YOU TALKIN’ TO ME?
Film quotes pose as questions. Film stars try to cope.
Are you talkin’ to me?
Oh, [adopts Travis Bickle accent] you talkin’ to me? Robert De Niro’s amazing. I just watched The King Of Comedy. I love that film so much. I hadn’t seen it before I saw Joker. Before I thought, “Oh, Joker is Taxi Driver.” But now I’m like, “Wow, actually, it’s The King Of Comedy.”
Do you feel lucky, punk?
Nebula in the Marvel movies is based on Clint Eastwood. I turned up to set, and I was kind of playing a generic villain for my first day. I was like, “Who is this character? I’m just kind of plain evil.” And then James Gunn said, “Now, can you do an impression of Marilyn Monroe and Clint Eastwood?” So she’s a hybrid of both of those people.
How much can you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight?
In [Gunpowder Milkshake] there’s a sequence where my character’s arms are injected, and they’re basically paralysed, and she has to fight three guys without her arms, and it just results in this really cartoonish, goofy fight sequence. And that is where I thrive!
Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
My favourite Batman is The Dark Knight, hands down. It’s probably my favourite superhero film… I know that’s terrible to say, being with Marvel!
Do you have an off-switch?
I’ve been struggling with my offswitch lately. I’ve just been lying there, not able to sleep. And my dad always says to me, “If Winston Churchill could switch himself off while World War 2 was happening, so can you.” [laughs] It’s a fair point.
Why don’t you tell me the story of your life?
I’m from Inverness in Scotland, in the Highlands. I grew up being obsessed with horror films. I started making horror films as a kid with a video camera, and then I became an actress, and now I’m making horror films with a better camera and a crew.
What’s your favourite scary movie?
Probably The Shining in terms of the artistry of the whole thing. Kubrick is probably my favourite director.
Why do we feel it’s necessary to yak about bullshit in order to be comfortable?
That’s a great question. If there’s an awkward silence I can’t just sit in it. I’ll just start talking. I’ll be like, “What is falling out of my face, right now?” But some people can just sit there. And when I’m with them, I’m deeply uncomfortable. I don’t know what that is. I don’t know why we panic.
Why so serious?
Yesterday, I looked up “why do we laugh?” – where did that come from? What the hell is a laugh, when you think about it? And when you make an oink? They think it originates with exerted breathing from play when you’re a kid, and then you realise that if you laugh, it’s a fast path to a social bond. But then we learn as humans that we can fake-laugh to get the bond that we’re looking for.
Is life always this hard, or is it just when you’re a kid?
It’s the opposite way around in reality, isn’t it? Everything’s easy when you’re a kid. Everything’s the best. And then you grow up, and you long for the times when all you had to worry about was whether Leanne is coming out to play or not. Those were the days! I’m still like that, though, I think. I don’t cook anymore. I don’t do anything responsible. I embrace the element of the child!
If I say to you, “Don’t think about elephants,” what do you think about?
Elephants are the coolest animals. There’s elephant art – they can paint with their trunks. Although I feel that how they’re getting them to do that is maybe not the nicest, so source your elephant art responsibly.
What, no guns today?
I actually hate firing guns – fun fact. I have a hard time keeping my eyes open, and that’s annoying when you’re in a film called Gunpowder Milkshake. I’m really good with the hand-to-hand combat, but when I have to fire a really old, antiquelooking gun, and it’s got the worst recoil, and it’s loud? I don’t want to keep my eyes open – especially when I’m firing at people. It’s such a weird feeling that you have to override in order to do that. JF
ETA | 17 SEPTEMBER / GUNPOWDER MILKSHAKE OPENS IN CINEMAS AND STREAMS ON SKY CINEMA THIS MONTH.
‘IF THERE’S AN UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE I CAN’T JUST SIT IN IT. I’LL JUST START TALKING’