In Snowpiercer, Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s first Hollywood film, Tilda Swinton plays Minister Mason, the phlegmy, sniveling mouthpiece of the “front of the train.†While she might already look unrecognizable with her prosthetic nose, dentures, and wig, Swinton originally wanted a more severe getup, according to her director. “Even that was the result of having stopped her! She had something weirder on,†Bong told Vulture in Korean at the film’s premiere at the Museum of Modern Art. What was that? “She had her nose up completely to make a pig’s nose,†he said pulling his own nose up with his thumb. Eventually he had to tell her, “Ah, it’s too much! Please, let’s stop.â€
Even without the nose, Swinton’s Minister Mason embodies much of Bong’s dark comedic style, and he couldn’t have been more pleased while working with her. “The even more shocking thing was that even with all of those things stuck on her face, she could still emote and create such natural facial expressions,†he said. “Tilda Swinton is the best. She’s not just an actor, but a creator.†And a good dinner companion. “We had dinner, conversed while drinking. Tilda drinks well.â€