****Disney provided an all-expense paid trip for me to cover this great event, all opinions are 100% my own ****
While in Los Angeles for the Solo: A Star Wars Story press day we were very fortunate to be able to interview the talented actress Emilia Clarke. Emilia is best known for playing Daenerys Targaryen in the HBO series Game of Thrones, the "Mother of Dragons". She also starred as Sarah Connor in Terminator Genisys, and now I am sure Emilia Clarke will be known for her role as Qi’ra in Solo: A Star Wars Story. When Emilia Clarke entered the room she brought the sunshine, her smile was infectious and she seemed genuinely excited to be able to talk to our amazing group of moms (and dad..). When did Emilia become a fan of Star Wars? Does she have a preference, the stage or the big screen? How was it working with Ron Howard?... Read on to learn more!
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| Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com |
Q: When did you become a Star Wars fan of the entire franchise?
Emilia Clarke: I wasn’t around when it first came out. I wasn’t born then, but my brother was a huge fan. So when I was little we would dress up as a Halloween. I didn't know what was going on you know. I’m like, “Okay, cool I’ll hold this thing and I’m like put some wipers on my head, but then when episode 7 came out and I went to go and watch that with him I became a fan because I suddenly realized what everyone must have felt in 1977 when it first came out. The enormity-- like this is how a movie should be made. This is what they should look like, this is a blockbuster. As soon as that happened I was like, “I need to be a part of this. This is like how it’s done. This is how everybody should make a movie.” So it was kind of from then on I just watched everything and then now I’m here.
EC: I think that Qi'ra is definitely a survivor. She does what she needs to do to keep being around. I think it’s fun because what you get to see with her is you see her and Han from the very beginning, from kids. You kinda’ get to see a youthful like where they both came from, when nothing was too serious you know what I mean? They were just surviving and Bonnie and Clyding their way out. He’s now separated and you see her later on in life. She’s lived a huge amount in the short time that we don’t see her. And I had to grow up really quickly. Again this was my first job and then you know literal Baptism by Fire. So I in that so like how much you know you just gotta’ hustle, you gotta’ up grow up real quick. So I think that was a bit of that that I got, but not to the level of her at all.
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| Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com |
Q: Were you intimated at all at playing the woman who came before Princess Leah?
EC: Well I just tried not to think about it. I’m not gonna' lie. It’s scary enough like standing under the Star Wars banner but having that as well. I was like it’s before her so I don’t need to spend too much time worrying about... I don’t know you know what my next 10 years are gonna' look like. So I can kind of step away from that. I’ll let Alden take all that heat. You carry that one honey. It’s okay I’ll be okay.
Q: How much of an influence do you think Qi'ra had on Han?
EC: I mean loads, hopefully. I think that those first relationships are really important and in shaping who you are as a person and I think this was a part of that. Is that every character is a part of the character that we know and love that Harrelson played later on and every character he meets kinda’ plays into another little lesson that he’s learned along the way that has allowed him to be who he is later on.
Q: You do play really strong women. How do you want young girls to look up to you? What do you want them to come away with?
EC: I get kind of do you play a lot of strong women questions a lot and I what I would love is we’re just women. You can take strong out of the equation. It just is what we are, strength is within us as women. And that is it would be wonderful if for the young girls who are watching me play these characters now just see that as a part of being a woman. As opposed to it being a choice of like, “Oh I’m gonna' be a strong woman or I’m not gonna' be a strong woman.” You are, we all are. You have it in you anyway, so just go get it.
Q: Game of Thrones, Terminator, Star Wars like you're literally at the top of your game right now. With that being said-- Which character did you find to be the most challenging?
EC: Oh my goodness that’s really tricky because Star Wars is challenging because you're dealing with so much that it seems it’s almost history. It’s like hallowed ground. And kind of making sure that you're not gonna' disappoint Star Wars fans is a big thing to carry and to make sure that you're doing that right, but The Game of Thrones is I mean I’m filming the last season right now. So that’s also got its own- I set that up for ourselves. We set up like it needs to be brilliant.
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| Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com |
Q: Broadway, The Game of Thrones and now you're doing do you have a preference for where you prefer to perform?
EC: I think it’s really important to do both stage and screen as an Actor because when you do the stage it’s like going back to Drama School. You kind of relearn everything and I grew up. My Dad was in the theater. He was the Sound Designer. So I grew up being able to go backstage and it’s magic in the theater and it’s magic being part of an ensemble that is unlike anything you could ever get when you're filming on the screen you know. You're in your trailer doing your thing. Whereas in the theater every single night every single night you're with your squad. You're with your ensemble and you're working together to make something different every night and to me it feels like actual magic. You gotta’ mix that up and if you have the ability to, but I think it’s important to keep going back and checking in with your craft in that way.
Q: Can you tell us about the costumes and what it was like for you because you went from a poor character to a wealthy character?
EC: Yeah it was really funny ‘cause in the beginning, there were like kids on the run, sort of cool factor that you can kind of play into. I remember when I first put on the younger outfit I was like, “Yes! This is good.” And then, later on, it needed to have an impact and it also because of where we see Qi’ra, later on, there’s a certain amount of like-- she’s kind of owned, there’s a little kind of property about her. So I wanted to give the impression that later on, she had clothes that were brought for her to appear a certain way and I think that kinda’ plays into Qi'ra’s character in terms of what she chooses to show and what she doesn’t And I think that was reflected in the costume definitely.
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| Photo credit: Lego |
Q: You’ve always wanted to be a Lego. So how does it feel now to be like part of the Star Wars merchandise?
EC: It’s amazing. My Godson is like, “I’m sorry honey but you're just gonna' have all the merchandise.” I go, “Do you recognize her? .” I’m very happy.
Q: What was it like to be directed by Ron Howard?
EC: Amazing. Jon Kasdan, one of the Writers, I kept being like, “You’re joking like I don’t believe you. This is just ridiculous. You can’t actually really expect me to believe that Ron Howard has chosen come and direct this movie.” And that’s when you're like, “Oh no yeah, of course, it’s a Star Wars movie.” People want to' be proud of that. It was just a dream come true. He literally couldn’t have been better and just to held us all in the most beautiful way and allowed us all to feel heard, which in a movie of this scale is so impressive.
Q: How would you say Star Wars fans compare with Game of Thrones fans? ‘Cause they’re both pretty hardcore.
EC: I know, but I sorta’ feel like there is a crossover. I’ve not has as much experience with Star Wars fans because this hasn’t come out yet. So you know my Game of Thrones fans are incredible and loyal and wonderful, but I do think that a lot of them who enjoy Game of Thrones also enjoy Star Wars. So I think that’s probably they’re like, “Okay cool.” We’ll do both.
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| Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com |
One of my favorite questions from the interview was, Did Emilia keep any fun mementos from filming? Emilia was given a piece of jewelry that she treasures and it has stayed in her safe to keep it safe and secure. I can only wonder what kind of jewelry it could have been? We learned that if Emilia was in the Marvel Universe she would love to play the Hulk, because " He seems like he’s having the most fun like out of everyone". I am sure she would play the heck out of that character! Dream big, why not? When the interview started and when it ended Emilia wished us a great Mother's Day, saying she hopes we get everything we need, mentioning that this was a fun interview. She seemed like such nice and genuine person, such a fun interview for us too.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is in theaters this Memorial Day weekend, May 25th, 2018. I will have more of great interviews with the cast of Solo: A Star Wars Story to share with you soon, including exclusive chats with, Woody Harrelson “Tobias Beckett”, Paul Bettany “Dryden Vos”, Joonas Suotamo “Chewbacca”, Phoebe Waller-Bridge “L3-37”, and Director Ron Howard be sure to stay tuned!
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Solo: A Star Wars Story opens in theaters everywhere on May 25th!
Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions. No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ. The opinions I have expressed are my own I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising.
1 comment:
looks like a real good one. thanks for sharing
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