The Netflix thriller is about a group of survivors after a mysterious presence has taken over the planet – some kind of creature that can drive whoever looks at it to commit suicide. But at the beginning of the movie, before anybody is aware of it, there are many fatalities. Fatalities including someone who audiences would perhaps be expecting to hang around for much longer.
WARNING: Minor spoilers for Bird Box ahead.
Sarah Paulson’s character Jessica meets a shocking early death, despite being one of the most famous names in the cast.
In an interview with HeyUGuys, Bullock said that Paulson was cast because she has the ability to make you care about her in a very short amount of time.
“Susanne [Bier, director] and I came up with Sarah’s name at the same time, literally on the same call,” she said.
“We needed somebody who, if you only had her for a few minutes and she was gone, she would leave a massive vacancy. And Paulson is someone who can leave that vacancy.
“Since we are that close and we have that fun, there was an instant history that I think you could feel.
“So as sisters you have to feel that the two people knew eachother.
“[Paulson] had a lot of things she had to accomplish in her short time on screen, and she does it effortlessly.”
Bird Box has become a hit for Netflix since its release, with lukewarm – if unspectacular – reviews behind it.
The film picked up a 65% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus reading: “Bird Box never quite reaches its intriguing potential, but strong acting and an effectively chilly mood offer intermittently creepy compensation.”
Alongside Bullock and Paulson, stars include Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Jacki Weaver, Rosa Salazar and Tom Hollander.
Bird Box is streaming on Netflix now.
