Brian Tyree Henry on his process of self-reflection and “The Baptism” of Causeway with co-star Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence took time Monday night to spotlight her Oscar-nominated co-star Brian Tyree Henry and his work in her Apple/A24 film. Dam, Dive deep into his process. The actress sat down with the Best Supporting Actress nominee for a Q&A after a screening of the film at the London Hotel in Los Angeles.

The two play unlikely individuals, both traumatized as they find and support each other in New Orleans. Lawrence plays Lynsey, an Afghan war veteran suffering from physical and brain injuries. Henry is James, a mechanic who lost his leg and cousin in a car accident. Henry was drawn to the project after knowing Yale Drama School director Lila Neugebauer (who makes her film debut here).

The photo was taken during Covid, but had to be stopped. At this point, the actors worked with Neugebauer on the script and got more resonance out of the material, especially given the constantly changing environment. Was there another side to the trauma, especially as Covid affected everyone’s lives? Above all, the drama was never one of boy meets girl for both actors.

“We’ve all asked ourselves who we are and what humanity really means, and we’ve looked at what we’ve done,” Henry said. silver lining playbook Oscar winner for best actress.

“There’s something different about these people, especially Lynsey and James,” Henry said.

Henry’s window on James adapted to his own humanity, but in the process the actor encountered some self-truths.

“I judged James: why is he in the same place? He lost so much in the car accident. why is he alone Why is he still drinking? I realized that I doubted myself a lot and did the same. I use James as a mirror and stare my own shit in the eye. Film gives you a lot of room for that,” Henry said.

Lawrence told how Henry called elevated road, which was a 2 1/2 year project “a baptism” for her. Lawrence produced the film with her Excellent Cadaver producing partner Justine Ciarrocchi.

Lawrence referred to a pool scene the two had together where the characters really connect and sync with their mood.

Referring to that moment, Henry explained, “We wanted to be whole again, we wanted to be cleansed of all the pain and all the things that held us down and we wanted to emerge again… The veil falls, the hammer comes out … We can’t possibly.” come out of this water as we came in. It felt like life gave us a chance to put the lens on ourselves.

“Our characters had a complex relationship,” Lawrence told Henry.

Despite being classified as disabled, the two characters saw in their friendship a glimmer of hope in their lives.

“Both of us were no longer that label,” Henry explained over their bows, “You didn’t smile until I came over.”

“Lynsey – all the obstacles she faced, they all told her there was something she couldn’t do and she shouldn’t do,” he added. her return to what she was. We were both a reflection of who we were.”

Henry went on to talk about how the characters complement each other: “They complimented each other and I realized how rarely you see that, especially between a black man and a white woman in a movie; there is always some kind of herd that we are denied.

“We exist in this space and time that this friendship is possible and that it looks like this,” he added, “these two people have suffered so much, so why don’t they give each other a chance to find friendship?” and hope for each other?”

To which Lawrence replied, “Hell yeah.”

Henry was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. elevated road can be viewed on Apple TV+.