Emma Stone Is Giving The Performance Of The Year And You Need To See It
Emma Stone has taken the idea of a complex character to a new level in Showtime’s new hit series, The Curse. Indie Wire expertly breaks down Stone’s Whitney Siegel character, and takes a deep-dive into her psyche as she grapples with the difficulties of maintaining an on-screen persona as co-host of her problematic new HGTV show, Flipanthropy.
If you haven’t yet watched The Curse, but want to witness a masterclass in how to show a viewer what’s going on inside somebody’s mind, then you absolutely have to pick up what Emma Stone is throwing down in the cringe-inducing series.
The Curse Is A Black Comedy
The Curse is a twisted satirical black comedy thriller that has been making waves since its premiere last month. Co-starring Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder, the series centers on a newly married couple struggling to conceive a child while trying to get their New-Mexico-based HGTV show, Flipanthropy, picked up by the network. But the series subverts viewer expectations when it becomes clear that Whitney’s motives aren’t necessarily coming from a virtuous place.
Whitney’s Complex Personality
Though Flipanthropy is very much a show about helping the small New Mexico community of Española by offering passive and sustainable housing, Whitney’s sense of community building is more about maintaining appearances in The Curse. As Whitney and Asher’s show gets picked up for 10 episodes, the production becomes problematic. Whitney, who wants to appear helpful rather than actually being helpful, has a complex personality that is illuminated by Emma Stone’s performance.
One of the golden rules of writing is to show without telling, and Emma Stone has taken this art form to a new level in The Curse. When Whitney is at odds with the producers, potential buyers, and even her husband on the Flipanthropy set, it’s not what she says, but her facial expressions that tell you everything you need to know. Through the use of silent communication as a means to tell Whitney’s story, it becomes apparent that she’s caught between trying to appear virtuous while protecting her own self-interests.
Emma Stone’s Performance In Episode 5
In The Curse’s most recent episode, “It’s a Good Day,” Emma Stone shows us the depths of Whitney’s neuroses while dealing with a buyer named Mark. At first, Whitney writes Mark off as a potential buyer because she doesn’t like the Blue Lives Matter bumper sticker on his car. But when Mark makes a case for himself, and it becomes apparent that he’s dedicated himself to the passive home concept and pursuing charitable causes, it becomes clear that he’s the right buyer for the property.
Brilliant Use Of Visual Dialogue
Constantly worried about her reputation, Emma Stone’s Whitney brings The Curse to a whole new level through the use of visual dialogue. It’s clear that her ego has taken a hit, but her anger is silent rather than explicit. On the surface, she wants to appear like a compassionate figure on her show. But once the camera turns off, her real motives become clear, and this method of storytelling makes for some profoundly awkward moments that will only cause more tension as the series progresses.
First Five Episodes Now On Showtime
The Curse is a train wreck of a series that has been turning heads since its November 12, 2023 premiere. But the series’ first five episodes have demonstrated that it’s a train wreck worth watching thanks to the performances of Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder. Though cringe comedy isn’t for everyone, The Curse has elevated itself above its contemporaries by showing us that behind every seemingly altruistic personality, there are inner demons hard at work just beneath the surface.
Episode six of The Curse, entitled “The Fire Burns On,” will premiere on Showtime on December 10, 2023.
