Alfonso Cuaron on the lengthy shoot for Apple TV+ series ‘Disclaimer’ in Venice: “I really felt for the actors”

Alfonso Cuaron has discussed the “miscalculation” he made in moving from making films to series, speaking at the Venice press conference for his Apple TV+ series Disclaimer.

“To shoot a film takes longer, and these were like seven films. It was a very long process – I really felt for the actors,” said Cuaron, making his first series after a film career that has included Gravity, Children of Men and Roma.

Seven-episode series Disclaimer stars Cate Blanchett as a television journalist whose work has been built on revealing the transgressions of long-respected institutions.

Disclaimer shot for around one year from spring 2022 to 2023. Any changes to the script throughout this lengthy process came from the actors, the director said. “It was pretty much written, but it was kind of rewritten on the set with the actors,” said Cuaron. “The actors come with their own ideas – they kept on asking questions or suggesting things that trigger rewrites of the scenes or even of the structure.”

“The three of us, we’re formed with films, with cinema,” said Cuaron of himself, Blanchett and cast member Kevin Kline. “I don’t know how to direct TV – probably at this stage of my life it’s too late to learn. We approached this whole thing as a film.”

The series would not have been made without its Australian star, said Cuaron. “When I was writing the script, Cate was already there. I was terrified that she would say no, seriously terrified. She was so much in the way I have seen the whole thing.”

Asked if the way society shames women has changed in recent years, and how she approached this role as a woman, Blanchett said, “I always approach every role as a woman, because I am [one]. I don’t really think about that.”

“There’s a distinct lack of shame in society at the moment,” said the Australian actress and filmmaker. “Shame is very different to guilt. Guilt is a very useless emotion, I don’t know what you do with that; but shame and regret and the lessons one can learn from that are very powerful. 

“Look at the way you attempt to parent children,” continued Blanchett. “If you publicly shame them, it can lead to rage, the equal and opposite response in the person. Whereas if you take them aside and explain things in private, private conversations are often far more powerful than public ones.”

Blanchett drew laughter from the assembled press when responding to a question about what dress she would wear to this evening’s premiere screening of the series. “I’m going naked,” said the actress in deadpan.

Venice Film Festival runs until September 7, with the Competition programme beginning this evening with Pablo Larrain’s Maria starring Angelina Jolie.

• Sigourney Weaver champions conservation, receives James Cameron surprise message in Venice opening ceremony