When Peter Sarsgaard pulled off an enormous upset in Venice, profitable the competition’s prestigious Volpi Cup for finest actor for his transferring efficiency in Reminiscence, his costar Jessica Chastain celebrated the second of a long-celebrated character actor moving into the highlight. “He has generously shined a light-weight on different artists all through his profession,” she stated. “The competition has now acknowledged him, and in doing so, celebrates a real artist.”

Whereas Sarsgaard has loved a protracted and diversified profession—portraying Hamlet off-Broadway, villains in hit status TV reveals (The Killing), complicated leads in indie dramas (Experimenter)—it’s true that this was a brand new type of stage for him. (He obtained his first Emmy nomination simply final 12 months for Dopesick.) Sitting down for an in-depth interview in Toronto, the place Reminiscence made its North American premiere mere days after its Venice launch, the actor informed me he’s at present experiencing “probably the most pleasure about something I’ve ever finished.” But, true to the precise spirit Chastain was describing, he’s reluctant to get into that an excessive amount of.

Sarsgaard has been round. He is aware of these waves come and go. He reiterates that his notices for Michel Franco’s beautiful movie, during which he performs a person with early on-set dementia who falls for a hard-edged grownup caregiver (Chastain), are a credit score to his director’s delicate filmmaking and to Chastain’s collaboration, from when she first really useful him for the function. And he admits to selling the movie at a dangerous second, his union on strike endlessly. (Reminiscence has secured a SAG-AFTRA interim settlement, allowing its solid to do press, and is in search of U.S. distribution.)

So whereas Sarsgaard is completely happy for a satisfying, difficult challenge to fulfill this kind of ecstatic response, it’s not the place his thoughts is at. He’s wanting ahead to showing in his spouse Maggie Gyllenhaal’s subsequent film, which is able to shoot in March pending a strike decision, and to getting extra concerned in his guild’s struggle for a good deal. He’s spoken to actors who’re scared, who questioned his willingness to go to Venice and Toronto within the first place. However as he places it to me, he’s unafraid to say precisely what’s on his thoughts: “I’ve acquired nothing to lose.”

Vainness Truthful: You by no means know the way a film’s going to play, particularly when it premieres close to the top of a competition. Then you definately wind up profitable finest actor.

Peter Sarsgaard: Awards, they simply enchantment to this very younger a part of all of us. They’re very nice. They’re good like ice cream is sweet. I’m very conscious of that. I’m largely involved concerning the movie. I actually need this film to be seen by as many individuals as potential, as a result of I really assume it’s a movie that might resonate with lots of people, actually. “You assume, oh, it’s an impartial film and I’m in it.” Possibly you assume it’s going to be one thing that this isn’t; that is stuffed with a type of pleasure.

What do you imply by “I’m in it?”

I don’t know, I’ve finished a good quantity of—nicely, I’m not murdering anybody right here.