“Infinity Pool” is the latest phantasmagoria from writer/director Brandon Cronenberg, whose previous films “Antiviral” and “Possessor” were enough to shock even the most hardened horror fan. His latest stars Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth and Cleopatra Coleman and the director and star, when talking to TheWrap at Sundance, faced something even more brutal and terrifying than the film itself: a conversation about the “nepo-baby” controversy. When asked if he knew about the phenomenon, Skarsgård replied, “Oh I do.”
To explain: “nepo-baby” is a term for a young Hollywood star who has seemingly gotten a leg up thanks to their famous parents. Think Dakota Johnson or Maya Hawke or Jack Quaid. The euphemism took on even more meaning when New York Magazine did a cover story on the subject for their December 19 issue that became an instant internet sensation.
Yes, “Infinity Pool” is a story of madness and mayhem, about a couple (Skarsgård and Goth) who face dire consequences after they are involved in a tragedy while on vacation. It is rendered through Cronenberg’s typically visceral storytelling (it had to be edited and re-submitted to the MPAA before it secured an R-rating). But how do the horrors of the film compare to the horrors of being called a nepo-baby?
As it turns out, Skarsgård was all too aware of the claim that he only got to where he was because of his famous father (Stellan Skarsgård). (Brothers Bill and Valter are also actors.)
“I would say I struggle daily with insecurities and desperately trying to find a reason why I don’t deserve a job,” Skarsgård said in a moment of brutal honesty. “And then to go to it’s because my dad’s an actor. It’s very convenient. After 20 years in the industry, I still thank my dad for every single job I get.
Upon hearing this Cronenber, who was in the studio with Goth and Coleman, craned his neck and asked, “So it’s emotional masochism for you?”
“I don’t really know if I can use it. It’s just haunting me,” Skarsgård replied. Wow. Dark.
For the full conversation about “Infinity Pool,” click on the video above.
TheWrap’s Portrait and Video Studio at The Music Lodge during the 2023 Sundance Film Festival is sponsored by NFP along with support from Sylvania and HigherDOSE.
