2012 Chiwetel Ejiofor, Beatrice Rosen, Chin Han Interviews
While there were no disasters of any kind at the LA premiere of Columbia Pictures' '2012,' the cast of the film - including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Beatrice Rosen, & Chin Han - were more than happy to talk about working on the disaster-packed action epic.
Transcript: 2012 Chiwetel Ejiofor, Beatrice Rosen, Chin Han Interviews
Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the LA Premiere of Columbia Pictures' 2012.
Chiwetel Ejiofor – 'Adrian Helmsley' in 2012
Tell me about working on something that's this big and explosive?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: "It was incredible. I had an amazing time. I was a huge fan of Roland Emmerich's films and so I was very excited to get involved. And it was big, it was explosive, it was everything that it says on the tin."
So your character wants everyone to know the secret or not know the secret?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: "Sort of wants everybody to know the secret and get involved, and try as best they can to survive."
And would you want to know the secret?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: "That's a good question. I probably wouldn't. I'd want to know but like late. I wouldn't want to know now."
What do you believe about the 2012 prediction?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: "I feel like there's a lot of coincidences, there's a lot of stuff. There's a lot of different reports that center around this date, so it's all quite interesting. But I have to say I'm pretty hopeful that we'll all get through."
Did you know about it going in or is this something you just found out about with the film?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: "I did. I knew a little bit about it. I knew about the Mayan prophecy a little bit and that it was centered in 2012, that the calendar ended in 2012. But, that was it. Then everything else I found out whilst preparing for doing the movie."
Why do audiences love these huge action movies?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: "I think it's because they get a lot out of it, you know? They have the whole visual landscape, which is amazing - and with Roland, especially. He's such a pioneer of just amazing cinema and pushing the technologies for cinema. But also they've got these great characters, great stories, heroism. There's always darkness and destruction, but there's always optimism and hope. I think that it has a lot to offer."
More Kinky Boots?
Chiwetel Ejiofor: "Oh yeah, definitely. One day. You heard it here first."
Beatrice Rosen – 'Tamara' in 2012
How easy is it to play Russian?
Beatrice Rosen: "Well, I took Russian in school so I did speak some Russian. And I played Russian already in a couple of other movies like The Dark Knight, for example. I was the Russian ballerina supporting Christian Bale, which was pretty fun too. But, yeah, once you have the accent. You can speak it, it's pretty easy."
Why do you keep getting cast as Russian?
Beatrice Rosen: "I don't know. I'm French but also half Hungarian so I don't know. Maybe like high cheekbones. I really don't know. It's interesting. But, you know what? I'm not going to complain. It really works for me right now."
Tell me about working on this film with all the big explosions and everything else going on.
Beatrice Rosen: "Well the special effects I don't think have been ever made at that level before. I think this tops every disaster movie ever made. Roland Emmerich's the best. He's next to me so I'm not going to say any bad things about him. And he was wonderful. I mean this man carried a huge movie and every day came to set with a big smile. We were all joking on set. It was the best time of my life."
Chin Han – 'Tenzin' in 2012
I hear I can't ask you too much about your character because it will spoil the whole movie, but how fun was it to play this character?
Chin Han: "It was unbelievable. I indulged a childhood fantasy of being an action hero in this film, so I got to do stuff, cable work, dodge things and all."
Was it more challenging than you thought it would be?
Chin Han: "Yes, absolutely. I have newfound respect for people who do action movies. I came from the theatre so Shakespeare and Moliere are the gold standard. But now having done this film, I'm thinking these action hero stars are amazing. I mean what they do is pretty crazy."
So that's what you're going to be looking for in a script from now on is getting to go on wires?
Chin Han: "Yeah, but it's going to be hard to top that. I'm going to be looking out for very, very big explosions and big waves, and I won't do any movie without them."
If the world was going to end in 2012, would you want to know?
Chin Han: "No, absolutely not, so I can continue living the way that I live and cherish every moment."
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