Adaptating Remarkably Bright Creatures, a best-selling novel loved by readers around the world, requires performers who can bring to life a most unlikely friendship — between a widowed aquarium janitor, a tumbleweed young guitarist living out of his van, and a giant Pacific octopus.
Remarkably Bright Creatures follows Tova, who spends her nights diligently scrubbing her small coastal town’s aquarium. Her non-nonsense exterior masks some of her long-buried pain over losing her husband and son years ago. Cameron, guitarist in a punk band called Moth Sausage, is passing through Sowell Bay while in search of his biological father. When his van breaks down, he finds himself working alongside Tova until he can afford repairs. At first, they clash over their differing approaches to the job. But slowly, with the help of a wise octopus named Marcellus, Tova and Cameron realize how much they can actually support each other.
Author Shelby Van Pelt, who also executive produces the film, had envisioned Sally Field as her tough lead while she was writing the book, which lived on the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list for 64 weeks. “Shelby actually pictured Sally as Tova when she was writing the book. Knowing that Sally was going to be saying this dialogue made it so much clearer to me how to craft it for her,” says Olivia Newman, who writes and directs the new film adaptation. “Sally knew this character inside and out.”
Pullman proved to be Field’s perfect co-star: “Lewis brings incredible charm and humor that makes us adore Cameron and empathize with him,” adds Newman. “It was so important in casting that role [to find] somebody who could put on Cameron’s front of having it all together, but then actually show his vulnerable, sweet, and endearing side. His comedic timing is so amazing that it was fun to watch.”
Alfred Molina voices Marcellus, bringing his sassy barbs and pearls of wisdom to life with his signature cadence. “I didn’t turn up with any preconceived ideas of how octopuses sound,” says the actor. “If you’re voicing a human, then there are certain criteria you have to fulfill.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures was in good hands with Newman, who previously helmed hit book-to-screen flick Where the Crawdads Sing and several episodes of the miniseries of The Last Thing He Told Me, also adapted from a bestseller, and casting directors Mary Vernieu (Knives Out, Promising Young Woman) and Lindsay Graham Ahanonu (Silver Linings Playbook, A Star is Born).
Dive deep on how Field, Pullman, and Molina brought their characters to life, and meet the rest of the cast of Remarkably Bright Creatures, now streaming.
A long-time resident of Sowell Bay, Tova works in the town aquarium and is deeply committed to maintaining the space for the health of the animal residents. She keeps to herself, and prefers the company of the watery creatures to her busybody friends. Her husband and son have both died; her responsible, non-nonsense exterior masks some of her deeper pain.
“It’s even more fun when you get to play it with somebody like Sally Field, who is just a total American icon, a legend,” says Lewis Pullman of his co-star.
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Cameron meets Tova when his car breaks down and he has no choice but to stay in town and work at the aquarium for repair money. “He’s a tumbleweed of a kid,” says Pullman. Cameron is as disorganized and scattered as Tova is diligent, but somehow their oil-and-water approaches to life produce an unlikely friendship.
Shelby Van Pelt found inspiration for the character close to home: “Cameron came a lot from just me,” says the author.
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A giant Pacific octopus, Marcellus is the film’s unlikely narrator, voiced by Alfred Molina. Marcellus befriends Tova during her quiet hours at work, and tries to help her heal her heart with a sometimes sassy attitude. “He’s very judgmental and I quite like that,” says Molina. “He’s allowed to be, because he’s clearly smarter than anyone else. He’s got seven brains.”
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Ethan is the Grateful Dead–obsessed manager of the town general store. Ethan’s a caretaker and nurturer: He takes Cameron under his wing (and his roof) and keeps an eye on Tova, who is resistant to letting people help her.
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Janice is part of Tova’s knitting circle (called “the Knitwits”), but she much prefers gossiping over knitting. She is also the keeper of an enviable jewelry collection.
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Mary is another of Tova’s Knitwit friends, and never without a delicious-looking baked good on offer.
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Barb lends her friend Tova some unrequested outfit advice before her date with Ethan. She also asks the all-important question: “Do you have protection?”
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Avery runs the local paddle-boarding shop. While at first she writes Cameron off as a van dweller who can’t grow a full beard, they start spending more time together and help each other through their respective family issues.
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Watch Remarkably Bright Creatures on Netflix.
