Saoirse Ronan Transforms in Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’ Video—You Won’t Believe What She Did!

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To mark the 50th anniversary of Talking Heads’ first live performance, a music video for “Psycho Killer” has been unveiled… and with Saoirse Ronan in the lead role and Mike Mills, an acclaimed director nominated for an Oscar (“C’mon C’mon”), at the helm, it’s clear that the video won’t focus on psychosis or violence. Instead, it explores a character dealing with everyday struggles and stresses. However, Ronan delivers a captivating performance, demonstrating her energetic presence in the video.

Mills described Ronan’s performance during the two-day shoot earlier this year as “an emotionally intense act,” explaining to EbMaster that “Saoirse could switch between being completely wild and reaching great heights, and then being incredibly subtle while expressing deep emotions authentically. I’m still amazed she didn’t collapse at the end.” Furthermore, Mills compared Saoirse to Buster Keaton, remarking that she was “simply outstanding, like a brilliant silent film actress.

The video spans over thirteen days, portraying the monotonous daily routine of a woman, who commutes to an undisclosed workplace. Throughout this period, she encounters various emotional states, from apathy to sadness, anger, and ultimately, tranquility. However, these emotional shifts often go unnoticed by the people she interacts with.

For a production with minimal funding and lasting just two days, Mills notes, it required thirteen emotional scenes. Each day felt like a workout as she directed the actress to switch between various intense emotions quickly. Half of the time was spent on changing costumes and acting out different scenarios – sometimes anger, sometimes sadness. It felt energetic and unpredictable. The actress had some guidelines, but the spontaneity made it exciting because you never knew what she would do next. Although only a few seconds of each scene make it to the final cut, three minutes were filmed for each bit. All in all, it was a wild, enjoyable, and creative experience, showcasing the actress’s incredible ability to generate ideas and authentically portray various emotional states.

Since the ’90s, Mills has been creating music videos alongside his renowned feature films, most of which don’t include bands. So it wasn’t surprising when Talking Heads decided not to reunite for this project, as this was typical for his approach. When asked to submit a treatment, he thinks there might have been several other directors in the running. However, he had an advantage from the beginning: he had some acquaintance with the Talking Heads since he made a movie called ’20th Century Women’ that featured several Talking Heads songs and a subplot centered around them. Over the years, he has interacted with David Byrne on personal levels, but his friendship with David doesn’t equate to a connection with the entire band. In simpler terms, Mills knew some members of Talking Heads, but that didn’t mean he had a relationship with all of them.

I met with them to discuss my treatment, and they seemed pleased with it. This was quite nerve-wracking for me, as ‘Talking Heads 77,’ their debut album, holds immense significance in my life – they were idols of mine at ages 14, 15, and even now, at 59. So, I was both starstruck and humbled by their immediate approval of my treatment, perhaps because it didn’t attempt to simplify the song.

Indeed, the four members who once went their separate ways but reunited more recently for business reasons, released a statement alongside their new video. They said, “Our song is enhanced by this video. We’re thrilled about what this video isn’t – it’s not symbolic of literal events, it’s not eerie or gory, it doesn’t involve physical violence, and it’s not straightforward.

According to Mills, his approach seems reminiscent of The Talking Heads, as it’s more about a pattern rather than a story. It tackles intense emotions, yet in an abstract and peculiar manner. Tina (Weymouth) once commented that my work resembles their early days, and I realized that’s because I’ve been studying them for my entire life. Listening to their first album or ‘Remain in Light,’ or any of their music, inspires me to innovate. It pushes me to reconsider how things are made. Their sound represents people trying to break the rules in creative ways.

Initially, I felt overwhelmed: How on earth will I come up with a fitting idea for this beloved song and band, given the iconic nature of it? Suddenly, an idea popped into my head fully-formed in no time. But then I hesitated, thinking, ‘Who would dare attempt that?’ It’s a challenging, highly extroverted, and virtuosic request for an actor. However, I have connections with many talented individuals in the acting world, and I considered reaching out to some of them. Saoirse Ronan is one such person whom I’ve had a friendly rapport with over the years. When the opportunity presented itself, we were already in touch, so I shot her a text: ‘Hey, have you ever listened to Talking Heads? Would you like to be part of their video?’ She’s a fan too and quickly responded, ‘Absolutely! What’s going on?’ It was a fortuitous connection that found the perfect expression.

Mills advises against searching for a storyline or character development in the video, yet he made sure that Ronan’s character didn’t conclude in a troubled state.

The director expresses that there’s a slight boost in energy, but his primary intention was to depict a pattern rather than a storyline, and to prevent events from following a single course. He explains that after intense displays of anger or affection, the protagonist tends to act in contrast by altering the sequence of days. The director aims to conclude the narrative on a note of self-acceptance, suggesting that while she may appear intense or eccentric in comparison to others, she is actually the only rational and healthy character, experiencing genuine emotions whereas those around her maintain a superficial normality. He intends for the final day to find her at peace.

The video has a recurring theme similar to “Groundhog Day,” yet it contrasts this with scenic shots of the sky. Mills notes that human life and natural cycles can be repetitive, but there’s an underlying melancholy or pain when considering capitalism, jobs, structures, institutions, and systems that dictate behavior. The Talking Heads often address such themes, and Mills aimed to express a similar detachment from normality in the video, although in a unique way. His work has always been influenced by finding oppression, joy, power, or subversive quirks in seemingly ordinary and mundane things.

Hardly any other prominent movie director has been involved with music videos as extensively as Mills has been. Throughout his career, he’s produced clips for artists like Air, Yoko Ono, Blonde Redhead, The Divine Comedy, Beth Orton, Martin Gore, Everything but the Girl, and Moby, among others. Furthermore, his involvement with musicians extends beyond just music videos; he’s designed album covers for groups such as Phish, Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, They Might Be Giants, Sleater-Kinney, and more. His collaboration with The National even reached the level of a partnership that was almost equivalent to joining the band itself.

In the ’90s, music videos served as my personal film education, according to Mills. Most recently, I collaborated on a 23-minute film with The National, featuring Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander, and ended up designing the album cover and co-producing the record. We even toured together. Whenever unique opportunities like this arise, I relish them because they hold a special significance for me, as they remind me of my film school days. Music holds a sacred place in my heart, as it was my initial creative outlet before I became a film director or artist. Therefore, when bands such as Talking Heads, The National, or those that have left a profound impact on me come along, working with them feels like a privilege, as if I’m venturing into their cosmos.

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2025-06-05 20:17