Podcast Title: The Daily
Host/Author: The New York Times
Episode: "The Interview: Tilda Swinton Would Like a Word With Trump About His Mother"
Release Date: December 7, 2024
Duration: 54 minutes 27 seconds
Introduction
In this compelling episode of The Daily, host David Marchese sits down with Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton to delve deep into her latest film, personal experiences, and philosophical insights. The conversation navigates through themes of mortality, artistic expression, family legacy, and the role of art in society.
Connecting Through Art and Personal Experience
David Marchese begins by sharing his personal connection to Swinton through John Berger's Bento's Sketchbook. He recounts how both he and Swinton were captivated by a particular sketch labeled "Tilda," which later revealed connections between his admiration for Swinton's work and his emotional experiences. Furthermore, he draws a parallel between his recent interview about medical aid in dying and Swinton's upcoming film, The Room Next Door, highlighting the coincidental overlap in their subject matter.
Notable Quote:
David Marchese [00:30]: "Unexpected connections sometimes arise in this job... Both of them shaped my feeling about the conversation you're about to hear."
Exploring The Room Next Door
Swinton discusses her film, emphasizing its exploration of friendship, coexistence, and bearing witness to one another's struggles. She frames the film as a political statement, likening the central question of coexistence to a balloon "launched above people's heads," seeking to understand how individuals can live together without turning away from each other's realities.
Notable Quote:
Tilda Swinton [02:53]: "I'm enjoying right now the attention to that question and the fact that our film puts that question into the air... How is it possible to coexist? And how is it possible to bear witness?"
Personal Experiences with Mortality
The conversation takes a poignant turn as Swinton shares her personal experiences with death, particularly her relationship with Derek Jarman, an artist who profoundly influenced her perspective on mortality. She reflects on Jarman's approach to life and death, describing his refusal to look away from his illness and how it shaped her understanding of living authentically in the face of mortality.
Notable Quotes:
Tilda Swinton [06:55]: "I have spent much of the last 15 years in the Ingrid position... it's also something that has been in my lived experience since I was quite a young person."
Tilda Swinton [09:38]: "There's nothing interesting about death. It's just. We just stopped. For me personally, death itself, you know, is not the star of the show. The dying is the interesting bit. And how do we die?"
Artistic Identity and Family Legacy
Swinton delves into her familial background, uncovering her artistic lineage and how her parents understated their own artistic heritage. She recounts memories from her childhood that highlighted her innate connection to art, despite her parents' lack of understanding or support. This exploration of identity leads into a discussion about her transition from aspiring writer to performer, emphasizing the communal nature of her artistic practice.
Notable Quotes:
Tilda Swinton [12:12]: "I have realized that was a complete ruse that I was led to believe... My great grandmother was a great, great singer... her artistic eminence was underplayed by my parents, who were not artists."
Tilda Swinton [17:22]: "I was a writer. And to a certain extent... I find it very difficult to describe myself as an actor. But I was a writer."
The Role of Art in Society and Politics
The dialogue shifts to the intersection of art and politics, particularly in the context of recent protests and right-wing politics. Swinton highlights the importance of art as an empathy machine, facilitating connections and fostering innate goodness among people. She discusses the impact of political activism on artistic expression and vice versa, advocating for the blurring of lines between living, art, and political engagement.
Notable Quotes:
Tilda Swinton [26:41]: "What art does... is this distance that it affords us, this capacity to be still and to allow these resonances to arise from inside."
Tilda Swinton [34:53]: "I do believe we were all little children, scared little animals once... We have to contact them somehow. We have to find a way of reconnecting with that."
Addressing Skepticism About Art's Positivity
Marchese expresses skepticism about the notion of art being inherently positive, citing examples like Leni Riefenstahl's films and Céline's literature to argue that art can also reflect humanity's darker sides. Swinton responds by emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and the capacity for art to reveal both the good and the bad within ourselves, ultimately promoting a deeper understanding and responsibility.
Notable Quotes:
David Marchese [44:18]: "We live in hope. So now I want to get back to where we ended before."
Tilda Swinton [47:56]: "They would love us to give up on trying to reach some kind of agreement. I mean, we just have to find agreements now."
The Power of Connection and Innate Goodness
Swinton advocates for maintaining and nurturing human connections as a counterbalance to rising meanness and right-wing cynicism. She posits that everyone possesses innate goodness rooted in their childhood, suggesting that art serves as a bridge to reconnect with this inherent empathy and humanity. This perspective underscores her belief in the transformative power of art to foster societal and personal healing.
Notable Quotes:
Tilda Swinton [36:51]: "So I'm quite a simple animal, I think. I think I can hold one idea... To honor it and try not to betray it and enjoy."
Tilda Swinton [49:03]: "That's what we have to focus on."
Personal Reflections and Advice
In a reflective segment, Swinton shares an early memory that underscores her lifelong quest for connection. She advises listeners to discover and honor their core ideas or "original settings" as a foundation for meaningful existence and creative expression.
Notable Quote:
Tilda Swinton [52:52]: "Figuring out what your idea is, what your original setting is, is probably a good place to start to know oneself and to then when you do find your original setting, to honor it and try not to betray it and enjoy. Enjoy the quest."
Concluding Thoughts
The interview concludes with Swinton reiterating the significance of connection and innate goodness in combating societal divisiveness. Her insights portray art not merely as a medium of expression but as a vital force for empathy, understanding, and collective well-being.
Notable Quote:
Tilda Swinton [54:09]: "I'm David Marchese and this is the interview from the New York Times."
Production Credits
- Producer: Seth Kelly
- Editor: Annabelle Bacon
- Mixing: Afim Shapiro
- Original Music: Dan Powell and Marian Lozano
- Photography: Devin Yalkin
- Senior Booker: Priya Mathew
- Producer: Wyatt Orme
- Executive Producer: Alison Benedict
- Special Thanks: Rory Walsh, Renon Borelli, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddie Masiello, Jake Silverstein, Paula Schumann, and Sam Dolnick.
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This detailed summary encapsulates the essence of the interview between David Marchese and Tilda Swinton, highlighting key discussions, personal anecdotes, and philosophical musings that offer listeners profound insights into Swinton's artistry and worldview.