When Hostiles was screened last night in New York, the wintry temperatures were bone-chilling at best. But that didn’t stop a slew of fans from forming a line down the block outside of the Metrograph theater just to catch a glimpse of stars Christian Bale, Wes Studi, and Rosamund Pike. Written and directed by Scott Cooper, the film, set in 1892, tells the story of an Army captain (Bale) who reluctantly agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne chief (Studi) and his family back to tribal lands. Along the way, they meet a widow (Pike) whose family was murdered on the plains and offer their help. They make their way from New Mexico to Montana, and their relationship moves from hostility to compassion in what is a testament to humans’ capacity for change.
According to Pike, the challenging subject matter was what drew her to the part—that and, of course, the opportunity to shoot a Western with Cooper. “[He] is one of the most courageous and brave directors working in Hollywood today because he doesn’t ever take the easy route,” she said. “He takes what might be colossal and makes it just 10 times more interesting.”
For Pike, that meant a character who starts out at her lowest point instead of the other way around. “My character doesn’t have many lines, but her emotional journey is vast,” she explained. “Often in a film the journey is working up to a point that’s devastating, and for this character it starts out that way. It’s a very, very challenging and exciting opportunity, and one that I didn’t take on without some faintness of heart.”
With the help of her stylist, Ryan Hastings, Pike stole fans’ hearts outside when she arrived in darkly romantic Givenchy slip from Clare Waight Keller’s first collection as artistic director. The black-and-white palette was a perfect extension of the Saint Laurent blouse and pants she wore to promote the film at Build Series in New York hours earlier. “If you’re going to be photographed next to a lot of guys in suits, it works well,” she said with a laugh. “I love the textures: There’s velvet at the top then you’ve got this beautiful chiffon underneath.” Pike added: “It’s a dream role and a dream dress.”
