From the moment Tilda Swinton and Pedro Almodóvar crossed paths at a party in Los Angeles, a creative bond was formed. This connection developed into their collaboration The human voice in 2020 and now Almodóvar’s English-language feature debut, The room next door. In it, Swinton plays a woman battling terminal cancer who enlists an old friend (played by Julianne Moore) to help her die with dignity. True to Almodóvar’s acclaimed work, the film offers a profound meditation on the human experience, the intimate bonds we form, and the ways we deal with mortality. After winning the Golden Lion for Best Film at this year’s Venice Film Festival, the poignant drama earned Swinton a Golden Globe nomination. With an Oscar win for her in 2007 Michael Claytonthe 64-year-old could well be on her way to another.

What was your first interaction with Pedro Almodóvar?

We first met on the sidelines of a big Hollywood party. We didn’t say anything, but we both looked up and realized we were in the same alien mode. It was like a South Park Dream, with Liza Minnelli over there and Angelina Jolie over there, and we both watched the party as a performance and marveled that we had found our way there – that we were allowed to be there. We caught each other’s eye for a moment and it was a great complicity. We felt so familiar.

And then they started working together.

Yes, and honestly I hope it never ends.

Almodóvar has said that one of the things he admires about you is the way you can give yourself so completely to the artist and still maintain a strong personality.

In CaravaggioIn the very first film I made with Derek Jarman, I played the model of an artist, and in many ways that’s how I think of myself. I recognize that I’m an artist too, but I feel dedicated to the project and mine Comrades very connected and in the service of my fellow human beings. I’m never alone – I’m always drumming with my friends.

They also had some really character-defining costumes. I’m thinking about Michael Clayton and these stockings.

The most exotic role I ever took on was the role of corporate lawyer Michael Clayton. Playing a 400-year-old immortal was easy, but playing a New York lawyer – that was a challenge.

Are you more of a cat or a dog?

I’m happy to say I live surrounded by dogs, but perhaps I’m quite cat-like. Recently I’ve been thinking that when I’m alone – and my kids are now 27, so I’m alone more than I used to be – I’m in a tidier home than I used to be. I thought, maybe I’m more of a cat than a dog. I am resilient: I can lick my paws and take care of myself. And taking care of myself is very important to me. But I’m a cat who likes to be surrounded by dogs.

You are the greatest traveler.

Oh god – I love it. I often don’t know which planet I’m on. But it’s not so bad to wake up and not know where you are! What day is today? Which country? What language? It is a great luxury and I am very grateful for it.

Are you superstitious?

In a way. I like to count in increments of seven. If I need something, there are seven. I probably won’t need seven, but that’s where I’m going, of course. I don’t know if seven is my lucky number. It’s just my attitude.

Which movie makes you cry?

A question of life and deathwith David Niven and Kim Hunter. It’s the scene where she’s talking to him over the radio when he crash-lands in the first scene. Also, Ring of bright water. It’s based on this classic book by the great Gavin Maxwell, a travel writer who went to a very remote cottage on the west coast of Scotland (in a place called Sandaig) and lived with wild otters. Disney made a film about it in the 1960s. They made it a bit Disney-inspired. It is sublime and incredibly, tragically sad. If you make a children’s film and make people fall in love with an otter, you can imagine what happens in the end. You cry uncontrollably, as you should.

Style Director: Allia Alliata di Montereale. Hair for portfolio by Paul Hanlon at Dawes & Co.; Makeup for Portfolio by Sam Visser at Art Partner; Manicures for Portfolio by Michelle Saunders James. Set design by Gerard Santos in Lalaland.

Creative producer of Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott: Leonard Cuinet-Petit at January Productions; Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott producer: Kevin Isabelle; produced by AP Studio, Inc.; Executive Producer: Alexis Piqueras; Producer: Anneliese Kristedja; Associate Producer: Kimmy D’Ancona; Production Manager: Hayley Stephon; Production Coordinators: Miranda Dos Santos, Susan Lucas; Photo Assistants: John Neate, Jed Barnes, Chris Whitaker, Kendall Peck; Digital technician: Niccolo Pacilli; digital assistant: Cassian Gray; post-production by Dreamer Post Production; Fashion Assistants: Tyler VanVranken, Molly Cody, Celeste Roh, Raea Palmieri, Tatiana Isshac, Haleigh Nickerson, Lauren Marron, Savannah Steilner, Sage McKee, Frankie Benkovic, Kaley Azambuja, Tatum Sanchez; Production Assistants: Gigi Rosenfield, Lily Cordingley, Eli Cash, Lex Vaughn, Anderson Renno, Kat Saravia, Kyle Dekker, Wyatt Noble, Brandon Martin, Moose Krupski, Josh Muwwakkil, Bradley Gonsalves, Drew Carter, Thomas Lynch, Alex Kofman, Jackson Schrader, Anatalia Zavaleta, Joseph Wride, Matt Flynn; first AD: Steve Kemp; Site Manager: Kyle Hollinger; Hair Assistants: Kim Garduno, Ben Gregory, Marco Iafrate, Hyacinthia Faustino, Chris Foster; Makeup Assistants: Shimu Takanori, Laura Dudley, Brian Dean, Beatrice Sandoval; Manicure Assistant: Cheyenne Vander Schuur; Set Design Assistants: Seth Powsner, Denver Stoddard, Ryan Johnson; Tailors: Irina Tshartaryan, Ripsime Vartanyan, Jackie Martirosyan at Susie’s Custom Designs, Inc.