“Poor Things,” the film that won Emma Stone the 2024 Best Actress Oscar, follows Bella Baxter, a woman with the brain of a baby who discovers the pleasures of life. One of the things he likes most about this “experiment” is some sweets he tries on the first part of his travels with Duncan Wedderburn. We tell you some strange facts about sponge cakes.
Emma Stone ate dozens of cream puffs on the set of ‘Poor Things’
While in Lisbon, Bella Baxter has the opportunity to explore many of the pleasures that life has to offer. One of the first stops she makes with her lover Duncan (played by Mark Ruffalo) is a cafe, where they try some sweets that, despite their small size, immediately charm the protagonist of ‘Poor Things’. So much so, that he asks for more and more. Throughout her stay in the Portuguese capital, we see her filled with them.
In late February 2024, during a panel celebrating the Oscar nominees, Emma Stone revealed that she ate about 60 of these cupcakes while filming the movie.
“The first bite is delicious, but by the end you really want to puke,” she said of the experience.
The cream puffs from ‘Poor Things’ exist in real life
Although the setting of George Lanthimos’ film borders on the surreal, these cakes are not an invention of this world: they exist in real life. These are pasteis de nata, from Belém, pastels de nata or cream tarts, the name varies depending on the region or the person talking to you about them.
The delicacies that delighted Bella Baxter come from Portugal. As their name suggests, they are small cakes with a cream filling of eggs and milk, they stand out for their crispy texture on the outside and soft inside, as well as their sweet taste.
Tradition says they were created in the 19th century at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, Portugal. After the country’s Liberal Revolution in 1820, the monasteries were forced to close and, left without a livelihood, one of the monks began to prepare the pastries in a small shop using the monastery’s recipe.
Today, they are easy to find in pastry shops all over Portugal.
In Mexico City, you can try pasteis de nata or Belém at Padaria Tuga, located in the Condesa neighborhood.
Where to see ‘Poor Things’, the film that won Emma Stone her second Oscar?
The acclaimed film is still available in cinemas in Mexico, although in the United States and other parts of the world, it was shown in cinemas last December.
“Poor Things” can also be enjoyed on streaming services: in the United States it is available on Hulu starting March 7, while Mexican fans will be able to find it in the Star+ (Disney+ subsidiary) catalog starting March 20.
Did you know that the cupcakes that Bella Baxter eats in ‘Poor Things’ exist in real life? Let us know in the comments if you want to try Portugal pastels de nata.
Source: univision
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
