The working relationship and dynamic between Joel and Ethan Coen has fascinated cinephiles ever since the release of 1984’s Blood Simple.
Over the course of their 17 film career those involved in the likes of “Fargo,” “No Country For Old Men,” “Raising Arizona,” “Miller’s Crossing” and “The Big Lebowski” have only provided brief tidbits about how the duo work in tandem together behind the camera.
That’s why any information about how Joel and Ethan Coen collaborate is always appreciated. Thankfully, Ralph Ineson, who is starring in the Coen Brothers’ upcoming Netflix Western anthology series “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs,” provided just that when I spoke to the actor earlier this month.
“I wish I could say more about it in a sense. Ethan tended to work more with the crew, and Joel with the actors,” Ineson explained. “That’s how it has worked with directing duos before, too.”
As you’d expect, Ineson had nothing but praise for the Coen Brothers. “They are just fantastic guys. I was a huge fan of their work and it was a real privilege to get to work with them on this.”
“They seemed to be cool with what I was doing, they didn’t work me too hard. It was one of the most impressive costume and make-up set-ups I have ever worked on.”
Ineson couldn’t say too much about “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs,” but he did reveal that his work as The Man In Black, an executioner in the show, allowed him to fulfil a childhood dream.
“It is a 6-part Anthology series. I play the local lawman and executioner called The Man In Black. At one point, the costume designer took a photo of me as the sun was coming up in New Mexico, and I saw it and went, ‘That is it.’ Growing up and wanting to be an actor, being in a cowboy film was what I wanted to do.”
Tim Blake Nelson plays the titular character in the series, while it will also star James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Zoe Kazan, Tyne Daly, Willie Watson and Stephen Root. We’re still not exactly sure when “The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs” will air on Netflix, but the streaming website have previously confirmed that it will be at some point in 2018.
