‘ I didn ’ t even have to audition for this ’
FANA LANDS HIS BIGGEST ROLE
IT IS the biggest role of his 20-year career – and he didn’t even audition for it.
All Fana Mokoena had to do was meet the producers, including Brad Pitt, to land the role in the chart-busting movie World War Z, which will be released in local cinemas next Friday.
Mokoena is the supporting actor in the zombie thriller, his first science-fiction movie and his biggest role to date.
The meeting took place in Malta after director Marc Foster recommended Mokoena for the role.
Mokoena, 42, met Foster on the set of Machine Gun
Preacher , that was shot in South Africa and stars Gerard Butler. “When we shot Machine
Gun Preacher, I spent a whole day with director Marc Foster trying to fix a scene,” Mokoena said.
“It sometimes happens that a scene is written, it kind of works on paper but when you put it on film it becomes a problem.
“It was one of those cases. So the whole shoot literally had to come to a standstill for almost half a day while myself, the director and Gerard Butler, who played the protagonist, were working the scene. I think that kind of gave the director a chance to get to know me as an artist.”
A few months after shooting Machine Gun
Preacher , Foster was to begin work on World
War Z. One of the characters in the movie was Thierry Umutoni, the fictional deputy secretary general of the United Nations who is of African descent.
“He recommended me to the producers, who were skeptical at first. So they invited me to Malta for a script reading and a general discussion,” he said.
“The whole process, from him calling me to my going to Malta was three days. I had to get an Italian visa to get into Malta.
They had to write a letter with Brad Pitt’s signature. That opened doors.”
Mokoena said he found it interesting that he didn’t have to audition for the role.
“It was quite refreshing. I don’t remember a lot of roles I’ve done where I didn’t have to audition, even the ones here at home.
Even with people who know me I still have to audition or do a screen test or something.”
Mokoena said that just after landing at OR Tambo International Airport from Malta, he bumped into a local theatre director he had worked with previously.
“He said he was working on this play and I should come for an audition.”
Mokoena said the treatment one gets while filming these big budget Hollywood films pushes one to perform at their best.
“It was incredible. I got my own trailer and a personal assistant. I was driven in a luxurious car that takes you anywhere you want. It was very different.
“There ’ s something about the way they treat you that makes you feel like you have to perform at your best.”
He said that this is perhaps because many Hollywood actors are known for being divas.
Mokoena said Pitt – despite his megastar status – was anything but a demanding superstar.
“He was the producer on this film but made his own coffee. He came to me on the first day and asked if I was okay because I was shaking like a leaf.
“I was just nervous and I think he picked it up. He gave me a bottle of water and we just spoke about nonsense.”