Olivia Colman’s Talking Fox Comedy And The Australian Folklore Behind It

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Don’t expect a typical show. This wildly unusual Australian comedy embraces the bizarre, mixing satire, traditional stories, and unpredictable chaos, so you’ll be kept guessing throughout.

The movie is built around a strange idea: a talking fox, some bad choices, and a mysterious “magic hole” that claims to change people – but not necessarily for the better. Ash Crossan from ScreenRant recently interviewed director Dario Russo in Austin, Texas, to learn about the real-life events that inspired the film.

Dario Russo noticed a strange trend in Australia: people are being tricked by talking foxes into sending their partners into mysterious holes in the wilderness, believing they’ll emerge as ‘perfect’ women. Despite this never working out, people keep falling for it. He decided to make a film to warn others about this bizarre situation, feeling it’s a surprisingly important issue.

Russo claimed the movie was inspired by a real experience of his own. He playfully pointed out that this kind of situation seems to happen a lot in Australia, comparing the film’s fox to the coyotes commonly seen in the US.

Dario Russo: Coyotes are very untrustworthy. Almost as bad as the foxes.

Olivia Colman provides the voice for a playful fox, but the story truly centers on Kori, who finds herself stuck between her well-meaning but clueless fiancé, Nick, and her coworker Derrick (Damon Herriman), with whom she’s having an affair. As Kori begins to distance herself from Nick, he grows increasingly desperate and tries to save their relationship in a bizarre way—by enlisting the help of a talking fox and a magical pit that he believes will turn Kori into the ideal partner. However, things don’t go as planned.

Browning welcomed the chance to play a surreal role, telling ScreenRant she immediately agreed after reading the script. It was a refreshing departure from her usual work.

Emily Browning admits she gets bored quickly and loves trying new things. She found a particular script to be both engaging and enjoyable, which is why she was drawn to it.

It’s obvious something is happening with Browning the moment she emerges from the hole, though you’ll have to see the movie to understand the full extent of her change.

Dario Russo hinted that Emily’s character undergoes a significant change. He believes something is definitely off with her after she emerges from the hole, and that something strange is happening.

For me, what really struck me about Browning’s performance was how completely she became the character. She actually described the process as feeling like she was adjusting to a whole new body, which is such a powerful way to put it. It really speaks to the depth of her commitment and how much she immersed herself in the role.

For me, playing this role was all about imagining someone experiencing a body for the very first time. It felt like exploring how a person would adjust to simply being in a physical form, getting used to all the sensations and limitations that come with it. It was a really interesting approach to the character.

When I first read the script, I had a general sense of its intention. It felt natural and didn’t require much interpretation from me. A strong script should provide clear direction, almost like a roadmap.

The film benefited from excellent guidance, and Claudia Doumit, who portrayed Diana, praised the script. She and the rest of the cast found it made the filming of The Fox a surprisingly easy and enjoyable experience.

Claudia Doumit really connected with the script. She felt that when the writing is strong, an actor doesn’t have to work as hard – everything they need is already provided. That made her job both simple and demanding.

Everything Else The Fox Cast Said About Bringing This Quirky Film To Life

ScreenRant

ScreenRant asked about casting Olivia Colman for the role of a talking fox. They were immediately familiar with her voice and wanted to know how they convinced her to join the project and what that initial discussion was like.

It’s a dream come true to work with Olivia Colman. I’ve admired her work since her early days on shows like Peep Show and all her quirky British comedy roles. The story of how we got her involved is actually quite simple – she read the script and immediately agreed!

The process attracted people who were immediately enthusiastic – it was like saying, ‘Jump in, even though you don’t fully know what this will be!’ It was a really great experience. We started by having Olivia perform all the lines over Zoom, just a rough recording. Then, the team working on the animatronic puppets used that as a basis for their rehearsals. On set, we’d play Olivia’s voice through a speaker while the performers moved the puppet. Later, in editing, we did another recording session with Olivia to refine everything. It was a collaborative effort – she established the overall feeling of the performance, the puppeteers added their own interpretation, and she then came in at the end to polish it all up.

ScreenRant: I love that you used puppeteers, by the way.

Dario Russo: Oh yeah, you bet.

ScreenRant asked about the process of deciding to use puppeteers, wanting to know what led to that choice and what thoughts went through his mind during that time.

From the start, I was determined to bring the animals to life using practical effects in this film. I’ve always been a big fan of them. Growing up, I was completely captivated by movies like Jurassic Park, Jaws, and Alien – films that really built everything physically, making the creatures feel real. I think many of our generation were raised with a fondness for practical effects and puppetry.

I’m a big fan of puppets! Shows like The Muppets, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and The Dark Crystal tap into a sense of nostalgia and allow us to connect with them on an emotional level – something that can be harder to achieve with computer-generated characters. Plus, the actors actually interacted with a physical puppet, creating a more engaging and dynamic performance on set, rather than just acting opposite a prop.

ScreenRant: Can you speak to that?

I really enjoyed the experience. Because I filmed my part ahead of time, my performance will always be consistent. I was initially unsure how I’d interact with the robotic magpie – how could we actually have a scene together? But by the second take, I felt a connection. It was like working with a real scene partner! It’s amazing how quickly I was able to immerse myself in the scene, especially since there wasn’t anything physically there, like a tennis ball, to focus on.

You know, I didn’t actually share any scenes with the puppets themselves, but I was on set for pretty much every single shot. I just loved being a part of this film, honestly! And watching the puppeteers work? It was mind-blowing. The performances they were getting out of those puppets were incredible – seriously impressive acting!

Claudia Doumit described the bird’s movements as perfectly synchronized and harmonious, like a well-matched pair. The wings and beak move together seamlessly, almost as if they’re working as one.

Emily Browning complimented the director’s skill with the puppets, specifically noting how well they captured subtle emotions. She was particularly impressed with a scene where the character Jai interacts with a magpie, mentioning a perfectly timed head tilt that conveyed the sarcastic tone of the line. She was amazed at how the director intuitively knew exactly what was needed.

I took a workshop on directing animals while filming on location. There’s a specific spot – under a particular tree at a certain time – where you meet a local expert who guides you on how to work with the animals.

ScreenRant: What did making this film teach you about what you want to do next?

Dario Russo had an amazing experience working with animatronic animals and would love to do it again. He’s decided he prefers working with them over human actors! He found it incredibly challenging, the most difficult project of his career, but also deeply rewarding. He’s now hoping for the opportunity to make another film with these animatronics.

Be sure to dive into some of ScreenRant‘s other SXSW coverage with:

  • The Sun Never Sets Review
  • The Fox Review
  • I Love Boosters Review
  • Dead Eyes Review
  • One Another Review
  • Kill Me Review
  • Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Review
  • The Saviors Review
  • Family Movie Review
  • Power Ballad Review
  • Seekers of Infinite Love Review
  • Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice Review
  • Over Your Dead Body Review
  • Sender Review
  • Normal Review
  • Brian Review
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2026-03-24 04:48