"Not about the creative process" — Jessica Lange says Hollywood is prioritizing profits over creativity

Legendary actress Jessica Lange recently expressed her discontent with the current state of Hollywood, as she believes that the industry prioritizes profits over creative expression. In a recent interview with Vulture, Lange spoke about movies being canceled by studios and how "artistic impulse is overwhelmed by the corporate profit motive."

"We’re living in a corporate world, and it certainly has rolled over into the film industry. So much of the industry now is not about the creative process. I mean, obviously this is not across the board, but there are many instances where I feel like the artistic impulse is overwhelmed by the corporate profit motive," she said.

Lange then spoke about some of the best movies from last year and said that what they have in common is that "they're not from America." She revealed that her favorite film from last year was the French legal drama Anatomy of a Fall, which emerged victorious as the Palme d'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival. Speaking about the same, Lange said:

"You look at some of the best films of the past year — what do they have in common? They’re not from America. My favorite was Anatomy of a Fall. How often do we get to see a film like that, where the ambiguity of things is never sewn up?"

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Jessica Lange sheds light on Hollywood's focus on big franchises and impact of technology

In the same interview, Jessica Lange shed light on her perspective of the current state of Hollywood. When the conversation turned to the industry's focus on big franchises, Lange revealed that she hadn't been approached for a role in one of them and likely wouldn't be interested if she were as she "wouldn’t know what to do with parts like that."

Jessica Lange also discussed the significant impact of technology on filmmaking. She recalled spending a lot of time on set waiting for the cinematographer to meticulously perfect the lighting for each scene. However, the final product was always visually stunning because of this dedication. Today, she mentioned that the process feels faster-paced with digital cameras replacing film. Lange also stated that the team no longer has the opportunity to review daily footage together.

Despite these changes, Jessica Lange expressed gratitude for her early career experiences working with legendary directors. While she acknowledged the difference in filmmaking today, she recognized that change is inevitable.

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Jessica Lange returns to Broadway with Mother Play

Jessica Lange, the Tony Award-winning actress, recently returned to Broadway with her role in Mother Play after an eight-year hiatus. The title is a true story about a family navigating through love, loss, and forgiveness.

Lange was immediately drawn to the play's originality and told Variety that she "wanted to do a new play, something brand new." Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Paula Vogel and directed by Tina Landau, Mother Play delves into Vogel's life and the intricate dynamics with her mother and brother.

The play opened at the Helen Hayes Theatre on April 25 and is a three-person production featuring Lange as Phyllis (Vogel's mother), Jim Parsons as Carl (Vogel's brother), and Celia Keenan-Bolger as Martha (Vogel).

Spanning over four decades, the story explores the challenges single mom Phyllis faces as she navigates her children's sexuality and, later on, Carl's battle with AIDS. Vogel, who had contemplated the play for two decades, took only three weeks to write it, as per Variety.

Jessica Lange's return to Broadway comes after her 2016 Tony Award win for Long Day's Journey Into Night, a revival directed by Ryan Murphy.