Interview | Margot Robbie and Allison Janney talk I, Tonya
I attended I, Tonya’s UK press conference. Read my report for Screen Words here.
Interview | Evan Narcisse talks Rise of the Black Panther
I interviewed Evan Narcisse – writer of the Rise of the Black Panther comics – for Sci-Fi Now. Read it here.
Interview | April Reign talks Oscars So White 3.0
I interviewed April Reign for Den of Geek. Read it here.
Interview | Harry Gregson-Williams Talks The Martian
There are few composers working today who are as prolific as Harry Gregson-Williams. A veteran of over 20 years, his impressive career spans television, video games, and films such as the Shrek and The Chronicles of Narnia franchises.
Last August we were invited to the world famous Abbey Road Studios where Gregson-Williams was finishing up his score for The Martian, Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated fall blockbuster. We were lucky enough to see 15 minutes of footage set to his musical cues, with the quickly catchy theme being employed in interesting ways. The finished product is sure to be a memorable addition to both Scott’s filmography and Gregson-Williams’ discography.
Before that aural treat, we had the opportunity to sit down with Gregson-Williams, and during the course of our illuminating tête-à-tête the composer talks about working with the Scott brothers, the process of creating a score, and why working on franchises can be tricky. Have a read below.
Interview | Nat Wolff & John Green Discuss Paper Towns
Paper Towns is the second of John Green’s highly popular books to get the silver screen treatment. The first to make the jump to celluloid was the 2014 hit The Fault in Our Stars, in which Nat Wolff played the blind friend to Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort’s lead characters. Whereas that was more of a supporting role, Paper Towns sees Wolff graduate to leading man status and his talents are all the better displayed for it.
I took part in a roundtable discussion ahead of the movie’s UK release, and while Green spoke of comparisons to John Hughes, Wolff discussed who he’d like to work with in future and how the Pokémon theme song found its way into the film. It’s all been transcribed for your reading pleasure below.
Interview | Carmen Ejogo Discusses Selma
Though the focus of Ava Duvernay’s Oscar-nominated Selma is rightfully on Martin Luther King, throughout there is a great emphasis on how a collective group can accomplish great change. Just as King was surrounded by a host of great men and women, so to is Selma’s star David Oyelowo aided by a terrific ensemble.
One of its members is Carmen Ejogo, who plays Coretta Scott King for the second time in Selma. Ahead of the film’s home entertainment release, I spoke to the actress about meeting Coretta King, black actresses in Hollywood, and much more.
Interview | Maika Monroe talks It Follows
When I sat down with Maika Monroe at a London hotel earlier last month, it quickly struck me that her demeanour was one I wasn’t used to seeing on her – specifically, she was relaxed.
This isn’t to say that Monroe is never like this of course – by all accounts she’s a charming, laid-back individual – but for the characters she plays in 2014 sleeper hit The Guest and new horror flick It Follows, relaxation is not a feeling that’s expressed too often.
Interview | Writer-Director David Robert Mitchell talks It Follows
Horror film It Follows centres around nineteen-year-old Jay (The Guest’s Maika Monroe) who after a sexual encounter with her new boyfriend Hugh (Jake Weary) finds herself plagued by a mysterious, malevolent entity which relentlessly follows her.
I got the chance to sit down with the film’s writer-director David Robert Mitchell ahead of the film’s UK release, and here he tells me about avoiding the jump scares found in horror films today, how the film’s subtext originated, and much more. Have a read below.
Interview | Director Stephen Daldry Discusses Trash
Though his latest film is only the fifth in Stephen Daldry’s 16-year career, it’s not for lack of projects. Indeed, between pre-production on new Netflix television series The Crown, an upcoming adaptation of stage-musical Wicked, and at least two stage productions due to play this year, he’s arguably Britain’s busiest director.
The topic of our chat was Trash, which focuses on three Brazilian teenagers who become embroiled in a major scandal when they stumble across a sought-after wallet with incriminating contents.
In the interview, Daldry talks about casting and working with the young actors, collaborating with talented editor Elliot Graham, and much more. Hit the jump to have a watch.
Interview | Frank Grillo Talks Captain America, Crossbones and The Raid Remake
Frank Grillo has made a career out of strong supporting roles, but that’s set to change. Earlier this year he earned praise for his performance in The Purge: Anarchy, and the actor also left an impression as Brock Rumlow in Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Comic book fans will know exactly what’s in store for the character, and the closing minutes of Winter Soldier all but confirm that we can look forward to seeing Grillo develop Rumlow further.
Ahead of the home entertainment release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, we got a chance to quiz Grillo on how he’d like Rumlow to evolve in future instalments, other Marvel characters he’d like a chance to play, and his role in the upcoming remake of The Raid. Have a read below.
Interview | Zach Braff on Wish I Was Here
Ten years after he made his directorial bow with the well-received Garden State, Zach Braff is back behind the camera again for his sophomore effort Wish I Was Here. The film drew criticism from some quarters early on for its Kickstarter funding, but its safe to say that Braff’s unique vision wouldn’t have been realized had he gone the traditional studio route.
I got a chance to sit down with Braff ahead of the film’s UK release this week, and the former Scrubs star talked to us about his best and worst auditions, a cameo appearance from the late James Avery, and much more. Have a watch below.
Interview | Dan Stevens Talks The Guest
Though fans of Downton Abbey will already know of the blue-eyed Dan Stevens, many more will be introduced to the one-time Lord of the Manor in The Guest. Directed by Adam Wingard – who helmed 2013’s well-received horror You’re Next – Stevens stars as the titular ‘Guest’ David. Welcomed into an unsuspecting family’s home, he appears to be the perfect houseguest, all the while hiding a mysterious past.
It’s a superb breakthrough performance from Stevens, full of swagger and charm. There’s plenty more to look forward to from him this year too; we’ll next see him starring alongside Liam Neeson in this month’s A Walk Among the Tombstones, and he’ll be taking on the mantle of Sir Lancelot in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.
The Guest was the focus of our chats though, and Stevens spoke of playlists, the atmosphere on set, and how he’s going about picking future projects. Have a watch below.
Interview | IMAX’S Brian Bonnick talks about the future of IMAX
“Go and watch a movie in IMAX. Then go and watch the same movie in another theatre, and if you don’t get it then don’t bother going to IMAX anymore, because we believe you will get it. You’ll get what the difference is.”
This confident pride in the product is inherent throughout our interview with IMAX Chief Technological Officer Brian Bonnick. Before answering our first question the CTO semi-seriously states that he could talk about IMAX for hours, and though I had significantly less time with him he still left us with a wealth of information on the company’s future. Among the talking points were IMAX cameras, changes in aspect ratios, and expansion into home cinemas. Have a read below.
Interview | Madhur Mittal and Mark Ciardi talk Million Dollar Arm
Prior to Million Dollar Arm, Madhur Mittal’s biggest role had been in Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. In both films he manages to leave a lasting impression, and we can only hope to see more of the up and coming actor in future.
Ahead of this week’s UK release of Million Dollar Arm we sat down with Mittal and the film’s producer Mark Ciardi to quiz them on their favourite sports flicks, how they adapt when they’re out of their comfort zones, and much more. We also promised Madhur we’d get the word out on his days as a Michael Jackson impersonator. Regretfully, a dance-off did not take place. Have a watch below. (more…)
Interview | Jack Reynor talks Transformers: Age of Extinction
I was lucky enough to be sent to chat with Jack Reynor ahead of the Dublin premiere of Transformers: Age of Extinction. Check out our fun conversation below.
Interview | Andy Serkis talks Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Set 10 years after its predecessor Dawn of the Planet of the Apes sees Andy Serkis reprise his role as Caesar, leader of a genetically evolved ape colony that is threatened by a band of human survivors. We’re not monkeying around when we say Serkis delivers one of the finest performances of the year, and when combined with WETA’s phenomenal CGI effects the result is something truly special.
Along with a handful of other journalists I was fortunate enough to sit down with the actor ahead of the film’s UK release, and an enjoyably chatty Serkis talked about how far performance capture has come in addition to developing Caesar’s voice and where the series might be headed in future instalments. It’s all been transcribed for your reading pleasure below.
Interview | Nat Wolff Talks The Fault in Our Stars
The future is bright for Nat Wolff. The 19-year old actor and musician – he frequently tours with his brother Alex – has starred in over a dozen films, and with a promising upcoming slate that includes adaptations of The Stand and Paper Towns, his is a name we’ll be hearing more often.
Though the romance between Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort forms the focus of The Fault in Our Stars, Wolff leaves an indelible impression as Isaac, the blind best friend of Elgort’s Gus. Ahead of the UK release of the film this week, I sat down with Wolff to discuss working with his co-stars, emotions and near-accidents on set, and more. Have a read of our fun and honest tête-à-tête below.
Interview | Director Ryan Coogler Discusses Fruitvale Station
It’s been a rollercoaster year and a half for Ryan Coogler, debut director of docudrama Fruitvale Station. After winning awards at Sundance and Cannes last year, The Weinstein Company acquired the distribution rights and Coogler – who also wrote the film – has been busy promoting it around the world. The film finally arrives in UK cinemas this week, and on behalf of DIY Mag I sat down with the filmmaker a couple months ago at Sundance London to talk about the challenges he faced making his feature debut.
Interview | Sam Riley Discusses Maleficent
Disney’s Maleficent is the story of Sleeping Beauty’s iconic villian and lands in cinemas on May 28th 2014. The beautiful Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) leads an idyllic life in a forest kingdom until the day an army threatens the peaceful land. After a cruel betrayal the once pure-hearted young woman becomes focused on revenge and faces a battle with the successor of the invading king, placing a curse upon his newborn child, Aurora (Elle Fanning).
Ahead of the UK release this week, I had a chat with actor Sam Riley who plays Diaval, the loyal servant of Maleficent. He talks about working with Angelina Jolie and big budget special effects.
Watch the interview at This is Fake DIY.
Interview | Hans Zimmer Talks 12 Years A Slave, Superhero Scores and More
A look through Hans Zimmer’s discography reveals a truly staggering body of work; The Lion King, Gladiator, The Dark Knight trilogy and countless other films have been blessed with his gift of musical storytelling. Now a 30 year veteran of the industry the film composer is still at the top of his game, and on behalf of HeyUGuys I was lucky enough to chat with him ahead of the home entertainment release of the brilliant 12 Years A Slave.
So vast and varied is Zimmer’s catalogue and so excited was I to to speak with him that the 15 minutes I was granted felt like 5. Nonetheless it was a fascinating conversation, and here he speaks about working with Steve McQueen, the challenges when coming up with superhero scores and a special edition re-release of his work on The Lion King. Have a read below.
Interview | Ryan Reynolds Discusses The Voices
One of the highlights of this year’s Sundance London film festival was undoubtedly The Voices. The fourth feature from Iranian director Marjane Satrapi, it stars an on-form Ryan Reynolds as a disturbed factory worker who hallucinates his cat telling him to be a serial killer.
On behalf of This is Fake DIY, I was at the O2 last week for the film’s Sundance London premiere, and I quizzed the leading man and the director on voice acting, intense scenes, and the film’s show-stopping musical number. Have a read below.
Interview | Director Steven Knight Discusses Locke
When I asked Steven Knight, the writer and director of gripping British drama Locke, whether or not he would consider directing from a script that wasn’t his own, his response was immediate; “No, I couldn’t conceive of doing that, I’d feel for the writer!” With a screenwriting résumé that includes Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises, and Peaky Blinders, it’s a position that Knight has often been in. Last year saw his first foray into life behind the camera with the underwhelming Jason Statham vehicle Hummingbird, but his sophomore effort is anything but. Bolstered by a knockout performance from Tom Hardy, Locke is a fascinating and clever opus that gets the most out of its simple premise.
I got a chance to speak with Knight ahead of the film’s UK release this week, and he talks to us about cutting down 30 hours of footage, his directorial experience on the film, and Hardy’s Welsh accent. Have a read below.
Interview | Richard Armitage Talks The Hobbit Trilogy
Few characters benefitted more from Peter Jackson’s second instalment of The Hobbit trilogy than Thorin Oakenshield, leader of a dwarf clan intent on reclaiming their homeland. As portrayed by Richard Armitage, it’s a subtle performance of a layered character, one we’re looking forward to seeing more of when The Hobbit trilogy comes to an end later this year.
When I sat down with Armitage ahead of the home entertainment release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, I asked him about his fondest memories of Middle Earth, which scene from The Lord of the Rings trilogy he would have liked to see in 3D, and what he’s most excited for audiences to see in trilogy-capper There and Back Again. Have a watch below.
This article was originally published at HeyUGuys.
Interview | Director Carlos Saldanha Talks Rio 2
With its catchy music, colourful visuals and perfectly pitched performances from its star-studded cast, Rio struck a chord with audiences back in 2011. Indeed, it amassed over $480 million worldwide and was the thirteenth highest grossing film of that year. Directed by Carlos Saldanha, it’s no surprise that a sequel will be gracing our cinema screens later this week, offering more of the same family-friendly fun.
When I caught up with Saldanha, I asked him about the challenges of making a sequel, what animated film from his younger years he would have liked to have directed, and whether or not he has any ideas for Rio 3. Additionally, I asked him to draw me as an animated character in the Rio universe, with amusing results! Have a watch below.
AMONymous 