Elizabeth Olsen on 'The Assessment's' Dark Sci-Fi Vision of Parenthood

Summary

All Of It Podcast Summary: Elizabeth Olsen on 'The Assessment's' Dark Sci-Fi Vision of Parenthood

Podcast Information:

• Title: All Of It
• Host: Kusha Navadar (filling in for Alison Stewart)
• Guest: Elizabeth Olsen
• Episode Title: Elizabeth Olsen on 'The Assessment's' Dark Sci-Fi Vision of Parenthood
• Release Date: March 25, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of All Of It, WNYC’s show focused on culture and its consumers, host Kusha Navadar engages in a compelling conversation with actress Elizabeth Olsen. The discussion centers around Olsen's role in the new sci-fi thriller "The Assessment", exploring the film's intricate portrayal of a dystopian future where parenthood is strictly regulated by government authorities.

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Overview of "The Assessment"

"The Assessment" envisions a world devastated by natural disasters, rendering parts of the planet uninhabitable. In this future, society benefits from medical advancements that significantly slow aging, allowing individuals to lead extended, calm lives. However, resources remain limited, prompting the government to enforce stringent controls, especially regarding childbirth. Couples aspiring to become parents must undergo a meticulous seven-day evaluation process to assess their suitability, preventing overpopulation and ensuring only the most qualified individuals can raise children.

Elizabeth Olsen plays Mia, a dedicated scientist, alongside Himesh Patel’s character, Arjen. Their journey through the assessment process, overseen by the manipulative assessor Virginia (portrayed by Alicia Vikander), serves as the film's core narrative, delving into themes of control, autonomy, and the essence of humanity.

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Elizabeth Olsen’s Insights on the Project

a. Initial Reactions to the Script

“I think it was really surprising. I really didn't have an expectation of where it was going to go. I didn't know how absurd the situations were going to be.” [02:18]

Elizabeth Olsen was captivated by the unpredictability and absurdity embedded within the script. The unique setting allowed her creative freedom, enabling her to explore a character governed by a strict societal framework vastly different from contemporary norms.

b. Working with the Director and Cast Olsen highlights the collaborative environment fostered by director Fleur Fortinet, praising the seamless synergy between the cast members. Working alongside Alicia Vikander, she notes the depth and complexity Vikander brought to the role of Virginia, enhancing the film's emotional and psychological layers.

c. Character Development and Challenges Playing Mia presented Olsen with several challenges, including her character’s fear of open water and the intense, unyielding evaluation process. Navigating Mia's transformation—from a cooperative participant to someone increasingly aware of the oppressive control exerted by the assessor—required a nuanced performance that balanced vulnerability with resilience.

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Themes and Societal Reflections

a. Parenthood as Privilege

“Does that even matter if you're going to contribute brilliantly to society, does that actually mean that you are the person who deserves to have a child?” [06:29]

The film provocatively questions the societal norms that equate contributions to society with the right to parenthood. It challenges listeners to ponder the ethical implications of such a system and what truly constitutes deserving to raise the next generation.

b. Government Control and Agency Elizabeth delves into the film's exploration of autonomy, emphasizing how the protagonist grapples with the invasive oversight of the state. The assessment process serves as a metaphor for broader themes of personal freedom and the extent to which authority should govern intimate aspects of life.

c. Reflections on Real-World Issues Olsen connects the film's narrative to real-world scenarios like adoption interviews and assisted reproductive technologies, highlighting the emotional and psychological toll these processes can impose on individuals seeking to become parents.

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Key Moments and Quotes from the Interview

• Assessment Process Clip:

  “What are we being assessed on exactly? It’s just a little opaque.” [10:46]

  This excerpt from the film underscores the uncertainty and pressure couples face during the evaluation, bringing to light the opaque criteria that govern their eligibility for parenthood.

• On Human Agency and Freedom:

  “It's about the narrative we help create. It’s about the stories we pass on, and it’s about the world we leave behind.” [20:36]

  Elizabeth reflects on the intrinsic human desire to create and influence the future, a central theme in the film's depiction of controlled procreation.

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Concluding Thoughts

Elizabeth Olsen provides a profound exploration of "The Assessment", articulating the film’s intricate balance of suspense, emotional depth, and philosophical inquiry. Through her portrayal of Mia, Olsen invites audiences to engage in meaningful conversations about the intersection of personal freedom, societal responsibility, and the fundamental human drive to nurture the next generation. The episode underscores All Of It's commitment to dissecting cultural narratives, offering listeners a deeply engaging and thought-provoking experience.

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About the Podcast

ALL OF IT is WNYC's show dedicated to dissecting culture and its myriad expressions. By engaging with thinkers, creators, and influencers, the show aims to unravel the complexities of cultural phenomena, fostering a community where diverse perspectives thrive.

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Note: To experience the full depth of the conversation and the film's intricate details, listeners are encouraged to watch "The Assessment" currently playing in theaters.

Transcript

[Elizabeth Olsen]

All of it is supported by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart Choice. Make another smart choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates for multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy. Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[Kusha Navadar]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Kusha Navadar filling in for Alison Stewart. You've probably heard the phrase it takes a village to raise a child, but what if village leadership was in charge of saying who could and could not have a child? That's the premise of the new sci fi thriller. It's called the as Assessment. It stars Elizabeth Olsen as Mia and Himesh Patel as Arjen, a couple looking to become parents in a future ravaged by natural disasters which has made parts of the world uninhabitable. Fortunately for them, everyone in their society gets to live a calm life where medical treatment allows them to significantly slow the aging process. But the government maintains a very strict control of resources. This means couples who want a child must undergo a rigorous, and I'm talking rigorous, seven day evaluation to determine who's fit to be a parent and to prevent overpopulation. And the assessor stays with the couple the entire time. The assessor scrutinizes all aspects of the couple's lives. Living conditions, work, intimacy, their relationship with their own parents. It's kind of like everything. The Assessment is now playing in theaters. Actor Elizabeth Olsen, we are lucky to have her just across the table right now. She joins us to discuss. Elizabeth, welcome back to all of it.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Thank you. Thanks for having me.

[Kusha Navadar]

Absolutely. I saw this movie last night. I was telling you before this interview started, I was riveted. I'm so excited to talk to you about it. I'm thinking for you, when you first joined this project, when you read that script, what felt new and interesting about the premise of the assessment?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

I think it was really surprising. I really didn't have an expectation of where it was going to go. I didn't know how absurd the situations were going to be. And there is something that I really found inspiring as an actor because we're, because we're in this future time, there are rules that these people live by that are different than our own. And I think that always allows more play. As an actor, you don't feel like you have to focus on things being hyper realistic. And so this tone that we were looking for, which I think covers humor, thriller, absurdity, it's very uncomfortable. I think all of that was. It was an exciting opportunity, tonally. And then also, I think with things like Sci Fi's, you get to have a different kind of reflection on existence.

[Kusha Navadar]

Right. I mean, that's the point of Sci Fi kind of.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Right.

[Kusha Navadar]

Like, it's that reflection. Yeah.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

And because you don't, it's not like when you're watching something, you're like, well, that's not what our president sounds or looks like. Like, that's not really the president. It just is this. This representation of another time. And so we can put all of our own experiences and thoughts and feelings that we think about, but that are not directly related to the rules of this world. And I think it's a nicer escape for an audience. And I don't think we draw any specific thesis or conclusions, but we more open up these beginnings of conversations for people to have who are watching.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah. As an actor, did you. Cause I hear you talk about, oh, there's this huge opportunity for play, which I'm sure, sure is exciting for any new project. Were there any challenges that you were expecting? Like, oh, with this character? This is something that excites me in like a. I'm have to work on this pretty hard kind of way.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

There's always something. I mean, in a really silly way, it was first off swimming in open water, which I'm kind of scared of. So after I got over that, I think because of this being over seven days. And there's the assessor, played so brilliantly by Lycia Vikander. At first, we're kind of adversaries in some ways. And then alliances sort of start to shift. And then there's this transference that happens where you kind of believe in the game that you're playing too much. And so I think always tracking that and making sure that there is something new for the arc of the characters so that it doesn't just feel repetitive like day two, day three, but that there is still something that was forward moving from a character arc, which is. Which is hard when you're in one location sometimes. And so it was really a collaborative effort. And Fleur Fortinet, our French filmmaker, whose first feature. This is her first feature, she's a really brilliant music video director and is a very visual filmmaker. And so I think we all just had such a collaborative time trying to tell this story visually and through the emotional life, the characters.

[Kusha Navadar]

I hadn't thought about the fact that it does all kind of take place in the house over those seven days. And how, as an actor, finding the new must be. You have to rely even much more on your partners in the scene and on your own telling, your own emotional journey in the subtext. Right.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

And we didn't want anyone to get too comfortable with the tone. And so it kind of shifts depending on the stakes shifting. And so it was a lot of fun. And I do think it's a great film to see in theaters because of its. The visual elements of the film. And it's also one of those things, one of those films that I think crawls beneath your skin. And it's kind of amazing to do that, I think, in a theater kind of locked in.

[Kusha Navadar]

Totally, totally. The film explores a society where having children is a privilege, not a right. I want to bake that in a little bit for the audience here. How does the society these characters live in dictate the decisions they make about their partners or lifestyles in order to become parents? Can you give us that context a little bit?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Sure, sure. So in this world, there's so few resources, and so these very few people get to this stage. And so they've already gone through a lot of other obstacles before this film even begins. And these people are both scientists who contribute heavily to society. So they do believe that because of their contribution, that they would make for great parents. And it really begs the question, does that even matter if you're going to contribute brilliantly to society, does that actually mean that you are the person who deserves to have a child? Who does deserve to have a child? Why do people want children? And it opens up all those kinds of conversations. And ultimately, what I get from it is that there's everyone deserves it who wants it. There's really no right or wrong reason. It doesn't have to be altruism, and it doesn't have to be, you know, a burning, selfish desire either. Like, it doesn't have to be either of those things. None of. And so it is also a conversation about parenting in that way.

[Kusha Navadar]

I love so much that you brought that up, because it was a question I had during the movie. And I don't want to give anything away here, but your character is such an interesting character study. I mean, talking about, there's all different reasons why I want to become a mother. Your character, Mia, can you tell us a little bit about her? Why is becoming a mother important to her?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Well, I think for her, we learn quickly that she feels abandoned by her mother who left for this. We're living in this new world, and then there's in sort of like a bubble that we've had to create in order for us all as society to survive. And so there's this.

[Kusha Navadar]

It's a literal bubble.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

A literal bubble. And so then there's this old world that we don't. That we don't really know about, where her mother, based on her own opinions of politics against the state, you learn that she felt abandoned as a child by her mother. And so for her, I think it's really about this wanting to correct. Sometimes we want to correct. I think what maybe we feel like came before us didn't do right. And so I think there's that burning drive for her.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah. Another really interesting element of Mia's character that I found at least you kind of touched on this. She's a scientist, does great contributions to the society she lives in, but also runs up against this real friction point and wanting to have a child and being put through this rigorous process to do so. What feelings does she have about the government's rules and the society that she lives in?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Well, I think that's what's interesting about the relationship she has with her own frustrations of being governed by a state and her also being more of this kind of feral woman in this world. And it's through this experience that I do believe she realizes that she's actually more like her mother than she ever was willing to admit. And that there is that it shouldn't just be about this obsessive control of wanting to live longer. What's the point of that? If it's not about passing on something to another generation, why are we all choosing to take up more space than we naturally are supposed to? And I think she has a big struggle within the film. And. And ultimately there's a decision that is made within the film that I think surprises people.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah, I want to talk about the assessor as well. We got to touch on that part of the requirement for becoming a parent is that couples have to first undergo and pass this initial test to prove their suitability. And after that they have to undergo the seven day live in evaluation by the test facilitator, who's also known as the assessor. That it's awkward. You watch the movie, you'll see it's awkward. I want to listen to a clip. This is Mia and Arjan having a conversation with their assessor, Virginia, on the first day. Here it is.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

You are reminded everything that takes place over the next seven days is highly confidential. And what are we being assessed on exactly? It's just a little opaque. Opaque. Not opaque. I just mean not clear. That is what opaque means. Whitmya's trying to say we couldn't find any specific criteria. That's what I'm trying to say. The less you know in advance, the better. I want to get to know the real you. Is that a good idea? Yes.

[Kusha Navadar]

I was joking.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Mm.

[Kusha Navadar]

I could feel the awkwardness just through the. Through the. Through the screen when I was watching and the tension. That was a clip from the assessment. We're joined right now in studio by Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Mia in the movie. The movie is out. You can see it now in theaters listening to that clip. What stands out for you? What do you think that reflects about the story? Or how are you trying to play that as an actor?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Arien and Mia are coming from different places, I think, entering. They've done all of this work presenting, knowing that they're gonna have to present themselves as, like, a united front. So they've done all their homework. They're straight A students, and yet at the same time, their world is being invaded by a woman who is rude and cold, but yet they need her to like them and they need to impress her. And that is how they begin. That is our day one of the assessment. And it just goes on a rollercoaster after that.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah, a piece sticks out to me. Listening to that and having watched it is also this element of what must be going through Mia's mind in the sense of there's the natural fears of parenting, right? Like, am I good enough, prepared enough, whatever, to be a parent? And then there's also this overlay of who is this person in my house getting to determine if I am good enough or whatever as an actor, as an artist going to approach this? Two very heavy feelings to feel at the same time. Right. How did you think about that when you were playing this?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Well, I think with. With Mia, the thing that Fleur Fortune, our director, really wanted to capture with her is that she's more connected to nature than other people in this world. That is also her job. Her job is more or less a biologist and trying to conserve plants and use them for as much food as we can milk out of them, basically, in a world where there's hardly any. There's, like, no more forests left. And so how do you bring that into a woman who is also then being severely assessed by someone who runs, he works for the state, and there's a part of her that rather be this kind of like, feral animal, but she's being. She's being forced to have these polite restrictions. And that's very challenging for her.

[Kusha Navadar]

It was the holding it in kind of. And trying to put on a front.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Yeah. And so those start to fizzle as her patience is more challenged as the film goes on. Because the assessor's a very manipulative person.

[Kusha Navadar]

Well, Alicia Vikander plays Virginia, who's the assessor in the film. It was another fantastic performance there as well. Especially your exchanges, so varied and deep. How did a particular choice that she made help you in moments where your character was supposed to feel unnerved or like she had to try to hold it all in?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Well, I think with Alicia, I think the things that were most surprising is us trying to find where these women find that they are more alike than they realized. And that was something that she had brought up. It is sort of on the page, but it's also not always on the page. And at what point do they start to see themselves in one another and feel like they are both. I wouldn't use the word. Victims is the word I wouldn't like to use. But it's kind of the idea of them. They are just victims to this world that they cannot control and that they are being controlled by. And they both have similar desires and they sense that in one another without ever having to communicate it. And so I think that was a really interesting part to kind of create more depth between our characters instead of them just being adversaries.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah, victims. Pawns, maybe, like.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Yeah, pawns. Yeah.

[Kusha Navadar]

And it's interesting because a lot of the places where that relationship shows up, of the similarity. It starts as part of the assessment. Virginia acting like a child, playing with things she shouldn't be and throwing tantrums. And over time, that kind of evolves. And I'm not gonna say how, but seeing your exchanges reminded me of exercises you do in acting school.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Yeah.

[Kusha Navadar]

Where like, you learn about improv and inhabiting different ages. You're playing someone who's not an actor, essentially doing improv on screen. How did you approach that?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

That's so funny you said that. Cause someone had asked, was it weird interacting with Alicia pretending to be a child? And I said, strangely, no. No. Because in acting school, you're pretending to be a child and an 85 year old at the age of, like, 19. So there is something that was. That already allowed for an imaginative play because of just the situation that we were. That we were put in. Yeah. And then there's. I mean, that's something that's so fun to me is when you actually get to play in this imaginative space. So I really loved getting caught up and thinking, well, maybe she is my child.

[Kusha Navadar]

Is that part of what you mentioned before about some of it being on the page and some of it not being on the page? Like, were there discoveries that you made while you two were working?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Yeah, always. I mean, there are also some funny things that we got to improvise that were maybe written as almost montage moments. There's a moment that I think a lot of parents can relate to, and there's this big, almost like Ikea like, dome that they have to build together before sunrise. And that was an entirely improvised sequence that Himesh and I just got to figure out these people who respect, you know, this couple who respects each other immensely. At what point does passive aggressiveness turn aggressive, like, just outward aggression within those frustrations of those, like, exhausted nights? So there are moments like that, and then there are moments that were more about trying to find these almost like, secrets that we feel like could have just made the relationships a little bit deeper.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah. Seeing the whole process reminded me of a very twisted and messed up version of an adoption interview. Not to say that this is what adoption interviews are like, but people come into your home and they kind of evaluate you, Right?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Yeah.

[Kusha Navadar]

Did you. Did that come into play at all in the conversations? Did you talk to families that had gone through a similar thing?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

I hadn't, but, I mean, I have done in the past, but not for this film. But it really is this idea of you are selling yourself as someone who should be allowed to have this thing, this child. And you are also saying, I am the best person for this. And that's a hard thing to do. And it's also a hard thing to do when, you know, you have limited resources. And you're also saying, I deserve the resources that others don't. And I think that kind of reflects how complicated it can be for people who have any kind of obstacles or challenges going through having a child in this world, whether it's adoption or whether it's through assisted help, through IVF or what have you.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah. And to your point before it brings up such an important perspective, I think the film showcases questions of who deserves, who doesn't. Can you answer that? You know, as I was watching it, part of this film as well is worth mentioning is that it's set in a future where people don't age. And I was watching it, I was asking myself how much of my own freedom I'd be willing to give up to stop aging. And I think I Land somewhere between. Like, I won't give up anything, and maybe, okay, I'll give up cheese. Like, I think that's somewhere where I land. Were there any questions this movie brought up that you found yourself asking for your own life?

[Elizabeth Olsen]

I really believe that we are grains of sand in the history of this planet as humans, and I believe we are not supposed to take up more space than what our time is naturally allowed. So this, like, whole. I think a lot about, like, the transhumanist movement, and it's something that I just. I don't think is natural. And I mean, this is, like, my personal opinion. It has nothing to do with the film, but there's like, a narcissism, really, of wanting to say, well, I want to live till I'm 150 years old, because I can than, like, do so many more things. And it's like. Well, it's really. We're here because we then pass down something to the next people who inhabit the Earth. And what we pass down is what the whole purpose, I think, of this whole experience is of our existence. It isn't about us.

[Kusha Navadar]

It's about the narrative that we help create.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Yeah, it's about the narrative we help create. It's about the stories we pass on, and it's about the world we leave behind. And. Yeah, so I think. So I thought about that a lot while making this film because these people are taking up so much space, so much so that the government has to regulate population control with this assessment.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah. Okay, so I'm looking at the clock. This is a heavy question that is probably. You would need a PhD in Philosophy even begin to talk about this. But to thinking about that and doing this movie, what do you think it says? The film says that we need as people to feel human. I think that's an important question that comes from there.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

That is a great question. And the interesting thing is I don't necessarily think that it's having children. I don't think that's the answer. But I think it has something to do with primal functioning rights that I think. You know, I think the thing that I think about a lot is the things that are privileges that we assume are our natural freedoms. And if you wake up and you're born in a different place, those privileges are privileges. They're not natural freedoms. And so I. So it made me think a lot about that. And I guess that's what it feels like to be human is to be able to have your own agency and will and be able to make the choices that you want to make in order to, like, live the life that you, that you have the freedom to.

[Kusha Navadar]

Which is so interesting because this movie talks a lot about the goal being children. But the thing, the premise is that it's revoking the freedom. Yeah, it's very interesting.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

It really is about revoking the freedom. And that's, I mean, that's what I see it as. And that kind of control.

[Kusha Navadar]

Yeah. This has been such a fascinating conversation for a movie that I personally very much enjoyed. We've been talking about the assessment it's now playing in theaters. We've been lucky to be joined by Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Mia. You can go out and see it now in theaters. Elizabeth, thanks for making this and thanks for hanging out with us. Really appreciate it.

[Elizabeth Olsen]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Kusha Navadar]

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[Elizabeth Olsen]

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[Kusha Navadar]

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[Elizabeth Olsen]

I'm Ira Plato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, our team has been reporting high quality news about science, technology and medicine. News you won't get anywhere else. And now that political news is 24 7, our audience is turning to us to know about the really important stuff in their lives. Cancer, Climate change. Genetic engineering. Childhood diseases. Our sponsors know the value of science and health news. For more sponsorship information, visit sponsorship wnyc. Org.