Interview: Michael Pitt Discusses the Coexistence of Spirituality and Science in His Stunning New Film "I Origins"

The actor waxes philosophical about faith, love, and life after death—all themes his latest film tackles head on.

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With star-making roles in Boardwalk Empire, Bernardo Bertolucci's Dreamers (2003), and Larry Clark's Bully (2001), Michael Pitt has had an incredible career thus far. Today, he releases yet another film on his carefully curated filmography: I Origins. In the stunning sci-fi drama, written and directed by Another Earth’s Mike Cahill, Pitt plays molecular biologist Ian Gray. Dedicating his life to researching the human eye, his belief in science is challenged when he falls for the spiritual, celestial Sofi (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey). When his lab partner Karen (Brit Marling) discovers evidence that could change society forever, Gray’s life spins into a fascinating journey of loss and self-discovery.

Pitt was posted up at the London West Hollywood hotel, taking interviews during the film's press day. In the room, he was relaxed on the couch in paint-splattered jeans and a blazer. A rosary he was wearing didn't go unnoticed either. He said he always experiences the same feelings when wearing his Saint Michael emblem someone gave him on Mulberry Street, in New York City.

It was the perfect launching pad, the opportunity for to ask him if he was spiritual, something the film demands you to think about. He said he’s not religious, but the more he talked, his opinions on science, faith, and artistry revealed itself.

Your character Ian is so centered. In what ways is he a departure from you and in what ways is he the same?
One way that we’re different, I’m sort of an artist and he’s a scientist. He’s very educated. He’s a doctor. We’re similar in that what he chooses to study and research and work on is what he feels passionate about and not something that is financial. We have the same problem in that way.

Researching a character like this
Is awesome! I love it! I’m a closeted nerd. I studied Richard Dawkins. I watched every lecture. He’s sort of the leading scientific atheist of our time. He’s very provocative. His whole thing is science over spirituality. He’s amazing, this boxer champion. He sets up these matches. He sits down for huge debates. He’s never turned down a fight. He wants to prove his point.

In the movie, Brit Marling tells you go to India, not to be afraid. It seems like that’s what a boxer would do.
Something amazing about that moment is it speaks to the power of Karen as a character. Some people tend to think that because the relationship with Sofi is very flashy, passionate, people think that he settled for Karen. It’s certainly not the way I played it. From the moment that they kiss in the movie, he knows that he’s going to be with this woman for the rest of his life.

This film has two relationships running parallel, two sides of the same coin. With Sofi, you vacillate between infatuation and anger. With Karen, it’s safer. What was it like embodying these two relationships in one movie?
It was fun. It was tricky. It was also really interesting to work with such specific actresses. They worked really differently.

How so?
Working with Astrid was more primal, instinctual. We ran the scenes a lot more. We work-shopped them. Brit, we discussed everything for hours. We talked and talked. Then, on set, things just came out. Brit and I have an intimate sex scene. It was a very passionate, aggressive, maybe something you wouldn’t think from those characters. 

I love the train scene and also the scene where you first meet Sofi. It reminds you that sometimes you don’t need dialogue.  How did you work with Mike to strip away the script?
We were workshopping the scene and it was something I suggested just as an exercise and he said, "That’s great, I want to do it like that."  Writers, directors often can get too precious with their words. 

What was a challenging scene for you? There are a few that come to mind.
This was a really challenging character for me. There was a lot of scientific jargon that I needed to learn really quickly. Also, I don’t really say lines that I don’t understand. Having a general idea of what they were trying to do in the lab, that was difficult.

What about the emotional side of things? At a certain point, Ian comes to a moment of faith. As an actor, you have to invest in that moment and get there too. Did you believe it as much as Ian did in that moment?
Some hairs stuck up on the back of my neck, definitely. We decided to base a lot of this character on Dawkins who’s very data, doesn’t believe in God, organized religion. It comes out of this love for science and wanting to move science forward. For years, there has been organized religion and leaders that have tried to stifle science. He’s trying to do the opposite. What’s amazing is what I said to Mike one day, "What if we could shake Dawkin’s tree? Then we’d really have something." That was the idea. One hopes that we succeeded.

Cahill presents this thing on the table: There’s science and there’s spirituality and we’ve been separating the two with this line. It suggests that the line may actually be a gap you can exist in.
Awesome. 

Did you feel like you came to that conclusion as well?
I do feel like I’m spiritual, without getting too personal. I definitely think it reinforced something that I believe. What I believe is that I might be idealistic that those things don’t have to be at war with each other. It’s counterproductive. It can block you spiritualty and scientifically. There’s a great book by the Dali Lama. I forget what it’s called. [Ed. note: The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality].

What he’s talking about is his religion and what’s amazing is that he’s never threatened by science. What I realized is that, in fact, in not challenging science, this guy really believes in what he’s talking about. In a weird way when people are not open to it, it makes me question their faith. Do they really believe?

That relates to another the question the film is asking: What happens after you die? Is Ian afraid that maybe there is an afterlife or worse, there isn’t’?
It’s a really interesting question. I guess evolution doesn’t disprove Christianity. It’s not something that has to be so—

Separated.
Yeah! There’s enough crap in the world. Not everyone should be at war. 

Do you feel like when you choose roles that it’s similar to how a scientist operates? Projects where you have something to investigate, to question?
Yeah. I mean, I’m really excited about the next five years of my career. I’ve put in my time and developed a good process and I’m psyched to put it to use.

What’s next?
I’m going to write films, star in films, direct films. Write records. Perform live.

You really enjoyed playing someone that actually exists. Is there anyone else you want to take on?
Fat Elvis. I’d love to play Fat Elvis.

What about plays? I know you started out doing some theatre.
I would love to do a play! I don’t sleep as it is. A play’s a really big commitment. I love the theatre. Any kind of skill I’ve developed has stemmed from that. It sounds really cliché, but it’s true. It’s really important to me that when I go on Broadway, I put myself in a position where I can kill it.

It will come, and I’ll be there!
Are they going to have to cart you out like Shia LaBeouf? [Laughs.]

Can you believe that? No. [Laughs.] Actually, in I Origins, a lot of his struggle is fear of failure, with Sofi, with science.  Just like you said with Broadway, you don’t want to fail. You want to do it right.
It’s not the fear of failure; it’s the fear of mediocrity. For me, one of the tricky things about being an actor and being selective is sometimes there are roles that are great, that you could do, but it’s not the next step. Really, it’s quality over quantity. I’m really adamant about that.

Meredith Alloway is a contributing writer. She tweets here

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