CLASH OF TITANS
Gonzalez says 'Godzilla vs. Kong' will entertain viewers
“Godzilla vs. Kong” is a movie of monstrous proportions — and actress Eiza González is thrilled to be part of it.
The “Baby Driver” actress can’t wait for audiences to experience the epic showdown between two of cinema’s most-iconic creatures in a film she describes as “a spectacle.”
“I don’t know if they’re ready for it,” González told the Daily News with a smile.
The sci-fi thriller, which comes out in theaters and on HBO Max on Wednesday, depicts the towering gorilla Kong and the nuclear-enhanced sea monster Godzilla as ancient enemies whose battle could change the world forever.
Adding to the drama is a quest led by humans to uncover mysteries surrounding the behemoths. González stars as Maia Simmons, an executive at the technology corporation Apex, who plays a central role in that journey.
This is the latest major project for the actress, who rose to fame as a TV star in her native Mexico and has appeared in Hollywood movies “Hobbs & Shaw” and “Bloodshot.”
“Godzilla vs. Kong” is the fourth installment in the series featuring the mythical monsters, and adds to the legacy of two big-screen legends that have captivated movie-goers for decades.
“It’s so cool to see,” González, 31, said of the sustained popularity of Godzilla and Kong. “I think it’s a mix between the, ‘What if we lived on a planet Earth with titans roaming around?’ And, ‘How would we live in an environment between them and us, and how would we manage that?’ I feel like it’s that dreamlike desire. I feel like we inherently love an adrenaline rush, and these movies always bring that ‘What will happen?’ factor.”
The movie also stars Millie Bobby Brown, who returns from 2019 s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” as well as Alexander Skarsgard and Rebecca Hall, whose characters work closely with Kong in the new film.
“I also liked the dynamic between the titans and the characters,” González said. “It really humanized the characters. I think [viewers are] going to see more of an intimate relationship with the monsters. I think that people will fall in love with them, because there are story lines that are opening to a new world of possibilities.” The actress was quickly drawn to the role f Maia, saying it reatly differed rom jobs she ets offered that re “just sort of tereotypical or ke a cliché of hat a Latina oman should e.”
“I really naturally gravitate toward roles that feel challenging in that sense, and also allow me to show something that I hadn’t done before,” González explained. “I thought that Maia had a lot of comedy within her personality . ... It was fun because I hadn’t done something like that. I feel like people see me a lot as like a ‘badass’ or a ‘tough girl.’ ”
González praised the way “Godzilla vs. Kong” analyzes what can happen when power gets into the wrong hands. “People will feel entertained,” Gonzalez said of the movie, “and slightly educated without them even realizing.”