Myha'la Herrold Says Julia Roberts Was The Best On-Set Mom During "Leave The World Behind"
Even though Leave The World Behind is a fictional story, it feels eerily familiar. The film follows a family who's enjoying a Long Island vacation until a global blackout brings the owners of their rental house back. With themes of isolation vs. community and trust vs. fear, the Leave The World Behind movie — which stars Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, and Myha'la Herrold — is a multi-faceted grouping of a variety of issues that are more top-of-mind than ever right now.
"We as human beings contain multitudes [and] complex things, to me, are actually the most honest," Herrold says during the official Netflix press junket. "I find characters who are one thing to be quite boring and stifling, and actually not very human. So people who hold duality and contradictions, I get them because I myself hold those things. So I actually find it a bit easier to find the humanity in characters and stories that are complex, that do contradict themselves."
Who does Myha'la Herrold play in Leave The World Behind?
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Myha’la as Ruth and Mahershala Ali as G.H. Image via Netflix.
Herrold's character Ruth serves as one of those complex individuals, but she felt connected with her right off the bat because of how similar they are.
"I think if I were in her scenario, I would've behaved the same way," Herrold says of Ruth's distrust and frustration throughout the film. "I appreciate Ruth's impotence and her resilience, you know what I mean? She really stood on business from day one. She was like, 'This is what it is, and I see you for who you are.' And at the same time, it takes her a little while, but she does also allow for some vulnerability and to see the humanity in other people as well."
Forming connections on set
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023) Myha’la as Ruth and Julia Roberts as Amanda. Image via Netflix.
Ruth clashes most frequently with Julia Roberts' Amanda, but the actress' experience on-set couldn't be further from that — and not just because she was surrounded by so many iconic actors. ("I'm always learning from my environment, from the people around me, particularly paying attention to people who have had the joy of a long career," she says.)
There's one day in particular Herrold remembers very fondly. "We spent a lot of time [at the kitchen table], me and Julia," she says. "But we were sat there and I had a headache that wouldn't go away. And we sat there in between the millionth take of whatever it was, and she grabbed my hand and massaged [a trigger point right here]."
"It was so nurturing and she didn't have to do that," Herrold continues. "But it just was such a clear gesture to say, 'We are safe here together. We're both in the same boat.' I never felt from any of these people on this set that I was juniorized or that they didn't respect me as a peer...It really, really meant a lot to me."
What is the point of Leave the World Behind?
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (2023).Mahershela Ali as G.H., Myha’la Herrold as Ruth, Julia Roberts as Amanda and Ethan Hawke as Clay. Image via JoJo Whilden/Netflix.
That connection shines through onscreen, and while Leave The World Behind might have some eerie details in it, it's driven by a strong sense of hope, humanity, and community. "I'm a glass all the way, full optimist kind of human being," Herrold says. "And I think if hope wasn't stronger than despair or doubt, we would've been gone a long time ago. So as creepy crawly as this film is, we're hoping that people are also left with like, 'Okay, if we collectively decided to change some behaviors, we could turn this thing around.'"
Watch our full interview with Leave The World Behind's Myha'la Herrold on YouTube, and check out the rest of our Winter Movie Preview.
Lead image via Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
