In celebration of the highly anticipated release of “One Battle After Another,” LMU School of Film and Television hosted a screening of the critically acclaimed film, followed by an in-depth discussion with the film’s writer/director, Paul Thomas Anderson. The conversation was moderated by Emmy Award-winning journalist and Deputy Awards and Features Editor at Variety, Jenelle Riley.
Widely regarded as one of cinema’s most influential voices, Anderson made his feature directorial debut with “Hard Eight” (1996) and went on to craft modern classics including “Boogie Nights,” “Magnolia,” “There Will Be Blood,” “The Master,” and “Inherent Vice.” Most recently, his films “Phantom Thread” and “Licorice Pizza” earned Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards. Over the years, his work has garnered a BAFTA, the Venice Film Festival’s Silver Lion, 11 Oscar nominations, three Golden Globe nominations, and even a Grammy nod.
In his latest film, “One Battle After Another,” Anderson teams up for the first time with Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio in a harrowing story of a former revolutionary, drawn back into a dangerous world after his daughter goes missing. The film also features a stellar ensemble cast, including Oscar winners Sean Penn and Benicio del Toro, National Board of Review winner Teyana Taylor, and newcomer Chase Infiniti in a breakout role.
During the conversation, Anderson reflected on his early days in the industry, sharing how films like Jonathan Demme’s “Melvin and Howard” and Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” inspired him to work in film. He recalled starting out as a production assistant, calling the experience “invaluable – the best,” because it offered a front-row seat to the entire filmmaking process. In fact, it was through a fortuitous PA job that he met actor Philip Baker Hall, who starred in his short film “Cigarettes & Coffee,” which he later expanded into his debut feature. “I got really lucky,” Anderson said, “I realized really quickly that I have no money, I have no anything, but I’ve got this guy’s face. You’re watching the people in the movie – all the other stuff can kind of come and go. But it’s the people and the actors, that’s the greatest special effect you can have.”
When asked what typically inspires his films, be it a character, a storyline, or an imagined world, he reflected on how ideas evolve over time. Although he wrote “Boogie Nights” as a short film at 17, he shot it when he was 26, giving him almost a decade to mold the concept. Additionally, fragments of Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel “Vineland” had lingered in his mind for two decades, ultimately shaping “One Battle After Another.” “I can remember having visions,” he observed, “a car in the desert, a secret society, a bounty hunter – just elements floating around…Whatever it is, you write those things down. You have to have a dance with ideas, and you have to listen, but also impose your will a little bit. It’s a very elaborate relationship.”
Anderson also spoke about his love of working with actors, both seasoned veterans and emerging performers. Reflecting on finally teaming up with DiCaprio, he said, “I thought this would be such a great part for him because he’s so funny…He can be completely exasperated, indignant, angry and lost, but he can also be very tender and sweet. There’s such a wide range of emotions.” Casting the role of Willa, who plays DiCaprio’s daughter, initially felt daunting, but Anderson was relieved when he came across Chase Infiniti’s audition tape and ultimately cast her. He knew how pivotal that decision was, explaining, “There was a lot riding on it and a lot to ask her to do. It’s the best decision I’ve made in a long time.”
During the Q&A, LMU Film and Television Production student Miguel Bayon Jacobson ’26 asked Anderson about the dynamic between a director and cinematographer and how they collaborate to shape a film’s visual language. Anderson emphasized preparation, noting his preference for extensive testing, experimenting with film stocks, lights, and lenses before production begins. This approach, he explained, minimizes on-set trial and error and allows the team to focus on execution. He also stressed the importance of reviewing dailies in-person with the cast and crew throughout production to learn from their mistakes and refine the overarching vision. “They start to see it and feel it,” he said, “It’s less of a thing that’s inside my head and more of a collective understanding of the direction that this material is going. The more everybody keeps understanding the vibe, then the better off you’re going to be.”
The last question of the evening came from LMU Screenwriting student Timothy Sean Yuson ’28, who asked what advice Anderson would give his younger self as an aspiring filmmaker. As an innovative and ambitious working writer for nearly three decades in Hollywood, Anderson offered the following words of inspiration: “I just want to give encouragement to any screenwriter in this room. Don’t stop. Don’t get discouraged. The chances for success get exponentially higher when there’s good writing, when there’s a solid foundation. It all begins with the script.”
Anderson also urged students to embrace the complexity of human nature and create characters that are multi-dimensional, which he has strived for throughout his nearly three-decade career in Hollywood. “Everybody has their story,” he said. “To tell that story honestly is the mission, to not flinch from the darker parts of people. I like characters who are flawed and less than heroic. That makesthem heroic to me sometimes.”
LMU School of Film and Television students left the screening inspired, with a deeper appreciation for innovative storytelling and for filmmakers who embrace complexity in their own work. The event, which gave students a rare glimpse into Anderson’s creative process, offered them invaluable insights and practical advice that will help guide them throughout their time at LMU and well into their careers.