Even at such a young age Alix West Lefler is already building a considerable body of work. From a recurring role on Seasons 5 and 6 of Riverdale to guest spots on the good doctor and Resident Alien, Lefler proves himself to be a promising young actor. In our telephone interview we discuss her debut film role in The good nurse. “I’m super excited for everyone to see [the movie] and what we’ve all done with it,” she said. “It’s been two years since we filmed it, so it’s really exciting.”
Directed by Tobias Lindholm, with a screenplay by Krysty Wilson-Cairns (based on Charles Graeber’s book of the same name), The good nurse tells the true story of Nurse Amy Loughren (played by Jessica Chastain), a single mother balancing night shifts, parenting, and her worsening cardiomyopathy while helping investigate a string of deaths occurring on her ward. To make matters more complicated and dangerous, all clues lead to Charlie Cullen (played by Eddie Redmayne) as the prime suspect, someone who has effectively integrated herself into the lives of Amy and her daughters.
Creating the Mother Daughter Bond with Jessica Chastain
Lefler plays Alex, the older of the two Loughren children. Despite playing a real person, the young actor reveals that she couldn’t meet the real Alex the same way Chastain and Redymane could meet the real Amy (per Golden Derby). “Unfortunately, [Alex] had to be home with the kids,” Lefler said, “but I have her Instagram, and we’re doing DM [each other] a lot.’ Instead, Lefler leaned on Chastain to help create their on-screen mother-daughter bond. “She invited us to Central Park for a picnic. She brought lunch, cookies, sandwiches and snacks, and we sat there talking for about two hours.”
As much as The good nurse is a complex story of murder and friendship, the beating heart of the film is also the dynamic of the Loughren family. At the beginning of the film, we see that the rigors of single parenthood are felt as much by Alex as they are by Amy. The two have a poignant argument at a critical juncture over Amy’s demanding work schedule, particularly how it takes time to be together. When asked if Chastain gave her any advice on how to navigate the more emotionally demanding scenes, or on acting in general, Lefler said: “We were on that one day, talking about how to get into certain emotions. , and I said it’s like you have to be the part. Then we thought, ‘You don’t have to play the part, you have to be the part.’ And I kept that with me [since].”
About working with director Tobias Lindholm
“The collaboration with Tobias was brilliant,” Lefler said of the Danish filmmaker, who is making his English-language feature debut with The good nurse. Indeed, Lindholm brings a stillness and naturalism to this film that is ubiquitous in Scandinavian cinema, successfully capitalizing on the humanity of the story. “I loved his different way of directing. He improvised a lot, which I really liked because it gave a very natural touch. He made me want to come back every day.”
The good nurse had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, after which: Deadline calling it “one of the best shots of 2022,” calling Chastain and Redmayne “two of the strongest performances you’ll see all year.” It then opened in select theaters on October 21, ahead of Netflix’s release date, meaning it’s an exciting time for Lefler. Looking back on her time on the set, the young actor said it’s hard to pick a standout memory. “I loved every moment,” she said. But after taking a break to really think about it, she adds, “Probably the moment I met Eddie, Tobias and Jessica.”
The good nurse premieres on Netflix on October 26.