David Lowery opens up about the A24 film’s choice to leave much of the lead character’s past a secret.
The new movie Mother Mary starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel arrived in theaters on April 17, 2026. The film follows a famous pop singer (Hathaway) who shows up at her former best friend and costume designer’s door after years apart. She asks for one special dress for her big return concert. But the movie does not give clear answers about what broke them apart. Director David Lowery explains why he chose to keep those details hidden.
Why The Movie Leaves Out Mother Mary’s Past With Sam
Lowery made a clear choice to keep the backstory between Mother Mary and Sam a mystery. In an interview with ScreenRant, the director said he had a lot of information in his head about their past. But he decided the movie only needed enough to make the tension feel real.
David Lowery: There’s a fair amount of it in my head, but I think the movie has just enough. And I didn’t want to belabor it or to really leave every detail. I didn’t want this to be a biography of these characters.
The director explained that the film is not about telling the full life story of these two women. Instead, it focuses on the creative process between two people who used to work closely together. Lowery believes the tension between them would always be there no matter what caused the breakup.
David Lowery: It is a film about the creative process, especially the creative process between two collaborators. And so that tension is always going to be there, no matter what. And I knew that as long as we begin in a place of tension, what really matters is where we arrive at the end.
How The Director Used The Creative Process To Tell The Story
The movie spends most of its time inside a large stone barn where Sam works on designs. Mother Mary and Sam talk, argue, and slowly work through their old wounds. Lowery told Backstage that he started writing the script while making another movie. He was thinking about his own place as a filmmaker and wanted to make something focused purely on performances.
The film mixes quiet conversation scenes with big concert moments. Lowery said balancing these two sides was a careful act. He and his team looked for ways to connect the visual style of the talk scenes with the stadium performances. The architecture of the barn where they shot even helped shape how they designed the concert stage.
Anne Hathaway’s Hard Work To Become A Pop Star
Hathaway spoke with Vogue about how challenging this role became. She said she could not pretend to play Mother Mary. She had to become material that Lowery could shape. The actress called it the hardest role of her career.
Anne Hathaway: What struck me right away, reading the script, is that you can’t ‘perform’ Mother Mary. If I got the part, I would have to become material that David could craft with. I had to submit to being a beginner.
Hathaway started filming before any of the songs were finished. She did not know what her character’s music would sound like. This made the experience confusing but also freeing. She learned to let go of control and trust the process.
Michaela Coel, who plays the fashion designer Sam, praised Hathaway’s work. She said the physical acting Hathaway had to learn was intense. On the day they filmed a long dance scene, the whole crew ended up in tears after watching her perform.
Michaela Coel: It’s very brave work that she’s done. That requires a lot of strength. Gallons and tons.
The Meaning Behind The Hidden Details
The movie also uses ghostly and supernatural elements. A red floating fabric appears throughout the film. Some scenes show body horror and strange visions. Critics have mixed feelings about these choices. The Boston Globe called the metaphors muddled and exhausting. Variety said the film becomes too focused on abstract ideas.
But Lowery told Entertainment Weekly that the creative process itself can feel like rebirth. He said making art can take everything out of a person and then allow them to come back new. This idea sits at the center of Mother Mary.
The stars also shared their thoughts on what happens after the movie ends. Coel believes the two characters can never truly stop seeing each other. They share a connection that goes beyond being in the same room. Hathaway hopes that Mother Mary tries to reach out to Sam again, even if Sam does not always reply.
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Original Music From Top Pop Stars
The movie features original songs written by Charli xcx, Jack Antonoff, and FKA twigs, who also appears in the film. Lowery told Slant Magazine that he had to learn a lot about making pop music. He even tried to give notes to Charli xcx on her lyrics. She explained why his changes would not work and taught him how pop songs are built.
David Lowery: She was like, ‘Cool, we can do that if you want, but here’s why it doesn’t work.’ It was such an education into how a pop song is constructed. In that moment, I realized, ‘Oh yeah, that’s why she is Charli XCX. She knows how to do this. I do not.’
Mother Mary is now playing in theaters across the United States. The film will expand to more locations starting April 24. Running time is 110 minutes and it has an R rating for some violent content and language.
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