Léa Seydoux Discusses 'The Unknown' and Her Role in Arthur Harari's Body-Swap Film at New York Film Festival

Léa Seydoux stars in Arthur Harari's new film 'The Unknown,' which premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and is currently showing at the New York Film Festival. The film, based on a graphic novel, follows David, a Parisian photographer played by Niels Schneider, who after a sexual encounter with a mysterious woman (Seydoux) wakes up in her body. Harari, an Oscar-winning cowriter of 'Anatomy of a Fall,' developed the story for years before shooting. Seydoux, who has appeared in the Mission: Impossible, James Bond, and Dune franchises, also has two other films in festival circulation this season: the Zellner brothers' 'Alpha Gang' and Marie Kreutzer's 'Gentle Monster,' which will stream on Netflix in November. She is drawn to projects with a metaphysical dimension, citing Bertrand Bonello's 2024 film 'The Beast' as another example. Seydoux prefers films that allow viewers to form their own interpretations, stating, 'I don't like films when the director tells you how to think.' She notes she never trained formally and doesn't consider herself a technical performer, instead describing her approach as living inside a character's emotions. Regarding beauty and fame, she acknowledges their fleeting nature: 'I'm conscious of the fragility of things. It's éphémère anyway.' 'The Unknown' is set for release early next year.