Jennifer Connelly’s Bold Leap Into Argento’s Wild World

Jennifer Connelly never set out to become an actor. As a teenager, she found herself unexpectedly cast in Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America, sharing the screen with the likes of Robert De Niro. Not many can say their first gig was in a classic, especially with barely any experience under their belt.

After that, Connelly’s path took another surprising turn. She teamed up with Dario Argento, the Italian director known for his offbeat and often bloody films. This time, she landed the lead in Phenomena, a supernatural thriller about a boarding school student who can communicate with insects using psychic abilities. The film, visually striking and set to a score by Goblin, has since become a cult favourite among Argento’s fans. At the time, though, critics were split—some thought it dragged, while others enjoyed the slow-burn tension and murder mystery that unfolds as students are targeted by a killer.

Parental Doubts and a Bizarre Plot

Connelly’s parents weren’t exactly thrilled about her taking the role. The story was, to put it mildly, a bit out there. Argento’s reputation for gory scenes didn’t help, either. When chatting with BlackTree TV, Connelly recalled,

“I loved working with him, you know, I think on paper it was an unusual choice. I remember my parents were like, ‘Oh yeah, you’re offered this movie, and it’s kind of crazy, and you sleepwalk, and you witness a murder, and you can communicate with insects, and your best friend is a chimpanzee,’ and I was like, ‘I’m in.’”

She was keen to dive into such a strange project, and the experience turned out to be both challenging and rewarding.

Filming wasn’t without its hazards. During production, Connelly had a run-in with her chimpanzee co-star, resulting in a nasty bite that nearly cost her half a finger. She was rushed to hospital, where doctors managed to sew it back on. Despite the scare, she didn’t let it sour her memories of the shoot.

Embracing the Madness

For Connelly, the chance to work with Argento in Italy was too good to pass up. She described the director as having a “mad vision” and said she was happy to go along for the ride.

“‘I’m back in Italy? I’m in.’ I was like ‘I’m ready to go,’ and I had a great time. I had so much fun. People have asked me like, ‘Was it frightening? Was it disturbing?’ And I was like, ‘No, it was that we had a whale of a time, and Dario was so sweet, and I got to be back in Italy.’”

She threw herself into the role, enjoying the oddness of the story and the creative energy on set.

Looking back, Connelly credits her time on Phenomena as a turning point. The film’s unique style and her leading performance helped open doors, including her next big part in Labyrinth alongside David Bowie. It’s fair to say that taking a punt on Argento’s wild world paid off in spades.