Adapting a memoir as creatively narrated as Lidia Yuknavitch’s The Chronology of Water is no small feat, but Kristen Stewart proved herself more than capable with her recent directorial debut. The film version stars English actress Imogen Poots as Lidia, a traumatized young woman finding herself through swimming and writing, and she is stunning in it, using Yuknavitch’s real story to inform a character that feels all Poots’s own.
Vogue spoke to Poots about diving deep into Yuknavitch’s body of work, bonding with Stewart because they’re “both sort of nerds,” embracing the juxtaposition inherent in her craft, and her fabulously floral plans for the holiday season.
Vogue: How did this project come to you?
Imogen Poots: Well, it came as a script, and then I made a tape. I met with Kristen and then I read the book after we spoke, and I just absolutely loved it. I’m always very happy when I’m reading, and it reminded me of some of my favorite writers; the lyricism of it felt very, very poetic, but also really accessible. Lidia’s not pretentious. She couldn’t be pretentious if she tried. I think that’s because she is authentically awestruck by the elements of humanity and nature. Her writing reminded me of Beatnik writers I’d loved, and then I read her other stuff, and the screenplay and that together were such complements to one another. Kristen was the perfect person to do it, you know? I mean, it’s funny, because Kristen actually hates getting wet—she’s like a cat. So the idea of her getting to do this film and sort of maintaining a dry state of being was a challenge for her, probably.
What was it like working with Kristen on her directorial debut?
It was so exciting. I was the most embarrassing level of awestruck at the idea of working together. I just adore her as a person. We have a real, easy, deep and pure friendship at this point, and I love her so much. It’s amazing to do something with someone where you’re just both really honest, and we’re both sort of nerds, and we both care a lot, and we goof around a lot, and that’s sort of the perfect person to go and make something with and do something hard with, as well, because the stakes are high. It was a very big experience for the both of us, and I think it’s impacted us since, which is cool.
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