Interview: Jodie Comer and Austin Butler on ‘The Bikeriders’
A gritty, R-rated, character-driven drama that bears no connection to any existing franchise or IP, Jeff Nichols‘ The Bikeriders is a return to the type of films we don’t see much of these days.
The film follows strong-willed Kathy (Jodie Comer), who, after a chance encounter at a local bar, finds herself inextricably drawn to Benny (Austin Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals led by the enigmatic Johnny (Tom Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.
With its unflinching portrayal of a subculture often relegated to the fringes, Nichols brings to life a world we rarely see on-screen these days. Based on the 1967 photo-book of the same name by Danny Lyon, which depicts the lives of the Outlaws MC, a motorcycle club founded in McCook, Illinois, going so far as to painstakingly recreate images from the book’s pages, the film carries an air of authenticity that practically bursts through the screen, aided by stunning, evocative cinematography courtesy of Adam Stone and a number of powerful performances from its ensemble cast, particularly Comer, Butler, Hardy, Norman Reedus and Toby Wallace.
The dynamic between the film’s three main characters, particularly Comer’s Kathy, Butler’s Benny and Hardy’s Johnny, further elevates the film beyond any conventions or familiar trappings, taking it to another level, thanks to the trio’s commitment to establishing a palpable chemistry that drives every scene with authenticity and raw emotion.
Surprisingly, Comer says the cast didn’t have much time to bond prior to production, with Butler arriving on-set directly after filming his scenes in Dune: Part Two. “I think sometimes the interesting thing about what we do is that you don’t have time to build it,” she says. “I met Tom on the makeup bus the morning of [when we were supposed to film our first scene together.] That was the scene when she confronts him, where she goes in the bar and she’s like ‘He’s mine.’ Which in itself created tension within me, having to go in there and having to own the space so that we can create actual, very real and interesting dynamics. As an actor, that is kind of fun to embrace, and I’m fortunate enough to work with people who are focused, invested ans want to do a good job. It can be sometimes very easy and I feel like I definitely felt that when I was working on this with Austin and the rest of the cast.”
While Comer is mostly known for her on-screen performances, including her star-making turn in Killing Eve, she recently won both a Tony and an Olivier for her acclaimed performance in Prima Facie, which follows Tessa, a criminal defense barrister whose view of the legal system changes after she is sexually assaulted.
“I hope so,” says Comer, when asked if she’s planning on returning to the stage. “I mean, I’m definitely going to take a little break just purely because it was such a unique experience, but I would love to. I would love to do more.” It’s a sentiment that Butler, who also has experience on stage, having acted alongside Denzel Washington in the 2018 Broadway revival of The Iceman Cometh, also shares. “I’d love to [return to the stage,]” he says. “I’d love to do more theater, for sure.”
Some of the most exhilarating scenes in The Bikeriders are those of Butler riding his motorcycle, swerving in between roads, places and people in search of something greater than himself, sometimes at the behest of his loved ones. Benny, a quiet yet imposing figure, is a man of very little words, very rarely saying what he means – but when he rides his bike, he immediately transforms into a fearless, unstoppable force, his silent demeanor melting away, slowly replaced by a visceral connection to the road and the world rushing past him.
Butler is no stranger to riding motorcycles but he says this was his first time riding older models, which feature heavily in the film. “The great joy about this was getting comfortable [filming on the older bikes],” he elaborates. “It was incredible. I loved it because it’s kind of related to horses, in a way. The thing that I learned is that when you’re filming horses, they can tell when rolling is called, when action is called. You start feeling their heartbeat increasing and they also can feel from you when your own anxiety rises. The things that I learned there were to take your feet out of the stirrups, and when action is called, you say, ‘We’re not going yet.’ Then, you breathe and you go on your time. I felt the same thing on motorcycles where if you feel your own anxiety rising or anything, then it just it doesn’t do anything for you and it can stress you out. But if you just realize that you can take your time with it, then it’s just a great joy.“
Interview conducted by Tony Lira
The Bikeriders is now playing in theaters.