Ben Foster Talks 'Leave No Trace,' Ditching Your Smartphone & Working With Female Directors [Interview]

Actor Ben Foster has had a hell of a couple of years. In 2016, the actor turned in one of the year’s best-supporting roles with his appearance in the Oscar-nominated film, “Hell or High Water.” A year later, Foster showed up in a supporting role in the underrated film “Hostiles.” And in 2018, the actor has delivered perhaps the best work of his career, with leading roles in “Galveston” and “Leave No Trace.” It’s that latter work that has Foster’s name being thrown around as an awards contender in a film that is easily one of the best of the year (check out our Best Movies of 2018 list to read more).

I was lucky enough to speak to Foster about his roles in “Galveston” and “Leave No Trace.” And as we talked, the conversation turned to a variety of topics, including his new baby daughter, the use of smartphones (or “anxiety leashes”), and his potential work behind the camera.

Was there something particular that stood out to you about “Leave No Trace” that made you want to do the film?
When I read the script, and I’ve always been a fan of Debra [Granik]. Particular, her first film, “Down to the Bone,” starring Vera Farmiga and dealt with addiction in such a graceful and honest way. The roles felt very true. And I’d seen her documentary, “Stray Dog.” And I was aware that she doesn’t make films often, every five to seven years, something like that. So, when I got the script, you got to put that on the top of the pile. And then secondly, I just found out that my wife was pregnant and we were expecting a girl. My heart was pretty tender in anticipation of her arrival. And by the end of the reading the script, I burst into tears. It felt fortuitous and a wonderful way to spend the last few months before my daughter’s birth. This role is going to be my last job for a while as I anticipate staying home to be with her. It was a beautiful way for the little one to show up.

I’d go to work every day and looking at this young person [co-star Thomasin McKenzie] with her own ideas. And I come home at night; then I feel my real daughter kick in my wife’s belly. I don’t imagine I’ll be able to experience something like that again. It felt very precious.

This film tells the story of a beautiful father/daughter relationship, but it also reveals the heartbreaking story of a man struggling with PTSD, without giving too much information or backstory about what may have caused it. How did you prepare for that aspect of the role?
This is my third film dealing with the subject of a man in service. Over the years of doing these films and I become friends with men and women who return and struggled with re-entry, and they’ve shared stories with me. So the ongoing conversation of what does it mean to have done your duty and find a new sense of patriotism or identity, or losing a sense of identity and feeling no longer useful. These conversations need to be had. So I didn’t feel he was at far from the people that I’ve talked to in the past. It was less about doing research and more about Debra and I sharing our story that we’ve accumulated through the years and when I read the line, “Is it a want or is it a need?” I asked her if she would go through the script with me and do a pass. If he doesn’t need to say it, let’s cross it out, and he won’t say it. That was the more intensive work that we did together was a cut out a large chunk of his dialogue. I’m hoping that we could suggest more than talk about it.