(L to r) Naomie harris, Cate Blanchett and Tom Burke Star in Director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’.
Opening in theaters On March 14th is the new spy thriller ‘Black bag‘, which was written by David kopp ,Jurassic Park‘And’Mission: Impossible‘) And directed by Oscar Winning filmmaker Steven soderbergh ,Traffic‘And’The limey,
The film Stars Oscar Winner Cate Blanchett ,Blue jasmine, Michael Fassbeinder ,The Killer, Marisa Abela ,Back to Black, Naomie harris ,Skyfall, Regé-Jean Page ,The gray man, Tom Burke ,Living‘), and Pierce brosnan ,Goldenye,
Moviefone Recently had the pleasure of spending with categhett, naomie harris and tom burke about their work on ‘Black bag’, blanchett’s first reactions to the screenplay and expenses Burke’s characters’ motivations, and working with legendary filmmaker steven soderbergh.
Related Article: Every Steven Soderbergh Movie, Ranked!
Cate Blanchett Stars as Kathryn St. Jean in Director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’, A Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/focus features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
Moviefone: to begin with, category, can you talk about your first reaction to david kopp’s screenplay and the opoportus to explore this intriguing marriage dynemic betteren george and cataurge?
Cate Blanchett: Yes, well, I’d alredy agreed to do it before I read the script, because obvious when you know david koepp is written it and steven soder Great adventure. So, then Steven Said He Wanted Michael (FASSBENEDER) to play george, i went, “oh, that’s perfect.” But I was surprised by just how elusive their relationship was, but also how the absolute bedrock of their relationship is that that they would die for each other. I find that Deeply Romantic, and Particularly after they’ve been togeether a long time. They’ve clealy decided not to have children and they’re devoted to their work. But the only thing thing to more devoted to more is each other. So, I think that there was an intensely romantic thing at the heart of this film, which wasning you necessarily associate with a texture in the movies that Steven makes.
(L to r) naomie harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughn and Cate Blanchett as Kathryn St. Jean in Director Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’, A Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/focus features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
MF: Naomie, Can You Talk About Your Approach to Playing Zoe, And Since She is a therapist to a group of spies, can she truly truly trust Anything they say, and how not does she navigate that?
Naomie harris: Well, I think she must be two steps ahead of them. I mean, she’s immensely intuitive, insightful and hugly intelligent, as well as being a little corrupt and slightly unorthodox in her methods. She’s basically created her own way of working in that environment where morality rules do’t matter. All that matters are results. Are the spies mentally sound and are they staying on mission? That’s it for her.
(L to r) Tom burke as freddie smalls and michael fassbender as george woodhouse in director steven soderbergh’s ‘black bag’, a focus features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/focus features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
Mf: Tom, can you talk about how freddie’s personal life is affecting his professional life?
TB: Yeah, I mean, it’s allded to in the dialyogue and in everything that happy, I suppose, as well. You do feel like amid what be an incrededibly careful and focused skill Else. That’s very interesting to play trust it seems like a paradox, but also it makes sense that somebody like that that might be drawn to a high-ruisk career. It’s to kind of accummodate that need or that drive.
(L to r) Actor Michael Fassbinder and Director Steven soderbergh on the set of ‘Black bag’, a focus features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/focus features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
Mf: Tom, as an actor, what is it like on a steven soderbergh set? What was he like to work with as a director?
TB: He has an amazing undersrstanding of how to optimize whats are bringing to each Scene and it’s not least to do with energy and time. I don’t know if i’ve ever see that handled Quite so caringly or felt that handled Quite so carrying.
Director Steven soderbergh on the set of ‘Black bag’, a focus features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/focus features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
MF: Cate, you’ve worked with steven soderbergh before, how was this experience Simlar or different than the last time you worked togethr?
CB: Well, we’D worked togeether years ago on a film called ‘The Good German‘, which I think about three and a half people. But which steven has said is one movie he was so complete happy with, and it was such an interesting experience for me. So, it was just a deepening of that experience. He’s so economical and so relaxed while he gives time to people to do what they do. So, he’s very respected to every single department and grateful to every single department who are working towards making the movie great. What he doesn’t have any truck for is people who are lazy and unprepered. So, he makes you really want to brings your best for him. You want to be ready. If you say to Him, “I Need to Go Again”, He’ll Go, “Don’t worry about it, I’m only going to use the four frames,” because he’s editing in his head. I mean, he’s like a machine with the biggest heart. You know, he really cares about the actors that he works with and every single member of the crew. So, before I worked with Him, I don’t think I could even imagine that those two parts of a cinema artist would coexist as healthy as they do in Him.
(L to r) Regé-Jean Page as Col. James Stokes, Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughn and Michael Fassbeinder as George Woodhouse in Director Soderbergh’s ‘Black Bag’, A Focus Features release. Credit: Claudette Barius/focus features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.
MF: Finally, Naomie, What Surprised You About Working With Steven Soderbergh?
Nh: I think one of the shocking things for me about working with stepn was just how much freedom he gives to actors. He truly casts well and then he complete trusts you to make of the characters what you will. I’ve Never Had that Much Liberty. So, in the beginning I was really intimidated by it. But then it’s such a liberating and an Empowering Experience Where you’re just like, this person believes in me so much that I can make any choice that I want. So, I really learned a lot from working with him.
“It takes a spy to hunt a spy.”
From Director Steven Soderbergh, Black Bag is a Gripping Spy Drama about Legendary Intelligence Agents George Woodhouse and His Beloved Wife Kathryn. When she is … Read the plot
What’s the story of ‘black bag’?
‘Black Bag’ follows legendary intelligence agents george Woodhouse (Michael Fassbinder) and his beloved wife kathryn (Cate Blanchett).
When she is suspended of betraying the nation, george faces the ultimate test – Loyalty to his marriage or his country.
Who also Stars in ‘Black Bag’?
- Cate Blanchett as Kathryn Woodhouse
- Michael Fassbeinder as George Woodhouse
- Marisa Abela as Clarissa Dubose
- Tom burke as freddie smalls
- Naomie harris as Dr. Zoe vaughan
- Regé-Jean Page as Col. James Stokes
- Pierce brosnan as arthur stieglitz
Oscar® Nominee Steven Soderbergh Arrives on the Red Carpet of the 93rd Oscars® at Un Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, APRIL 25, 2021.
