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Posted: June 7th, 2003.
Interview by Elaine Lipworth
The stunning Izabella Scorupco stars as helicpter pilor Alex oppositeMatthew McConaughey and Christian Bale in the new action adventure,Reign Of Fire. Playing the tough yet vulnerable warrior intent on slayingthe dragons, the actress says she never set out to be an action star. Her roleas Bond girl Natalya Simonova set her off in that direction. A former model andsinger she was born in Poland and grew up in Sweden.
She went on to star opposite Chris O Donnell inVertical Limit.Known to friends as Iza, the actress says her top priority is always her fiveyear old daughter Julia who travels everywhere with her.
- How physically challenging was Reign Of Fire?
“It was extremely challenging, Iûve always played a tomboy character inmy movies but this one was a little bit more action than anything Iûvedone before. I had to keep up with guys and try to survive and be as strong and tough as Matthew and Christian. My character didnût want to be there in the end. The way I see it, she was only one left out of all thepeople who could fly a helicopter, this was the end of the world And she happenedto be a woman”
Were they kind to you? Did they give you a break?
“Oh no never (laughs). I was always thinking I canût mess up because theyûretwo very demanding actors and so incredibly passionate about their work. Therewas never a question of ?are you OK are you coping?û I was running with theuniform and such heavy shoes and keeping up. Can you imagine any actors whoare more physically fit than these two? When they came together it was liketwo boys in school going crazy. I was like ?try to remember that Iûm behindyouû. When I met Matthew heûd already had his head shaved with tattooseverywhere and thatûs the person he was for months which was amazing andinspiring.”
Do you employ that kind of method acting, immersion in the role?
“No thatûs not how women work I donût think. I have a child and Iûm aparent first of all. I go home to be with her. A lot of male actors aremethod actors and they become the characters which they both were. Ithought Matthew looked really creepy and scary throughout the movie. Christianis this mellow English guy who comes across as very quiet and subtle thensuddenly cracks up and says the funniest thing and people just lie and scream.Heûs so talented.”
Did you have to get very fit?
“Yes I never go to the gym otherwise because I think itûs a waste of timeand the most boring thing on earth. But for this film I did a lot of runningand walking because you had to.”
Do you think itûs a shame that you and Christian donût have a fully fledgedromance with love scenes, instead of just the suggestion of passion?
“It wouldûve been impossible in the context of what was happening. Whereis the time for them to do this? Theyûre just trying to survive. Theyûre so onthe edge they wouldnût have time to take off their clothes. We were having tomake the audience understand that weûre scared, that this is about being in thelast minute of your life.”
Why do you think youûre getting starring roles in action films?
“It was never really my choice to be an action heroine. It could have beenworse though, Iûm so grateful to be part of the business on this level. I wasborn in Poland I came to Sweden when I was eight and always wanted to act andsuddenly ended up in a Bond movie which was for me at that time absolutelyenormous. Women doing Bond were always told ?this could be the death of yourcareer blah blah blahû but thatûs not true anymore. Just look at Halle Berrysheûs got an Oscar and sheûs doing Bond.”
Do you want to do more action movies?
“Well my biggest dream is to be in a romantic comedy. But when thereûsa good script out there itûs gone in a second because itûs always the top playerslike Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz wanting to do those movies. unless they needa European person and I can fit the requirements because my accent is Europeanand you have to struggle with it. Of course if youûre Penelope Cruz they startto consider it. But the films are mostly about American families so they haveto have the right accent, thatûs pretty normal.”
What do you think about Hollywoodûs obsession with looks?
“It is hilarious . I went to my hairdresser and he was talking about?BBû he said ‘this is BB darling’. And I said ‘whatûs that?’ and he said’before Botox’. Thereûs now an expression, BB and itûs absolutely crazy thatitûs an everyday thing. I canût imagine having cosmetic surgery because I havemy values and little family who makes me feel incredibly accepted but younever know.”
You have brown hair at the moment is this your natural colour?
“No this is living in Los Angeles, not wanting to be blonde!”
How to you combine motherhood and acting?
“Iûm so lucky to be in a situation that I can always have my daughterwith me. After filming I like to go home and lie down with my daughter andhave a glass of wine so I donût really socialize with the other actors. Juliaûs part of my contract and ever since she was five months and I did myfirst movie I knew this would not be worth it if I couldnût travel with her.Itûs pretty sad in this town to see mothers who work 24/7. Itûs like why do youdecide you want to become a parent? To me my mother was the most beautiful motherand I canût see the point of having a family if you canût be with them”
Release info:
Credit:
Release date:
Certificate:
Running time
DVD ratio
Price (VHS/DVD)Touchstone Home Video
9th June 2003
12
105 mins
2.35:1 widescreen
£19.99
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.