Zoe Lister-Jones Brings ‘Slip’ to SXSW

Title: Zoe Lister-Jones

Notable previous credit: Lister-Jones has appeared in quite a few initiatives together with reveals like “Life in Items” and “New Lady.” She additionally directed, wrote and starred in movies together with “How It Ends” and “Band Assist.”

SXSW Challenge: Lister-Jones wrote, directed and stars within the upcoming Roku sequence “Slip,” which is premiering on the pageant on Thursday. The present follows an unmoored married lady who finds herself leaping between alternate realities after a one-night stand. 

The origin of “Slip”: “I began writing it in quarantine,” mentioned Lister-Jones, who landed in Austin a number of days earlier than the present’s screening. “Like so many people I used to be grappling with some fairly huge existential questions and that sense of restlessness that got here into such hyper focus as we had been all remoted and being compelled to take a look at our lives. There was additionally plenty of reflection that was taking place about paths not taken in our pasts and I turned fairly fascinated by what we do with these ‘what ifs’ and the way they form of plague us. And so the present was born out of that query: what can we do with our insatiable want for one thing extra?” she added. “And when that involves relationships and sexual intimacy, that felt like a really ripe space.”

Selecting a sequence format to inform the story: “I used to be actually fascinated by tv as a filmmaker,” she mentioned. “I’ve made quite a few movies, and I believe the format of tv simply permits for such growth and storytelling in a approach that I hadn’t been in a position to discover. The character of this present particularly, due to the world leaping, was so thrilling to do in sequence slightly than as a function.” 

Writing roles for herself: “It’s one of the best. From a younger age, proper once I graduated school, I began writing for myself. It allowed me to create the work that I needed to be in, as a result of as an actor you’ve gotten so little management. I simply love the intersection of appearing, directing and writing as a result of it’s the final word storytelling.”

Connecting with present producer Dakota Johnson: “Slip” marks the tv launch of Johnson’s TeaTime Productions firm. “I really like Dakota Johnson. I believe she’s not solely extremely gifted, however she has unbelievable style — and I’m not saying that as a result of she selected my present,” mentioned Lister-Jones. “She actually is such a cinephile. The present was dropped at her alongside her producing companion, Ro Donnelly, they usually simply cherished it and believed in it so wholeheartedly. It’s been an unbelievable partnership.”

Lister-Jones credit Roku and TeaTime for giving her inventive freedom all through manufacturing. “It’s in all probability one of many purest inventive experiences I’ve had,” mentioned Lister-Jones of the expertise. “I wrote all the scripts in quarantine and handed seven scripts to Roku, they usually green-lit [the show] with out giving me any notes, which is remarkable. From web page to display, it was fully uncompromised.”

Bringing her vogue pals into “Slip”: “We labored with plenty of designers that had been both pals of mine, or folks whose work I really like, like Batsheva and Collina Strada and Rachel Comey, Sandy Liang. There’s some actually nice items showcased within the present.” 

What’s subsequent: Along with the discharge of “Slip” on April 21, Lister-Jones stars in two movies popping out this spring. The primary is “A Good Individual” on March 24, written and directed by Zach Braff; the movie costars Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman. Lister-Jones additionally seems in Ari Aster’s horror-comedy “Beau Is Afraid,” led by Joaquin Phoenix — which will likely be launched the identical day as “Slip.” “So it’s an thrilling spring,” mentioned Lister-Jones. “It’s actually enjoyable for me to have the ability to create my very own work and be in command of your entire factor, however then to additionally get to simply go act and be part of different folks’s visions.”