In Richard Linklater‘s masterful BOYHOOD, Patricia Arquette plays the mother of Ellar Coltrane’s Mason Jr., who thanks to Linklater’s creative decision to film the movie over the course of 12 years, grows before our very eyes in two-and-a-half-hours. Arquette’s character grows during that span too, of course, and it’s a testament to her talent that she’s clearly able to maintain a grip on the character’s intense, vulnerable personality traits throughout – even if she would revisit the character once a year for only a short while.
In the interview below, Arquette talks about seeing the film for the first time, the technique she used to get into the character’s head year-in and year-out, and building a family dynamic with her co-stars.