Emma Stone, Movie, Emma Stone Bugonia performance [Image Source: GIZMODO]
Emma Stone’s radical transformation in the new film Bugonia captures audiences’ attention as she portrays a pharmaceutical CEO kidnapped under bizarre circumstances, an act central to the movie’s theme and its unique cinematography. The Emma Stone Bugonia performance serves as the centerpiece of Yorgos Lanthimos’s latest project, which debuted in Henley-on-Thames, England, and draws on a blend of ancient myth, dark comedy, and social satire.
Bees and Metaphor Launch the Strange Tale
Bugonia opens with lingering shots of bees, a deliberate homage to a Greek belief that bees are born from cows’ carcasses. This symbolic starting point introduces viewers to a narrative where Stone’s character is held hostage by Jesse Plemons’ character, who believes she is not of this world. This ancient metaphor weaves through the plot, supporting the sense of strangeness and alienation that marks both the story and its style.
Robbie Ryan’s Craft Behind the Lens
Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan, who is Oscar-nominated and known for previous collaborations with Lanthimos including The Favourite and Poor Things, played a vital role in shaping the film’s look. Ryan emphasized the importance of bees to the film’s meaning and ultimate impact, noting their presence on set during production at Henley-on-Thames, just outside London.
Image of: Emma Stone
“The film is about a whole universe that is alien to us, while we’re alien to the bees,”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer. Reflecting the film’s otherworldly perspective, the crew wore full bee suits for the beekeeping scenes, appearing like “spacemen landing on another planet.”
“It was a protected space and the whole crew had to zip up into bee suits. So we literally looked like spacemen landing on another planet as we went up the hill to film all those opening shots of the bees pollinating flowers in nature. And getting those shots isn’t always achievable in an instant. You have to be observant.”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer.
This patience and observational style has defined Ryan’s career, including his visual work with celebrated auteurs Ken Loach—director of I, Daniel Blake—and Andrea Arnold, known for films such as American Honey and Fish Tank. Ryan’s approach to capturing the true atmosphere extends to his handling of the unusual and restrictive shooting conditions in Bugonia.
Emma Stone’s Drastic Transformation for the Role
Bugonia adapts the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! and reimagines it for a new audience. Much of the action unfolds in a stark basement setting, where Stone’s character is bound and her appearance dramatically altered—her head shaved and covered in antihistamine cream in a plot-driven attempt to hide her from supposed alien pursuers. Stone underwent the radical step of fully shaving her head for the part, which Ryan decided to showcase without overdone lighting enhancements.
“There’s that classic John Cassavetes quote: ‘The greatest location in the world is the human face,’”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer.
“And the idea of Emma Stone looking how she does, that’s a very striking image all on its own. When I think of “Bugonia,”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer. The striking visual of Stone’s bald head and gaze became a defining feature for the movie’s poster and a symbol of her intense immersion into the character.
Ryan emphasized his intention to reveal Stone in a raw, unfiltered state as a key part of the film’s aesthetic. Lanthimos advised a lighting plan that revealed more of the basement with each scene, literally and metaphorically uncovering more of Stone’s character as the plot developed.
“It’s not often that Yorgos tells me too much about anything,”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer. Lanthimos’s direction led to a gradual unveiling within the basement that paralleled the narrative’s revelations.
“So the room starts out with one fluorescent light. Then there’s another light in the next scene. You are introduced to more and more of the basement as the film goes on. Within a few more scenes, as Emma’s character is exploring the space, you’re more than halfway through the whole basement.”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer.
Unexpected Visual Flourishes and Style
The technical aspects of the shoot supported striking images, as Ryan and his crew used VistaVision film in a 1.50:1 aspect ratio, allowing for rich, immersive visuals. An unplanned shot of the basement stairs resulted in a vibrant, scarlet hue cast by pink insulation—an effect they embraced due to the film stock and lighting set-up.
“We were using daytime film stock and our tungsten light bulb created this red blob of light in that space,”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer.
“We couldn’t extract the color, so instead we just leaned into it. And it seemed to fit in with what’s happening at that point in the story.”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer. This moment of serendipity enhanced the mood and tension during a crucial scene, contributing to the movie’s unconventional palette and atmosphere.
The Signature Dark Humor of Lanthimos
Lanthimos’s signature tone shines through, balancing dark themes with a vein of absurd, almost deadpan humor, particularly in the early sequence showing the clumsy abduction of Stone’s character from her home’s driveway. Ryan chose to film this event from a distance, adding to the sense of awkward comedy.
“With an action scene like that, you don’t want to be amongst it,”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer.
“It’s funnier when it’s observational. And I can’t say enough about how much Yorgos thinks with an editorial mind when he’s filming. He’s so tuned in to what will work in the finished film.”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer.
The director’s close collaboration with Stone resulted in a distinctive visual and emotional experience that has come to define Lanthimos’s work, with Bugonia standing alongside previous films such as Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness.
Collaborative Growth and Audience Impact
For Ryan, each day on a Lanthimos set remains a lesson in adapting to creative challenges and pushing cinematic boundaries.
“feels like I’m on a learning curve every day on a Yorgos set,”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer. This collaborative tension between director and cinematographer is a driving force behind the intense, provocative nature of Stone’s on-screen presence in Bugonia and the overall impact on viewers.
“This one is telling us off for being totally blind to what’s going on and asks, essentially, if the human race should exist,”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer.
“It’s starting a conversation, which all good movies do, and it’s rewarding for us to be a part of.”
Robbie Ryan, Cinematographer.
The result is a film that not only centers on an extraordinary Emma Stone Bugonia performance but also challenges viewers to question their perspective, using an unpredictable blend of dark satire and visual experimentation. With key figures such as Oscar-winner Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Robbie Ryan at its core, the film is set to spark discussion about humanity and the alien within.
