Exclusive Interview: Laura Benanti Talks ‘The Shade,’ the Film’s Poignant Themes, Taking Agency, Motherhood, and More

Laura Benanti is a multifaceted storyteller who has harnessed her talent and powerful voice to create art that transcends entertainment, leaving a lasting impression on audiences. Whether through her dynamic performances on Broadway, her heartfelt portrayals on television, or her witty and resonant work as a writer, Benanti infuses every role she inhabits and every narrative she shapes with a rare depth and authenticity. While she jokingly thinks Nobody Cares, we’re here to tell her—Laura, we do, we really do.

In her latest feature, The Shade, Laura Benanti steps beyond her comfort zone into the eerie world of horror and the supernatural. The film offers a powerful and timely exploration of family, grief, and mental health. Co-written and directed by Tyler Chipman, the award-winning story follows twenty-year-old Ryan (Chris Galust), who grapples with a debilitating anxiety disorder after his father’s death. As an ancient darkness closes in, Ryan and his brothers must confront the destructive forces threatening their family.

Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Laura about The Shade, the film’s poignant themes, taking agency and infusing her own experiences with motherhood into her character, her special Nobody Cares, and more.

PC: In addition to the incredible work you’ve done on screen and stage, you’re also a writer. When you’re working on a project where you’re solely acting, what do you look for in a script? What was it about Tyler’s words that resonated with you?
Laura: The main thing for me is that it’s not just a jump-scare movie. It’s not a horror movie where people are just getting stabbed for no reason. There’s a metaphor, and that metaphor is mental health. The monster outside is actually the monster within. That’s a really poignant subject to explore through a genre people watch to feel their pulse quicken. Similar to comedy—comedy opens people’s hearts so the message can be slipped in. It’s the same with horror because you’re disarmed, and in some ways, you’re better able to absorb what you’re being fed. In this case, it’s a beautifully cinematic movie that takes its time. It’s so well-written. I’m not talking about myself, but I also think it’s really well-acted.

This particular character I play has been through so much, yet she manages to show up for her children in a meaningful way. The heartbreak of a mother who lost her husband and is watching her children suffer is a multidimensional experience that I think exists more than we realize in this world. We’re in a mental health crisis right now in our culture. I have a lot of theories as to why, but there are more mothers than not who are worried about their children right now.

PC: You’ve described motherhood as beautiful, terrifying, and relentless, where all you want to do is protect your children, and sometimes that means lying. But as you mentioned, you’re portraying a character whose family is battling grief and trauma head-on and trying to shield her children from that pain, though she isn’t always able to. As an actress, how did you create the emotional space to explore that vulnerability? Because as an audience member, you immediately feel for these characters.
Laura: First of all, thank you so much for listening to my show. That means so much to me. For you to remember that specific thing—I really appreciate you. I appreciate you listening, remembering, and bringing that up. That makes me feel emotional. Thank you.

To answer your question, I was a very anxious child, and it’s still something I deal with in my life. I was telling another journalist earlier that when you have anxiety, it never really goes away. It’s always just there. Sometimes it’s louder than other times, but it’s about learning to live with it. We can’t get rid of it. You can’t throw that shade in the garbage—it’s not happening. But it can get smaller, smaller, and smaller. The question is, how do you keep it the right size?

For me, it was about tapping into those feelings I had when I didn’t know how to make it smaller or quieter—those feelings of anxiety, panic, and fight or flight. It really does feel like you’re in a horror movie. I tapped into those emotions, which isn’t always pleasant to do, but in some ways, it can be cathartic for me as an actor and, hopefully, for the viewer too.

PC: Speaking of that special, you also share this beautiful anecdote about how it’s not your children’s job to like you all the time, and it’s one of your privileges as a mother to give without expectation—to hear, “I hate you,” and still say, “I love you.” That feels like the perfect way to describe the dynamic between your character and her son, Ryan, where their relationship is so rooted in love, but there’s a lot of push and pull. What was it like working with Chris to explore that contrast and build the trust needed between the two of you, particularly in that scene about halfway through the film when she checks in on him?
Laura: It’s funny—Chris and I didn’t get a lot of time together. We had maybe two or three days, so there wasn’t much time for that trust-building. In a way, I think that worked in our favor because the fragility of their relationship was so evident. I hope the love I feel for him was clear, and his inability to fully accept that love. In some ways, it was probably best that we didn’t have a lot of time to bond too closely. Again, I think there are more mothers than not who are deeply worried about their children right now.

PC: Tyler co-wrote and directed this project. How different is that filming experience when the person who created this narrative and these characters is also the one directing? What was it like working with him?
Laura: He’s a joy. Being on a movie with a writer-director who’s a delight is really nice. Frankly, it’s a relief to have the director also be the writer—they know exactly what they want. I would much rather have a director who says, “This is what I want,” than be left guessing, or have them trying to figure it out by talking to the writer, which can lead to misinterpretations. I really enjoyed working with him and the clarity he brought to that collaboration.

PC: Speaking of that collaboration, there’s an interesting discussion right now about the balance between drawing from lived experiences and stepping into a world of make-believe. Tyler does a fantastic job capturing the maternal bond between your character and her three sons, but there are so many nuances to those relationships. I know you’re in an era of taking agency. How were you able to do just that with your character and infuse your own experiences of motherhood to bring authenticity to the screen?
Laura: Your questions are so good. I want you to know that not all interviews are like this. I appreciate you. Every actor has a different path, a different way into a character. I think as human beings, we love to judge how others do things, especially with the internet. Everyone thinks they know the right way. Everyone has the hack, the secret. But there’s no one right way to do anything. I might approach things very differently from another actor. I need to take my time. I’m not one of those people who can laugh and joke, and then, when they call “action,” suddenly start sobbing. I need to go into a different space, meditate, and tap into the parts of me that are willing to exorcize themselves. I’m not in character all the time—I’m not method. I like to have lunch with everyone, laugh, and talk. But as actors, it’s our job to be malleable, to be chameleons. It’s an honor that we get to do that.

PC: That connection you have to your character is why we’ve seen so many great performances throughout your career. One of the beautiful things about film and art is its ability to make audiences feel less alone. You touched on the importance of talking about mental health. Through this film and your special Nobody Cares, you’re starting a lot of necessary conversations about topics that historically may have been considered taboo. Why has it been so important to you as a storyteller to bring that awareness throughout your career?
Laura: I don’t know if you’ve heard the phrase, “We’re only as sick as our secrets.” We’re a shame-based society, and out of that shame comes behavior that we’re not ultimately proud of. Almost all of us want to do well. I don’t mean be successful or rich, but we want to be good. In this social media age, everyone presents themselves in a curated way, especially young people, and that’s dangerous. For me, it’s about moving beyond mystique, moving beyond what we’re supposed to talk about, and addressing things that used to make me feel shame.

For a long time, I felt a lot of shame about having multiple marriages. I carried that shame with me. But by talking about it in a humorous way, I was able to process it and gain acceptance for myself. Through that acceptance, I’ve grown. I’ve always been empathetic, but now I’m even more empathetic—and, more importantly, more accepting of other people and their choices. I’ve reached a point where I’m trying to learn how to be myself without expectation. I can share my experiences, like a miscarriage, without expecting a specific response. Mostly, it’s because I don’t want people to feel alone, because I’ve felt alone in those situations. If there’s any way I can use my small platform, my small public presence, to help others feel less alone, then that’s what I want to do.

PC: You’re not giving yourself enough credit. The transparency you’ve brought throughout your performances and career is so refreshing, and it’s something we don’t see very often. To follow up on that, I know artists often want audiences to take away their own meaning from different projects, but for you, what did you take away from this experience?
Laura: I’m very afraid. Films like this scare me. It’s not my genre because I feel things deeply, and the darkness of it really affects me. For me, it was about finding internal resilience and, frankly, remembering that this is pretend—even though the subject matter, like mental health, is very real. It was about creating some distance and boundaries for myself between what’s pretend and where I am in my life right now. I also saw this as an opportunity to be part of something I wouldn’t normally do because I was so drawn to the script and its message. It was a chance for me to remind myself, “Ma’am, you’re a grown-up. This is pretend. You’re going to be okay, and you can go home, release this, and not carry it around.”

To keep up with Laura, follow her on Instagram. The Shade is out in select theaters now.

Photo Credit: Jenny Anderson