“I had the idea of a European magnate, someone who might have been in a [Michelangelo] Antonioni film,” stated Anderson during an online press conference, attended by Lusa. “Over time, I began to blend him with my father-in-law Fouad, who was an engineer and entrepreneur involved in various projects.”
The director explained that Fouad Malouf was a man with many ventures in different places and a pleasant yet intimidating demeanor. He kept the plans for his various businesses in shoeboxes, which he one day showed to his daughter to continue if anything happened to him. Her reaction mirrored that of the fictional daughter Liesl, played by Mia Threapleton in the film: “This is crazy.”
The transition of this real-life businessman to the cinema began to take shape when Wes Anderson showcased ‘The French Dispatch’ at Cannes in 2021, featuring Benicio del Toro.
“I talked to Benicio about the idea of a European magnate, someone who might have been in an Antonioni film,” revealed Wes Anderson. “I imagined someone in physical distress, the image of a guy with a very expensive watch who couldn’t kill himself.”
It’s this man that Benicio del Toro embodies in ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ – Zsa-Zsa Korda, one of the wealthiest men in Europe, who, at the start of the film, survives his sixth plane crash and decides to choose his eldest daughter as the heir to his fortune and empire.
“It’s written in layers and full of contradictions, which makes it very tasty for an actor to bring to life,” said del Toro.
Some scenes, like the opening credits, had to be filmed repeatedly—between 25 and 30 times, according to the actor, recalling that his skin wrinkled from being in a bathtub.
“There’s an aspect of my character waiting for a second chance to mend a broken relationship,” del Toro detailed. “For that, he has to change, and he does. I like to think people can change.”
This relationship is with his daughter, to whom Zsa-Zsa Korda wants to leave the shoeboxes filled with ambitious plans for the lost Phoenician civilization. But Liesl is about to become a Catholic nun and resents her father for years of absence.
To prepare for the role, Mia Threapleton studied the Bible, went to Rome for a costume fitting, and spoke with a deacon. She studied extensively for three months and created small details for the character.
“The small things, the ‘humanisms,’ were things we discovered along the way,” the actress said at the press conference. “Wes wanted those ‘humanisms’,” she continued, revealing she improvised the mantilla of her religious habit using a cloth napkin.
Filming took place near Berlin, at Babelsberg studio and its surroundings, with a small role for Scarlett Johansson as Cousin Hilda. The actress praised how Wes Anderson created the impression of being somewhere between Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine, without using the green screen that allows any background to be superimposed on the action.
“It was sand as far as the eye could see and it felt like we were there, incredible,” the actress emphasized, noting how much Wes Anderson enjoys the process, which influences the actors. “It’s very motivating to try new things.”
‘The Phoenician Scheme’ also features Michael Cera as private tutor Bjørn Lund, Bryan Cranston as magnate Reagan, Tom Hanks as magnate Leland, Benedict Cumberbatch as Uncle Nubar, Jeffrey Wright as magnate Marty, and Riz Ahmed as Prince Farouk.
