‘Eternity’ Star Elizabeth Olsen on Death and the Afterlife
At the premiere of A24’s new romantic dramedy Eternity, Elizabeth Olsen reflected on mortality and the afterlife. The actress plays a woman who has died and must choose where to spend eternity — with her first husband, who died in the Korean War, or with her second, with whom she shared over 60 years of marriage.
Olsen’s Reflections on Mortality
“I’ve had this kind of plotted out from a very young age,” she said. “When I was in high school, I dreamt of being a very old lady on the coast of England, alone actually. I might have had an animal, and it would be like foggy and wet and kind of cold, and I would go on long walks and I would be in a small town that had like one of each thing you need like one bakery, one coffee shop, one fishmonger, one cheese shop, one community center, one theater.”
Olsen explained that her imagined solitude was never about loneliness, but about being connected to a small, friendly community. She concluded her thought with a slightly humorous remark:
“It was always just me because I like meeting new people and I like being a part of a community, and I always imagined I would die alone.”
With a laugh, she admitted:
“I don’t know what to do with that, but that was part of my dream.”
Miles Teller on Reconnection and Simplicity
Olsen’s co-star Miles Teller shared that he hopes to reunite with loved ones in the afterlife, including friends and relatives he never met. He added that when it comes to eternity, he prefers to keep things simple.
About the Film
Eternity blends romantic and comedic tones as it explores life after death and the emotional choices people face when given a second chance at love and connection.
Author’s Summary: Elizabeth Olsen reflected at the premiere of Eternity on her lifelong fascination with death and solitude, while Miles Teller spoke of reunion and simplicity in the afterlife.