Sheila McCarthy on Jessie Buckley

I first met Jessie Buckley over an email while I was watching her in her extraordinary film Wild Rose. I will never forget her in that. Raw, funny, moving — everything. I tried to be very cool and nonchalant when we first started shooting Women Talking together, but I was fan-girling inside. She is artistry in motion as an actor. I relied on her entirely to help me get to the dark places in our hayloft. Mother to daughter. We held hands and I was a goner. Then we peed in the fields together and laughed our guts out, which made us pee even more. Our “wild wees,” she called them. Wild indeed, she is.

Colin Farrell on Brendan Gleeson

The very nature of film, and any theatrical endeavor, is the nature of collaboration. With that in mind, just having a co-star who is open and receptive, who comes with their own ideas and thoughts and perspectives but also is open to hearing whatever suggestions you may have … I’ve been really lucky over 25 years to have had that experience, and never have I experienced it more than I do when working with Brendan. Brendan is an extraordinary collaborator. He really is somebody who understands that he is a spoke in a greater wheel, and regardless of whether you’re leading a film or a supporting player or you’re a day player, you have to realize that the most important thing is not really you or your interpretation or the character that you’re playing — as important as that is — regardless of the size of the party, the most important thing is serving the story. And that’s one of the great things about Brendan: You never feel like he’s serving himself. He’s serving the script. He’s serving the writer’s vision. And so if you go with the same energy, then there’s this simpatico that breeds the ability to play within the environments. With Brendan, there’s an extraordinary amount of safety and trust … I have complete comfort in working with Brendan; even in moments where the scenes are uncomfortable, we trust each other implicitly, and that’s just a great space to inhabit for the creative process.

Stephanie Hsu on Michelle Yeoh

I feel really grateful to be alongside Michelle on this journey … I know that every card that has ever been stacked against me in this industry has been stacked against her tenfold. And it’s not like when the movie came out, all those difficulties went away for me or for her. This just feels like such an important moment — I feel so grateful that I get to witness her making history right before my eyes. And alongside her. She deserves it. We as a community deserve to be seen; people deserve to be seen, valued and know that this is possible for them. If you don’t see it, it’s very hard to believe it.

Diego Calva on Margot Robbie

The trust. That “home” feeling that allows you to try and be curious. That fearless look in her eyes that makes the others feel they can and they will. Margot is a force of nature, her love for her craft is intoxicating. She breathes acting and movies.

Seth Rogen on Michelle Williams

Having a co-star who you think is a much better actor than you is always helpful. It forces you to focus and raise your own bar. But at the same time, when you’re in a scene with Michelle Williams, it’s hard not to feel like it’s easy in some ways as well. They make it feel natural and real and intuitive. So, a good co-star is someone who makes you want to do great work — and also helps you do it.

This story first appeared in the Feb. 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.