Elizabeth Olsen is stepping into a new realm with her latest project, the romantic comedy Eternity, an experience she describes as both joyful and a welcome departure from her usual dramatic roles.

Eternity, which premiered at TIFF, follows recently deceased Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) who arrives at the afterlife’s waystation, known as The Junction, where souls have one week to choose a destination for their eternal existence. However, Joan faces a complication: she must choose which of her two husbands to spend eternity with: Her beloved first husband, Luke (Callum Turner), who died young in the Korean War and has been patiently waiting for her for 67 years and Larry (Miles Teller), the devoted man she was married to for 65 years and who died shortly before her. Joan, who is returned to the physical form of her happiest age, must navigate this unique love triangle while trying to decide on her eternal destination.

The film, now playing in theatres, marks Olsen’s first foray into the rom-com genre. “I figured if I was gonna do a romantic comedy, you might as well do it in the afterlife and play a 90-year-old woman,” she shared in an interview with S Magazine while she was in Toronto. The actress is bringing back the spirit of screwball comedy and finding delight in the process.

“I enjoy the playfulness. There’s something about getting to do jobs like this that is just joyful and you feel youthful because you’re kind of just throwing things out at a wall and seeing what sticks and you’re risking yourself to fail,” she said. She contrasts this with more dramatic work, noting that comedy allows for a “different modulation” where she can “just get to play.”

While acknowledging that comedy is not her natural comfort zone, Olsen is a deep admirer of the craft, citing Albert Brooks, SNL and stand-up as influences. She praised the fearless approach she and her colleagues took, constantly “trying to see what works.” Her secret to comedic acting lies in trust. “You just kind of have to trust the writing and not play the comedy.”

In Eternity, Olsen, 36, plays the character Joan, a role that surprisingly resonated with a long-held personal feeling. “I do feel kind of not the right age in my body my whole life,” she confessed. This provided a fun opportunity to explore and lean into the mannerisms of older women she knows and even those she doesn’t.

Olsen found inspiration in the rhythm and facial expressions of the late comedian Anne Meara, describing a common “amazement, and bafflement” she observes in older women, which was written into the character of Joan. “I did enjoy getting to explore whatever that is that makes me feel old.”

When asked what age she would choose for her own “perfect eternity,” Olsen is hoping it would be 90. “I’ve never been someone to have nostalgia for an age. I really do love getting to get older. I think it’s such a privilege to keep living.”

Olsen’s career is marked by a thread of playing eccentric women in diverse roles, from Martha Marcy May Marlene to the titular WandaVision. She explains that while the initial roles often reflect an “intrinsic” part of her, she now has a “hunger for variation and tone.”

She admires actors like Jesse Plemons, whom she just watched in Bugonia, for his ability to completely inhabit a character with different walk and mannerisms. This desire for transformation is central to her approach.

“I think it’s important and it’s something that I enjoy. I enjoy getting to completely rebuild a version of myself at each job.”

On Eternity, Olsen served as an executive producer, albeit in a different capacity than previous projects where she was involved in the editing room. For this film, her focus was on advocacy and communication during production.

“On set, my goal always is to make sure that everyone feels like they have an advocate on set if I’m an EP and I take that very seriously,” she stated. She enjoys being able to “help take care of a crew” and facilitate good communication.

The film has a memory room where the characters watch key moments in their lives. I wondered what memories Olsen finds herself revisiting. She said: “I really adored getting to do Love and Death. That was really creative. It’s a show I did for HBO Max and that was a fulfilling experience. We had such a great ensemble and I really loved that character. I’m proud of it and so that movie comes to mind. Assessment recently comes to mind. His Three Daughters comes to mind,” she continued. “ Martha Marcy May Marlene was such a singular experience because when it’s your first film, everything feels so unknown and you have no expectations and it’s a really freeing feeling to have none. That movie was such a freeing time.”

When considering her ideal “eternity,” Olsen envisions a balance between nature and culture. “I like being around nature and water, but I also like being around culture and cities,” she said, ultimately preferring cultures “apart from my own” as she finds them more interesting than Los Angeles.

Eternity is now playing in theatres.

Feature Image: courtesy of A24.