Raffey Cassidy – ContentMode

RAFFEY CASSIDY

in 2025

award winning film

The Brutalist

Creative Director & Fashion Editor Deborah Ferguson

Raffey Cassidy’s performance as Zsófia in the Brutalist has stunned critics and audiences worldwide, earning her a nomination for Young British/Irish Performer of the Year at the 45th annual London Critics’ Circle Film Awards. Raffey’s depiction of Zsófia, a European refugee, has left viewers speechless as she captures the tender yet powerful nuances of a poetic and inspirational character. We talk about her approach to Zsófia’s character development, her working relationship with Brady Corbet, and more!

Dress, heels, bags, jewelry, tights: CHANEL PS25

Congratulations on the Brutalist! How has the process been so far?

Thank you so much! So far it’s been great because I’m getting to spend more time around the whole Brutalist team, who I adore. A lot of us have worked together before on other films: Lol Crawley (Director of Photography) and Matt Hannam (Editor) worked on White Noise, but also Brady who I first worked with on his second feature, Vox Lux. I adore Brady and his knack for surrounding himself with amazingly talented but also kind and generous people who are fiercely loyal. The reaction in Venice was when we got a first sense of the impact the film was going to have, and seeing Brady recognized by the Festival with the Silver Bear was so exciting.

Top, skirt, heels, bags, jewelry, tights: CHANEL PS25

How did you approach developing Zsófia as a character?

The script that Brady and Mona created explored a time and place that existed, adding detail, depth, and real people’s stories. I used all of that, going beyond just what was written for the character, using what was written about Zsófia and how other characters interacted with and spoke about her. Imagining what had happened to her, what she’d been through, what led her to where she was at any given moment in the film. That helps me understand and add meaning as an actor, and you hope that comes through and has some impact for those watching. The details, accent, and more add authenticity to make the character interesting to both perform and to watch.

What similarities do you see between yourself and your character?

Beyond the obvious similarities, Zsófia is powerful, smart, confident, and self-assured. I’m afraid I can’t tick all those boxes. I admire her capacity to cope in desperate situations, a characteristic I aspire to.

Lipstick: 31 Le Rouge

Top, skirt, heels, bags, jewelry, tights: CHANEL PS25

For much of the movie, Zsófia is mute. How did this element of her character inform your portrayal of her?

Zsófia is complex, and I wanted to explore and explain this aspect of the character in the context of the script, but without letting it take over the performance. I read a lot about trauma response mutism, about real people’s stories and what can lead to a person becoming mute. I was intrigued to discover that even in the absence of words, an internal dialogue will always be present, and I relied heavily on that, always creating a dialogue around what was happening in the scene. This felt powerful for me, telling Zsófia’s story largely without words. I think maybe it made me engage differently, on a different level, with script.

How would you describe Zsófia’s character development over the course of the movie?

When she begins to speak it is probably going to be seen as the pivotal moment in her character development, and it is in a way. But I developed maybe a different way to understand how Zsófia chooses to use her ‘voice’. To speak or not to speak can be equally powerful for Zsófia, in that sense, she never lost her power. When she’s mute, she’s trying to maintain a sense of control in a desperate situation. When she begins to speak, it signals that she has resolved some things in her life, but it isn’t a simple case of losing and regaining power. It’s that at a certain point in her life when she needs to express how she feels, her lack of sense of belonging in America, and the need to leave her family for a place she belongs, it’s more powerful to use speech. She’s found the strength to confirm her true beliefs and follow that path, which represents a more meaningful character development.

Dress, heels, bags, jewelry, tights: CHANEL PS25

You’ve worked with a myriad of talented directors, Yorgos Lanthimos, Noah Baumbach, and Brady Corbet to name a few. What have they taught you and how have they developed your craft?

It’s true, these are the directors that any actress wants to work with and to learn from, so I’m grateful for that privilege. They are many things, but foremostly I see these directors as brave, prepared to stand by their vision. Being on set with them is inspiring and motivating. You learn to be brave in what you imagine and create and to own it. At the same time, you must stay open and willing to collaborate to create something beautiful. Working with different directors reminds me how differently they can approach their work, so you’re always learning new ways to work and you must be able to adapt and embrace that. Brady is incredibly generous, willing to give up his time and share his knowledge and ideas with young actors and young filmmakers. Somehow, he manages to make time for everyone.

You and Felicity Jones joined filming two weeks after the rest of the cast. How, if at all, did that impact your experience?

Maybe if I had never worked with Brady and his ‘team’ before it would have been different, joining a set late can be like joining a new school halfway through the year. But there were a lot of familiar faces so it was like turning up to a dinner party with your friends and finding out what’s on the menu. Looking at it a different way, arriving after everyone else made sense for our characters, who were initially missing from Lazlo’s story, and arriving late did help us create a special bond.

Top, skirt, heels, bags, jewelry, tights: CHANEL PS25

Oil: Sublimage L’extrait, cream: Sublimage Le Crème

You signed onto the project over six years ago. How have you seen it evolve from then to now?

There have, of course, been changes in the original casting, timings, and so on, but honestly, the project and script I read on day one has never changed that much. Brady knew the film he wanted to make and that’s the film he made.

The Brutalist, as a title, refers to a style of architecture that the movie involves. But beyond architecture, how do you think the title comments on the narrative as a whole?

No spoiler alerts, but it’s fair to say that the true meaning of ‘brutalist’ in the film’s title represents more than the style of architecture featured. We see something beautiful, but we also see what can hide beneath beauty. It’s powerful. It makes you pause for thought. Reflect.

Top, skirt, heels, bags, jewelry, tights: CHANEL PS25

The Brutalist is set in post-war America as the country begins to rebuild. What lessons do you think Americans can learn from this period of time in a contemporary age?

I suppose it serves as a lesson for us all, to learn from our history. Among other things, to be tolerant.

The Brutalist takes many risks, cinematographically and dramatically. Which ones do you think succeeded the most?

I think each of these adds to the film’s uniqueness and are talking points in their own right, so that’s success I’d say. But rather than consider them separately, their real success is that they complement each other and the film. I’d like to add a special mention for Daniel Blumberg’s score. I’ve adopted it as the soundtrack of my life.