Director David Lowery Explains Mother Mary’s Hidden Backstory

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The show focuses on a pop star trying to regain her fame, but many details about her past are hinted at rather than fully explained.

The new film from A24 and director David Lowery stars Anne Hathaway as a former pop star getting ready for a big comeback. But the movie is less about the performance itself and more about what happens while she prepares. A central story focuses on the complicated relationship between the singer and her old friend and costume designer, Sam Anselm (played by Michaela Coel), as past hurts resurface and put even more strain on their connection.

I was really struck by how Mother Mary delves into the hidden struggles of this pop star. It’s not just about the glamour; it’s about how fame and wealth can mess with who you are and your connections with people. The movie isn’t straightforward, though – it uses these amazing, subtle images and symbols to really get director Lowery’s point across, and it’s beautifully done.

Before the movie came out, the director talked to Tatiana Hullender from ScreenRant and discussed all the hidden meanings and unspoken details within the film.

Lowery Used The Creative Process To Highlight Tension Between Mother Mary & Sam

The film also explores the complex relationship between Mother Mary and Coel, hinting at past issues that continue to affect them. Director Lowery deliberately included this tension, recognizing that creative partnerships often have underlying friction, regardless of how well the individuals are getting along. He felt this dynamic is a natural part of the creative process.

Lowery kept thinking about this while deciding how to handle the characters’ strained relationship in the performance. He chose to hint at the conflict rather than reveal what had actually happened between them.

I had a good amount of story in my mind, and I think the movie includes just the right amount. I didn’t want to overexplain things or make it a strict biography of the characters. It’s more about the creative journey, particularly how two people work together. That natural tension will always be present, and I knew that starting with tension meant focusing on where the story ultimately ends up.

Juxtaposing The Intimate Scenes Between Mother Mary & Sam With Her Epic Performances Was A “Balancing Act”

One of the biggest challenges for director Lowery was blending the film’s deeply personal emotional story with the grand spectacle of Mother Mary’s performances. He described it as a constant balancing act, especially when it came to creating a consistent visual style. He needed to ensure that the quiet, intimate scenes felt connected to the more energetic ones, and he carefully considered everything – from the set design to the camera work in even the smallest moments – to achieve this.

It was a delicate process finding the right balance. We constantly thought about how to blend the intimate feel and dialogue of the personal scenes with the energy of the concert footage. We actually started filming with a conversation, and while shooting it, we looked for elements we could weave into the concert sequences. This influenced everything, including how we designed the stage for the stadium tour, based on the locations we were using. Over time, even the way we filmed the actors—the camera angles and coverage—started to feel more like a music video.

The film’s music was also carefully considered. Director Lowery worked with artists Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX, and FKA Twigs, who all created songs for the movie and helped establish its emotional atmosphere. Interestingly, Lowery only provided the script and a few pictures as inspiration for them to compose music that would tell the story of Mother Mary.

I mainly just gave the team the script and some initial images. The songs took a while to develop because I started working with Jack and Charlie before we even had actors cast. I told them we should wait to see who we cast so we could tailor the songs to that person and really shape the overall feel of the music. That conversation happened about three months before Anne joined the project. FKA Twigs came on board a bit later. Creating the music for Mother Mary was a constantly evolving process – we were aiming for a truly unique pop star, someone legendary who hadn’t existed before. It was a long journey that started well before filming and continued even after we finished shooting.

Check out more of our Mother Mary coverage here:

  • Mother Mary Review: Anne Hathaway’s Pop Star Drama Is All Style No Substance
  • Mother Mary Has The Best Musical Movie Scene Since Sinners
  • Mother Mary Ending Explained: What The Red Spirit Is All About & Why It Matters

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2026-04-24 22:51