Video:Gemma Arterton Interview-Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
with Rebecca MurrayGemma Arterton is quickly becoming one of the most sought after actresses of her age group, with her latest film - Disney's 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time' - finding her playing a princess charged with keeping safe a priceless dagger.
Transcript:Gemma Arterton Interview-Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Disney's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Video Press Conference with Gemma Arterton.
Gemma Arterton – 'Princess Tamina' in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Can you compare your experiences being a Bond girl and working on Clash of the Titans with your work on Prince of Persia?Gemma Arterton: "Well, they’re very, very different films. I’d done the Bond film before I started Prince of Persia and I was only in it for a small amount of time, so I didn’t actually see how huge it can be to be in a movie like that. But this was even bigger, I think. And, you know, with a fantasy movie, you have all these huge sets and the landscapes were much more epic. And I don’t know... It was the first time I really felt like I was in a massive, massive movie. And then I did Clash of the Titans afterwards, which, even though it was a big movie, didn’t feel [big]. It was small in comparison. So yeah, this was, for me, a really big deal because it was the only girl in the movie as well, so it was pretty immense."
What was it like to be the only female in the movie? Was it intimidating?
Gemma Arterton: "Yeah. I mean, you kind of get used to being the only girl, or one of two, and usually the girls don’t work with each other in these sort of movies. You just get used to it, and you kind of muck in. But yeah, I was intimidated, especially because the guys around me were such kind of legendary actors, like Sir Ben Kingsley and Alfred Molina, and then, of course, Jake [Gyllenhaal]. And then of course you’re surrounded by all the guys on set. So, you can either be a sort of shrinking violet or you can be like me and just charge your way through."
Did you ever believe you would reach this level of fame at just 24 years old?
Gemma Arterton: "I never imagined myself in, even in a film, let alone in a movie like this. I always thought I’d do theatre. So, yeah, it’s taken me...my career has taken me by surprise, completely taken me by surprise. Even though I’ve made some really, really big movies, I’m trying to make small movies as well - and theatre. And yeah, I’m in a really lucky position where I’m getting sent really cool scripts. I just want to be really selective and do something that you completely wouldn’t expect. And yeah, so we’ll see."
What was it like working on such a physically demanding film shoot in Morocco with temperatures as high as 120 degrees?
Gemma Arterton: "Yeah, it was pretty hot. But being from London you don’t really get that sort of weather ever, so we kind of loved it. I loved it - probably just was basking in the sun. It was pretty full on. You know, as an actor you don’t really have to sit out in the sun for very long. There’s always someone there with an umbrella, I call them brolly bitches. [laughing] And you get fed and watered. But it was pretty full on, and the rest of the crew were out there all day long. But, you know, I got a nice tan."
How intense was your physical training?
Gemma Arterton: "I didn’t have to go through as much as Jake and some of the other guys, but I still had quite a lot to do. More than anything, I had to train in the gym just to get my stamina up, because it was pretty full on out there and I needed to be able to get through the day without collapsing. So I was in the gym sort of six days a week. And then we went through like a boot camp, fighting boot camp, where we learned how to fight. That was pretty fun. I always sort of saw myself as a little bit of a stunt girl, but never had the opportunity to do it. I got to do a lot of my own stunts, and that was really cool as well."
Can you talk about your character's journey from being antagonistic with Jake Gyllenhaal's character to having to work together as a team?
Gemma Arterton: "So at the beginning, I’m captured by the Persians so I don’t really like them. [Laughing] And Jake’s character, Dastan, is one of those. You know, she’s quite snooty at the beginning and very, very regal, and then as the film develops, she sort of wears him down and then realizes that there’s a lot more to him. And I think it’s when she sees him sort of mourn his father, I suppose, that’s when she really sees that there’s something else going on. And I think they play an important role in each other’s sort of development, I suppose, and she sort of makes him realize his inner self, and he kind of makes her soften - softens her, in a way, or just like opens her up. You know, takes the strings out of her bow a little bit."
If you had a dagger that could turn back time, what would you do and what would you change?
Gemma Arterton: "I wouldn’t change a thing in my own life, but I’d like to go back in time anyway though, just to some sort of eras that I wish I’d lived in - like the ‘60s. I’d love to have been in London in the ‘60s, partying away." [laughing]
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