise and roam freely without worrying about going off-screen. The freedom gave both of them the space to find each other naturally. It was a joy to watch them spark and develop the charming rapport that serves as the pulse of the entire film.”

“When the director and I talked for the first time about the real story of her grandmother, it touched me very much,” Zhao says. “During the production, Lulu infected me with her gentleness, dedication and approachability. She always reminded me very gently to try and shape my character according to what her grandma usually would say and do. This shows how deep her love is.”

Emphasizing that she was honored to participate in the movie, Zhao thanks Wang for trusting her in a film that celebrates a feminine angle. “During the production, Lulu, Nora and I really respected each other. We often discussed the issues from our female perspective. We also tried to [draw on] a woman’s [psychological] journey to tell our story. Every woman is the protagonist of her own life.”

— Tomris Laffly

Jany Temime & Renée Zellweger

“Judy”

Set in the Swinging London of the late 1960s, Rupert Goold’s glitzy Judy Garland biopic is anchored in Renée Zellweger’s heroic performance as the Hollywood legend in her final year of life. Costume designer Jany Temime was vital to the actor’s process. “A dream-come-true [collaboration],” recalls the Oscar-winner, who previously worked with Temime in “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.” “Jany must have been challenged by the budget, but she [built] exquisite couture [and] shared cherished pieces from her personal collection. Judy’s Chanel bag belonged to Jany’s mother. It was an honor to be entrusted.”

Praising Temime’s encyclopedic fashion knowledge, Zellweger says the costumer searched Europe and India for vintage fabrics. Their unforgiving nature and specific fitting informed movement, helping elevate her transformation into Judy’s distinctive silhouette. “It was fun to learn about [Judy’s] wardrobe choices. The beautiful orange-lamé costume [for instance] was inspired by Judy’s losing the part in ‘Valley of the Dolls,’ not the character’s suit. Makes me smile.”

Temime says they were like two fans admiring their idol, exchanging ideas. To accentuate Garland’s thin figure, she made the costumes on the bigger side. “When I was taking measurements, Renée bent into Judy’s posture: hunchback, shoulders rounded. There is something theatrical in Judy’s way of dressing. I put that edge in my designs: strong colors, rich textures, flamboyant accessories.”

Because Judy was protecting her throat, Zellweger wanted scarves around her neck. “It became a look,” Temime explains. “Renée was very involved with her show costumes and chose [them] carefully. She wanted a little black dress for her last song. When I saw her singing ‘Over the Rainbow’ surrounded by crying extras, I knew she had been right. Never before have I worked with an actress so sure about her character and costumes. The complicity between us created beautiful results.”

— Tomris Laffly