Sarandon on Authenticity, Aging, and Saying Yes to Fear at Venice

VENICE — Susan Sarandon says her strong sense of self has been hard won. The 79-year-old actor, known for films like Thelma & Louise and Dead Man Walking, is at the Venice Film Festival with her latest project, the romantic drama The Echo Chamber.

In an interview, Sarandon reflected on the pressures of being a woman in Hollywood. "Every time, as a woman especially, at least 50 percent of why you're going to be hired has something to do with the way you look or your sex appeal or your charisma," she said. Over time, she explained, one learns to strip away the outer expectations and return to "the essence of who you are," though maintaining that authenticity is a constant challenge.

The Echo Chamber, directed by Italian filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro, is based on the final screenplay by the late Bernardo Bertolucci, who died in 2018. The film, nominated for the Golden Lion, follows the love story of Leo and Anne, played by Luca Marinelli and Alicia Vikander. Sarandon plays Ava, an aging singer.

Sarandon admitted she initially turned down the role, feeling the script's improvisational tone required someone with deeper musical knowledge. But director Pallaoro was insistent, and she eventually agreed. The songs, she said, were difficult to sing, especially in the low, scratchy register she adopted to reflect the wear on Ava's voice over the years.

Aging, Sarandon said, is a central theme of the film. She recalled a conversation with her doctor about memory loss, who told her that as people age, the brain's focus shifts from minutiae to the bigger picture. "I said, oh, like wisdom," she recounted. "We can see the grand scheme of things whereas a young person can't see that far into the future." Ava's journey, she noted, is largely about accepting where she is now.

Sarandon also spoke about her personal philosophy in later life. "The last 10 years or so of my life, I've just been trying to say yes to everything that frightens me," she said, citing new film skills and a three-month stage run at London's Old Vic without a microphone. She expressed sadness at people who lose their curiosity as they age, saying it makes dating boring. "Life should be an adventure, right, especially once your kids are out."