Whalefall Premiere: Josh Brolin's Heartbeat Used for Whale
Director Brian Duffield revealed at the El Capitan Theatre premiere that Josh Brolin's recorded heartbeat was doubled to become the sperm whale's heartbeat in Whalefall.
Whalefall held its premiere on Tuesday at the El Capitan Theatre, where director Brian Duffield revealed that Josh Brolin's heartbeat was recorded and then doubled to serve as the sperm whale's heartbeat in the film, according to Variety.
Duffield said the whale's heartbeat drives a specific lighting effect that runs throughout the movie. The creative team also gave the whale facial scarring that mirrors Brolin's character, Mitt Gardiner, as a visual link between the two.
Brolin voices the spirit of Jay's late father, a role that also doubles as the spirit of the whale. Austin Abrams plays Jay.
Whalefall is one of three films featuring Brolin this year, alongside the third installment of the Dune franchise scheduled for release on Dec. 18. His Ridley Scott-directed The Dog Stars earned $8 million domestically in its opening weekend in August, and his 2017 film Only the Brave initially struggled at the box office before finding an audience on streaming.