A New Creative Direction for Ryan Murphy
Renowned producer Ryan Murphy has signaled a notable shift in his creative approach, suggesting that his future projects will feature significantly fewer explicit sexual depictions. This transition begins with his latest series, The Shards, an adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ 2023 novel.
Reflecting on his career, Murphy noted that while he enjoys exploring the dynamics of high school-aged characters, his perspective on how to portray their experiences has evolved. “I’ve done a couple of shows with high school characters, and I love doing them. I think that arena is really interesting,” Murphy shared in a recent profile. “It’s an arena of first times: First kiss. First makeout. First sexual experience. First breakup.”
The Influence of Fatherhood and Responsibility
The choice to tone down the material stems from a blend of personal growth and professional maturity. Murphy, a father of three sons, admitted that his perspective on what needs to be shown on screen has changed over time. “I’ve done erotic shows, sexual shows. I wanted it to be tasteful and palatable,” he explained. “But I would say that the older I get, the more I become an old Victorian prude. Maybe because I’m a father, I’m like, ‘We don’t need to show that.’”
While the series will still explore themes of longing and desire, Murphy emphasized that the production team collaborated closely with intimacy coordinators to ensure the material was handled responsibly. He described the resulting scenes as “tasteful” while acknowledging that they are still designed to provoke discussion among viewers.
Prioritizing Actor Comfort
Beyond personal philosophy, Murphy stressed that the well-being of his cast was a primary motivator for his cautious approach. Recognizing that the project features many new actors, he prioritized their comfort levels above all else. “The thing I always lead with actors is, ‘What do you feel comfortable doing?’ I always empower actors in those situations,” he stated.
Behind the Scenes of 'The Shards'
Set in 1981 Los Angeles, The Shards follows a 17-year-old version of author Bret Easton Ellis during his senior year at an elite prep school. The narrative tension escalates with the arrival of a mysterious student named Robert Mallory, whose presence correlates with the activities of a serial killer dubbed 'The Trawler'.
Actor Igby Rigney, who portrays Ellis, recently discussed the collaborative environment on set, noting Murphy’s meticulous directing style:
“Ryan was really fun in the way that he directed us where he would have us do multiple takes multiple ways. So we were never clued in on which take he was going to use. And then I’m sure some of those takes got combined to make it extra confusing.”
Rigney also touched upon the unique challenges of the role, specifically managing internal narration while filming: “Getting to have the narration sometimes was a little challenging on set though because everybody around me is having fun and I’m staring deeply into the distance thinking about this big long paragraph I have but I’m not saying it out loud.”
The Shards is currently airing on Wednesdays on FX.