Anya Taylor-Joy revealed a nighttime ritual that came as a perk of shooting Sacrifice, directed by Romain Gavras. The movie also stars Chris Evans in the lead role.
The nighttime ritual came in the form of working with donkeys, which were employed for the massive treks the cast and crew had to undertake to reach the shooting location.
Taylor-Joy revealed she had a very good time working with them. In an interview, she stated, “I had a really good cuddle every single morning and every night.”
The Hollywood Reporter stated the cast had to hike for over an hour to reach the shooting location, with the donkeys being used to carry film equipment to the summit of a volcano.
Regarding the preference for a real location as opposed to a soundstage, Gavras stated, “It puts the whole team and the whole cast in an energy where we know that we are making a film that is going to be difficult but will be super satisfying.”
A closer look at Anya Taylor-Joy’s role in Sacrifice
Sacrifice follows Chris Evans’ Mike Tyler, an actor who is trying to make a comeback on the film scene. However, when asked to attend a gala hosted by the world’s richest man, he finds himself kidnapped by a rebel group along with two other attendees. The goal of the group is to sacrifice them to the volcano in order to save humanity.
Anya Taylor-Joy plays the leader of this group, Joan. Joan leads a rebel group that violently takes control of the gala. The story’s emphasis on celebrity culture and performative activism comes front and center thanks to Joan’s actions, turning a billionaire-laden charity gala into a literal hostage situation. Driven by her beliefs, she brings some of the wealthiest people in the world face-to-face with the plight of the disenfranchised, while letting her own delusions drive her actions to save the world.
The movie was first released in 2025 at the Toronto International Film Festival. It is now available to stream on Netflix.
