To say that Tesla is an unconventional, comedic biopic would be an understatement. Writer-director Michael Almereyda introduces the enigmatic futurist to the audience with a humorous ice cream fight between Nikola Tesla, played by a brooding Ethan Hawke, and his nemesis Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan). The exchange is so catty it can only be described as postmodern. Then, a voiceover tells the audience through a narration that it “likely didn’t happen this way.” The woman’s narration, who turns out to be the daughter of banking titan JP Morgan, Anne (Eve Hewson), continues to guide us through the story through a quirky, modernized Drunk History lens.
Recently, The Movie Mensch had the pleasure of speaking with writer-director Michael Almereyda about making the passion project Tesla and here is what we learned.
The Movie Mensch: You’ve been a fan of Nikola Tesla for a long time, correct?
Michael Almereyda: When I was kid and first wrote the script, it was very different than what we shot last year. There has been so many changes. The first draft was optioned in 1982, and it got me an agent. So, it was an important screenplay for me. When I first started writing it, the story was more focused on electricity and power. One of the biggest changes was having the story reveal a more intimate or personal side of Tesla. It’s another angle, another perspective. The movie became more emotional.
The Movie Mensch: Was the film really inspired by a Drunk History episode on Comedy Central?
Michael Almereyda: I don’t know if it was a specific episode. But the idea of Drunk History invaded the film. The idea that history is often unknowable and struck together from widely speculative rumors filled with blind spots and that idea prevailed throughout. The idea that history is unreliable became part of the texture of the story. As you can see in the way the story is narrated. It wasn’t the episode about Edison or Tesla, though. It was the episode where Michael Cera plays Alexander Hamilton that inspired Tesla.
The Movie Mensch: Why did you choose to have JP Morgan’s daughter, Ann, narrate the story?
Michael Almereyda: I thought it would broaden the Tesla character. Her father was very partial to Edison but very important to Tesla as well. It became a way of recognizes Tesla’s loneliness.
The Movie Mensch: How did you know Hawke would be a perfect fit to portray Nikola?
Michael Almereyda: I was confident in Hawke’s ability and range to tackle the character after seeing him in numerous on-stage plays. That was a big component of me inviting him to tackle this role.
The Movie Mensch: What inspired the musical number where Hawke sings Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears for Fears?
Michael Almereyda: That was a last-minute addition. And a reckless one, because we didn’t have the rights to the song. And we had to fight and beg for it. We were toward the end of the shoot, and we both (Ethan and I) realized there may be a way to be a little more daring and a little bit more fun. And then I mentioned that sometimes shy or sensitive people reveal themselves when they are doing a karaoke song. So, I came up with the song idea and Ethan embraced it. It wasn’t just that the lyrics had some resonance, but it was also an upbeat song, and the movie would kind of crystalize at this point.
The Movie Mensch: As a Tesla expert, where would you direct someone for the most accurate information about Nikola Tesla?
Michael Almereyda: The book The Truth About Tesla by Christopher Cooper summarizes and debunks a lot of Tesla myths from previous books. I hope this film inspires more people to make movies about Tesla. I look forward to people making more Tesla films.
Tesla is out on VOD August 21st!