Showing posts with label Gemma Arterton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gemma Arterton. Show all posts

Gemma Artenton from Hansel and Gretel witch hunter to a sexed-up vampire in ‘Byzantium’

2:29:00 AM

British-born Gemma Arterton has quickly been rising through the ranks since breaking out in St Trinian’s six years ago. Her latest role, as a sexed-up vampire in Neil Jordan’s Byzantium, sees her try something completely different.

 Byzantium-sucking-gemma-6

Byzantium centers on two mysterious women, Clara (Arterton) and Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan), who seek refuge in a run-down coastal resort. However, when Eleanor reveals their secret, that they’re 200 year-old vampires, to Frank (Caleb Landry Jones), it’s not long before their past catches up on them with deadly consequences.

You’ve done period drama, action adventure and Bond. What was it about Moira

Buffini’s script that made you decide it was a vampire film you wanted to do next?

Well, the original script I read was much more about the mother and daughter relationship between Clara and Eleanor and only hinted at the vampire stuff. But when Neil [Jordan] came aboard, he wanted to make it more of a genre piece. For me, it was never just, “Oh, it’s a vampire movie”, it was much more about the characters at its core, what it was like to be a trapped, ageless mother having to care for her daughter. And the genre elements sort of fed into that. It’s probably the first film I’ve done that’s more in line with what I like to watch, which is anything supernatural and fairytale-like.

Byzantium-sucking-gemma-5

Are you much of a horror fan yourself, then?

I wouldn’t say I go to see horror films for the sake of seeing a horror film, but I’ve always been fascinating by the genre because it always makes you feel something. But I wouldn’t go to see a horror film because it’s got a lot of gore in it. I’m much more interested in the stuff underneath the surface. I think it’s such a broad term, horror, and even this film is more art-house horror.

What research was involved to play Clara?

I had to learn to lap dance, that way the first thing. I made up a whole pole dance because I wasn’t sure how much I would need. I watched a lot of documentaries on brothels and what it was like for people to live that way, the day to day. That was what I was least familiar with, so I wanted to make sure I was able to portray that side of Clara as accurately as possible. And then there was a lot of physical preparation. I had to do a lot of training because vampires are obviously incredibly strong, so I needed to be able to have a convincing creature-like presence. We also did a lot of work on the script together, Saoirse and I, for a couple of months before filming started to get that relationship are strong as possible.

It sounds as though you had a lot of time to develop a relationship with Saoirse.

Yeah, yeah. We had a rehearsal in London two months before production began and that was the first time I met Saoirse. Our relationship was very natural, very touchy feely, plating her hair and playing with her face. But we didn’t have any bonding sessions, no shopping or bowling trips.

What was it like to work with Neil? He’s quite experienced in the horror genre. Did you feel intimidated at all?

Yeah. I think when you work with someone who you’ve admired for so long, it’s only natural to feel nervous. But once I’d gotten over those initial nerves, it became such a joy to work with him. And I think we’re going to work together again, which is very flattering. It was a great relationship that we had. He’s very interested in actors. He loves the process and has a huge amount of respect for the profession, which again made the working relationship easier. He’s constantly pushing the boundaries and very vibrant with his direction, which makes you want to work harder and to figure out how you can take what you’re doing to the next level. It was a magical experience, a very playful environment.

“Byzantium” is released and distributed by Captive Cinema.

Showing soon.

Gemma Arteron’s Dangerous Game in “Runner Runner”

6:06:00 PM

Gemma Arterton stars alongside Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake in “Runner Runner” wherein her role as Rebecca Shafran is entangled in the cutthroat world of online gambling.

RUNNER, RUNNER

“Runner Runner” explores the multi-billion dollar industry of online gambling where all players are supposed to have their share, in any which way possible. Affleck takes on the role of gambling kingpin Ivan Block while Timberlake is Richie Furst, a brilliant Princeton grad student on his way to finishing his masters. Furst, in order to further finance his studies takes commissions from online gambling operators and risks playing online too for additional money. When Richie betted all of his savings and lost it to Block’s operations, he soon finds out that he’s been tricked. Determined to recollect his tuition money, he heads to Costa Rica to confront Block about his malicious online practices. Soon thereafter, Richie falls for Block’s associate –sophisticated COO Rebecca Shafran (Gemma Arterton) – and he embraces a world that sees all of his fantasies come to life. But Richie soon learns that Block is wanted for racketeering, extortion and bribery, and that FBI Special Agent Shavers (Anthony Mackie) is obsessed with bringing Block and his associates to justice.

“The real allure of Block’s world transcends money,” says director Brad Furman. It’s about something far more interesting – and dangerous. “The real equation in this movie is money times power equals sex. You ask men why they want money and power, and the answer usually is: women. That’s the bottom line.”

The distaff representative of this world is Rebecca Shafren, Block’s sharp and powerful COO, whose loyalty to Block is tested when she meets Richie. English-born Gemma Arterton portrays Rebecca. A gambling novice, Arterton nevertheless embraced the role. “I really liked the script, which I thought was clever and witty, and it portrayed a world I wanted to investigate.”

RUNNER, RUNNER

“I really like Rebecca,” Arterton continues. “She's almost villainous in certain ways, and she’s never predictable. “Runner Runner” is about power, wealth and greed. I was intrigued by Rebecca’s desire to live in this world, which is indicative of how many women believe they must act – in an almost masculine way – in order to succeed.”

“When Richie arrives in Costa Rica and meets Rebecca, she is very much the business person in control; she’s very tough, almost like a femme fatale,” Arterton continues. “But she also enjoys having fun. She sees this sexy, young guy and thinks, ‘I'll play around with him for a bit.’ She finds out that he's actually quite clever and smart, and he's different from other people she knows and works with. Rebecca has a real dilemma: she covets the wealth that comes with her position, and yet also rediscovers her moral bearings through her relationship with Richie. And she begins to change her outlook on Block and her position in his empire.”

A (2011) BAFTA nominee as Best Newcomer, Gemma Arterton is mostly known for the roles she played in the previously released blockbusters “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters,” “Clash of the Titans,” “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” “Quantum of Solace” and “RocknRolla.” She has most recently been seen in the highly anticipated “Byzantium” directed by Neil Jordan and written by Moira Buffini, in which she stars as vampire Clara opposite Saoirse Ronan. Her other film works include “Song for Marion,” “Tamara Drewe,” “The Disappearance of Alice Creed,” “The Boat that Rocked,” “Three and Out,” “St. Trinians” and in the animated “A Turtle’s Tale: Sammy’s Adventure” as her debut voice role.

“Runner Runner” opens September 26 in theaters nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros. Check out the trailer feature of “Runner Runner” @ 20thCenturyFoxPh/YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0-m65tn9Bc&list=PLcZs6n5iZPx_qMltrZ9_-ygryMe9EoX-5.

Visit and like 20th Century Fox (Philippines)/Facebook. Follow us too at Twitter handle @20thcenturyfoxph.

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