ELLE Exclusive: Julia Garner On The Dark, Twisted Heart Of 'Weapons'

Julia Garner has a habit of turning every role she touches into something unforgettable. As scam queen Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna, she delivered lines with a disorienting accent and razor-sharp charm that made viewers obsess over every syllable. And now, as Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, she brings an unexpected aura and edge to one of Marvel’s most cosmic figures. Her dialogue delivery is distinctive, stretched in places, clipped in others, always deliberate. 

In Weapons, the latest thriller from Barbarian director Zach Cregger, Garner once again vanishes into the psyche of a woman on the brink. She plays Justine, an elementary school teacher who walks into her classroom one morning to find all but one of her students missing. What unfolds is a dark, surreal story about connection, desperation, and the limits of control. But at its heart, as Garner puts it, it’s “a love story in disguise.” In an exclusive conversation with ELLE, she spilt some secrets for us.

“I was a big fan of Barbarian,” Garner says of director Zach Cregger’s previous horror hit. “And then I read this script… I’ve never read anything like it. Original stories are so rare these days. That’s what drew me in.” For Garner, Weapons wasn’t just another entry in the psychological thriller canon. It was a script laced with nuance, oddities, and an aching desire for connection. “This is going to sound really weird,” she smiles, “but I think it’s also a love story.”

Yes, there are missing children. Yes, there are surreal plot turns and jump scares. But at the heart of Weapons is a quiet grief—a longing to be seen, heard, and loved. And Justine, with all her fragility and contradictions, embodies that.

“She thinks she’s a lot more normal than she actually is,” Garner says, laughing. “She’s steady, she believes. But then she snaps. She’s irritable, desperate, and funny in ways she doesn’t mean to be. I love that about her.”

A Character That’s Cracking at the Seams

Justine’s world begins to unravel the moment her classroom empties out. But it’s not just the disappearance of her students that sends her spiralling. It’s the loss of her identity, her stability, her grounding. 

“I think she doesn’t come from a very steady household,” Garner reflects. “She probably jumps to the worst-case scenario immediately. And when the kids are gone, she loses her sense of purpose.” There’s also a delicate thread of addiction in the narrative. Justine’s relationship with alcohol is portrayed not as a plot device, but as a symptom of her deeper yearning. “People who drink—often they’re looking for a connection they can’t seem to find,” Garner says quietly. “This movie is about that longing. About being unable to reach out, even when you want to.”

The Beauty of Zach Cregger’s Vision

Garner lights up when talking about Zach Cregger, the film’s writer-director. “He’s the kindest guy,” she says. “And what’s rare is that he’s incredibly clear in his vision, but also so graceful in how he communicates that.” She draws a parallel between horror and comedy, explaining how Weapons lives in the slippery space between both. “They’re opposite sides of the same coin. Great horror needs humour. It needs absurdity. And Zach knows how to balance that.”

It’s that tonal balance—realism mixed with surrealism, dread offset by dry humour—that gives Weapons its edge. “It feels real,” Garner explains, “but then these weird things happen. Like a Dali painting. You’re grounded, but then the world slips a little.”

On Set, in the Moment

For Garner, being on set was a masterclass in ensemble storytelling. “There wasn’t a single day I didn’t want to be at Video Village just watching scenes unfold,” she says. “Every day I had to remind myself, ‘You’re not an audience member—you’re in this scene!’” 

With a cast packed with talent and a crew that felt like family, Weapons became one of those rare creative experiences that actors dream of. “These are the jobs that remind me how lucky I am to do what I do. Everyone was so talented—and just really good people.”

Julia Garner, Unfiltered

It’s no surprise that Garner brings such depth to a role like Justine. With a resume that includes Emmy-winning turns (Ozark), psychological shapeshifting (The Assistant), and off-kilter glamour (Inventing Anna), she’s proven time and again that she thrives in emotional grey zones. Justine is another chapter in that story. A woman searching for connection, fumbling through her own brokenness, clinging to the illusion of control. “She wants to be loved,” Garner says simply. “She wants to be liked. But she doesn’t know how.” 

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