When actors take on movie roles, they often delve into research to understand and portray their characters better. However, it’s not every day that an actor goes to mortician school to prepare for a role. According to Empire, that’s exactly what Willem Dafoe did to embody Dr. Godwin Baxter in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things.”

In the film, Willem Dafoe’s character, Dr. Godwin Baxter, is an eccentric scientist who manages to bring Emma Stone’s character, Bella Baxter, back to life. To immerse himself in the role, Dafoe, alongside co-star Ramy Youssef, attended mortician school to gain hands-on experience in tasks like slicing, stitching, and other aspects associated with reviving a dead body.

Youssef described the unique experience, likening it to a college campus, where they would split their time between different classes, with Dafoe fully immersing himself in the mortician school curriculum. While Youssef joked around while practicing stitching, Dafoe took the process seriously and quickly surpassed Youssef’s skills in the mortician’s craft.

Based on Alasdair Gray’s novel, “Poor Things” is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, with Tony McNamara penning the screenplay. The story revolves around Bella Baxter, who is brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist, Dr. Godwin Baxter. Under his guidance, Bella embarks on a captivating adventure with Duncan Wedderburn, a charismatic and debauched lawyer. As Bella explores the world with newfound freedom, she becomes resolute in her quest for equality and liberation, unfazed by the prejudices of her time.

In addition to Emma Stone, Ramy Youseff, and Willem Dafoe, the film features Mark Ruffalo, Jerrod Carmichael, Christopher Abbot, and Margaret Qualley. Originally scheduled for release on September 8th, “Poor Things” has been pushed back to December 8th by Searchlight Pictures. The movie will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, adding to the anticipation surrounding its unique and captivating storyline.