Beau is Afraid Ending Explained: How a ‘Terrifying’ Interview Helped Patti LuPone Land Her Role

The recent casting of Patti LuPone as Mona in Beau is Afraid follows a viral moment where she passionately expressed her disdain for Donald Trump. This unexpected exposure caught the attention of director Ari Aster, who saw LuPone’s intense presence and decided she would be perfect for the role.

Aster reflects on his first impression of LuPone: “I caught a 30-second clip of her on a red carpet, and she was terrifying in the best way possible. It became evident that she was the one for the part.”

LuPone’s Iconic Career

At 74 years old, LuPone humorously recalls the moment at the Tony Awards when she delivered an expletive-laden response to a question about performing for the then-president. “It just slipped out,” she admits. “I was really annoyed that the interviewer brought it up. I should have said, ‘Look at where you are! The Gay Super Bowl!’ My frustration boiled over, so I said, ‘You want the truth? Here’s the truth.’”

LuPone describes Mona as “the best role I’ve ever had on camera.” She has achieved fame as a three-time Tony winner, celebrated for her iconic portrayal of Eva Perón in Evita and her remarkable performances in Gypsy, Company, and Anything Goes.

While she has made appearances on television shows like 30 Rock and American Horror Story, her role in Beau marks a rare foray into film, where critics have praised her as a standout.

Although Mona is largely absent from the three-hour film, she plays a pivotal role in Beau’s absurd journey home after hearing of her death in a freak accident.

Upon his return, Beau realizes that Mona has been alive the entire time and has manipulated his harrowing adventure to punish him for canceling their last visit. In a darkly comedic finale, Beau finds himself on trial for all the ways he has disappointed and disrespected his mother, finally receiving a death sentence.

LuPone states, “It’s the best role I’ve ever had on camera. Typically, I don’t receive opportunities like this as an actress. It’s so far out there.”

Going through Difficult Parenthood

Mona’s extreme behavior includes criticizing Beau for lacking ambition, spying on him during an intimate moment with a childhood friend (Parker Posey), and locking him in an attic with a bizarre penis monster that might be his father.

Despite her harsh methods, LuPone understands Mona’s deep-seated desire to keep her child close. “I worry about my son all the time,” she shares. “While I’m not exactly a Mona, parenthood intensifies these feelings.” LuPone observes, “I saw a woman trying to mold her son into a man while he continuously fails.”

In the film’s climactic scene, Mona watches as Beau drowns after being found guilty of being a bad son. LuPone interprets this moment as a blend of emotions for Mona. “She feels, ‘He’s gone, my child, the one thing I wanted more than anything in the world is gone.’ Does she blame herself? No. She blames him. (Laughs.)”

Currently generating Oscar buzz for her performance in Beau is Afraid, LuPone expresses a desire to take on more experimental films. Her portrayal of Mona has led many to advocate for her first Oscar nomination. “That’s great; are you kidding?” she responds enthusiastically. “But if it doesn’t happen, I’d be disappointed, so I’m not thinking about that right now.”

Her son, Joshua, 32, has praised her powerful performance, admitting that he doesn’t recognize his mother in the film. “We share a wonderful relationship,” LuPone explains. “He has seen me in various roles and knows me as a mother. He sees me cooking and cleaning, just a regular person in a nightshirt.”

LuPone is currently filming the Disney+ series Agatha: Coven of Chaos, a spinoff of WandaVision, while hoping to continue pursuing more unconventional projects like Beau in the future.

After resigning from her membership in the Actors’ Equity Association last fall, LuPone has no plans to return to Broadway. “I’m not missing the theater,” she states. “I can’t imagine doing eight shows a week again. It’s not that I can’t; I just have no desire after doing it for 50 years.

There’s no life in that schedule. You only get one day off. I love live performances and character development, but I’m not keen on returning to the stage anytime soon.”

Should she return to theater, LuPone envisions performing in a more intriguing setting rather than Times Square. “I’d prefer something more interesting: a storefront, the U.N. It would be refreshing to do something where audiences can seek us out.”

Among her proudest stage roles are Gypsy and Company, along with The Robber Bridegroom from 1975 and the innovative Sweeney Todd from 2005, where the cast also served as the orchestra.

“When our stage management described us as more of a band than just actors, that was my proudest moment,” LuPone recalls. “There are several productions where I felt we truly served the play and each other, allowing joy to radiate into the audience. That’s the ultimate experience.”