Claudette Barius/Focus Features

Michael Fassbendercannot lie the polygraph scene inBlack Bagwas a bear for him to shoot.

“So that’s the way I learned it.

“But there’s subtle differences there.

Tom Burke as Freddie Smalls and Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse in director Steven Soderbergh’s BLACK BAG

Credit:Claudette Barius/Focus Features

I had the pages all over the place in front of me.”

“And as soon as I explained that to Michael, he went, ‘Oh s—.’

He had to scramble his brain and get that sorted out.”

Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse and Marisa Abela as Clarissa Dubose in director Steven Soderbergh’s BLACK BAG

Michael Fassbender and Marisa Abela in ‘Black Bag’.Claudette Barius/Focus Features

The scene was also quite challenging for Abela, whose Clarissa is a whiz at beating lie detector tests.

“I watched a lot of videos of people taking polygraph tests,” she says of her preparation.

“It’s about managing your own breath and your anxieties.

Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse, Tom Burke as Freddie Smalls and Pierce Brosnan as Arthur Steiglitz in director Steven Soderbergh’s BLACK BAG

Michael Fassbender, Tom Burke, and Pierce Brosnan in ‘Black Bag’.Claudette Barius/Focus Features

“The intelligence agencies still use it a lot,” he says.

“The metrics they’re using are pretty precise.

He’s like, ‘Look, can it be beaten?

Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse in Black Bag

Michael Fassbender in ‘Black Bag’.Claudette Barius/Focus Features

Yes, but I can tell you it’s really f—ing hard.’

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However, in Soderbergh’s eyes, it all went exactly as it should have.

Regé-Jean Page as Col. James Stokes, Naomie Harris as Dr. Zoe Vaughn and Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse in director Steven Soderbergh’s BLACK BAG, a Focus Features release.

Rege-Jean Page, Naomie Harris, and Michael Fassbender in ‘Black Bag’.Claudette Barius/Focus Features