Chatroom
Chatroom’s about to hit UK cinemas so can you tell me a bit about the movie?
It’s about a group of teenagers who go online because they have various dissatisfactions with their real lives. Mainly they kind of want excitement and they want friends and they’re all looking for something.
Unfortunately they’re taken advantage of by one member of their group, who’s a very manipulative and quite unpleasant boy, who’s got his own frustrations in life and controls other people.
You play the character Emily in the film. What drew you towards the character? Was it the script?
Well the script, in general, is a really exciting prospect. I don’t really know of any films that have tried to represent the internet before in such a kind of literal way that have tried to make it a real space.
I thought that was a really exciting thing to try to represent the online and offline world. It was kind of like playing two characters for all of us because in the online stuff, each character tries to perform in a way.
For Emily, I just felt really sorry for her. She has a real innocence and naivety, I had to try and suspend a lot of my own awareness of what was going on in the script and get into her headspace, which was interesting.
I’ve played people, such as Cassie in Skins who was cool and alternative, who wore all these weird clothes. But Emily is very geeky, does what she’s told and wears neat clothes and cardigans.
So you wanted to broaden your horizons as an actress?
Yeah, definitely.
Chatroom is directed by Hideo Nakata, the man behind such films as The Ring. What was it like working with him?
It was really great. I think this is a different film for him, as it’s not really a horror film in the same way. It’s also his first English language film I think. He was really lovely to all of us: he’s a really nice man who was very gentle and very encouraging.
He also had a really clear idea of what he wanted from the beginning, so it was very inspiring to watch him work. It just felt very safe in his hands; he had a very clear vision.
The movie is based on the play and screenplay by Edna Walsh. How familiar were you with the work and how was it used during filming?
Well I actually read the play first, because when we were filming there wasn’t a complete screen play, just a couple of scenes. I was working with Matt Smith (Dr Who) at the time who had been in the original play and he said ‘You have to read the play, it’s so good.’ In a way, it was how good the writing in the play was that first made me excited about it.
Of course, Hideo adapted it himself; it’s always been present but at the same time, what I think is really impressive about what he’s done, is how different is.
When you read the play, it’s just people sitting on chairs. To turn that from something so simple and theatrical to something cinematic and visual was a really impressive feat.
How did the audition process work?
I went in first by myself, in front of casting director Nina Gold, and read a few scenes as Emily. Then there was quite a long wait as they sent off the tapes to Japan and I thought nothing was going to happen with that. It was only after 6 months even before I got called back in and then we had a few situations where they brought people in, in groups of 5 of us, reading for the 5 characters as they wanted to get that dynamic right.
We just kept reading with different groups of people and I guess they were finally happy with what they got.
Obviously you’re best known for playing Cassie in Skins so have you found the transition from TV to movie?
I think there’s a sense to which they’re both the same but you do get a lot more time, which is a lot nicer. I can remember on the first day on Chatroom, it was just one scene for the whole day which was a really nice luxury to have.
I don’t think it’s necessarily worth privileging one over the other, in terms of saying I only want to work in film. It depends where the good writing is really, it doesn’t matter what medium.
So you’re not just set on movies from now on then and would consider going back to TV work?
I want to do theatre again too, I think they’re all really exciting things to work on so. The main thing is the script.
You’re also at university too. How do you manage to juggle your time so well?
Well, I was really lucky. In my first year, I did Chatroom in the summer holidays then did a film called Womb in the Easter holidays and everything just magically worked out.
I didn’t actually have to ask to change things round. They just gave me the dates and I went ‘that’s great’. It was brilliant. I’ve just finished the first term of my third year and that was a bit more hectic as I had three weeks off to do a couple of jobs.
Cambridge is really understanding and helpful so that’s been good and it’s just a case of trying to get stuff done when I am there and just being efficient with managing my time.
I mean, I did Skins when I was at school so it was kind of normal to me and I just had to get used to it, it was the only way.
What’s next for you?
Well I’ve just finished a film called The Tamed Ones with Cameron Bright. He plays this young guy who trains to fight for custody of his little sister but not because he loves her but because he wants the inheritance and life insurance that comes with looking after her.
I play his girlfriend and we shot that in Canada and Belgium, it was a really great experience. I’ve also done a short film called Wings, about a girl who wants to join the RAF. I’ve also done another film called Womb, which will be coming out June I think, with Matt Smith.
A question about the leading men: What’s it like working with Matt Smith?
Yeah, it’s great. I’ve worked with Matt three times and each time has been wonderful. He’s such a good actor. When you’re watching him, I mean, I get so distracted watching him.
One of the hardest things to do in acting is to stop thinking about yourself and stop being self-conscious. With Matt, he’s so convincing and so in the moment that you start to believe that the scene is real as that’s how good he is.
Another of my favourite things about working with him is how kept up in the scene he gets.
Is it a reassuring presence to have him nearby?
Definitely
So what was it like working alongside Aaron Johnson (star of Kick-Ass) in Chatroom?
Aaron’s really brilliant. He’s got this really nice balance. When he’s serious about the work, he’s so serious and does such a good job. But when’s he’s hanging around set, he’s really silly and really fun and I really like people who can do both and not just be serious all the time.
On Chatroom, everyone was so nice and we had a really great time together, we were around the same age and got on really well.
The film comes out right before Christmas, do you think it’s the perfect alternative holiday cinema visit?
Yeah, I hope so. It’s not necessarily the most immediate film you’d think of as a Christmas film but I think in a way that’s good because if you don’t want to watch a traditional film, then Chatroom’s the film you should see: a good alternative to that.
Chatroom is released in the UK on December 22nd
Female First - Chris Mayer
Chatroom’s about to hit UK cinemas so can you tell me a bit about the movie?
It’s about a group of teenagers who go online because they have various dissatisfactions with their real lives. Mainly they kind of want excitement and they want friends and they’re all looking for something.
Unfortunately they’re taken advantage of by one member of their group, who’s a very manipulative and quite unpleasant boy, who’s got his own frustrations in life and controls other people.
You play the character Emily in the film. What drew you towards the character? Was it the script?
Well the script, in general, is a really exciting prospect. I don’t really know of any films that have tried to represent the internet before in such a kind of literal way that have tried to make it a real space.
I thought that was a really exciting thing to try to represent the online and offline world. It was kind of like playing two characters for all of us because in the online stuff, each character tries to perform in a way.
For Emily, I just felt really sorry for her. She has a real innocence and naivety, I had to try and suspend a lot of my own awareness of what was going on in the script and get into her headspace, which was interesting.
I’ve played people, such as Cassie in Skins who was cool and alternative, who wore all these weird clothes. But Emily is very geeky, does what she’s told and wears neat clothes and cardigans.
So you wanted to broaden your horizons as an actress?
Yeah, definitely.
Chatroom is directed by Hideo Nakata, the man behind such films as The Ring. What was it like working with him?
It was really great. I think this is a different film for him, as it’s not really a horror film in the same way. It’s also his first English language film I think. He was really lovely to all of us: he’s a really nice man who was very gentle and very encouraging.
He also had a really clear idea of what he wanted from the beginning, so it was very inspiring to watch him work. It just felt very safe in his hands; he had a very clear vision.
The movie is based on the play and screenplay by Edna Walsh. How familiar were you with the work and how was it used during filming?
Well I actually read the play first, because when we were filming there wasn’t a complete screen play, just a couple of scenes. I was working with Matt Smith (Dr Who) at the time who had been in the original play and he said ‘You have to read the play, it’s so good.’ In a way, it was how good the writing in the play was that first made me excited about it.
Of course, Hideo adapted it himself; it’s always been present but at the same time, what I think is really impressive about what he’s done, is how different is.
When you read the play, it’s just people sitting on chairs. To turn that from something so simple and theatrical to something cinematic and visual was a really impressive feat.
How did the audition process work?
I went in first by myself, in front of casting director Nina Gold, and read a few scenes as Emily. Then there was quite a long wait as they sent off the tapes to Japan and I thought nothing was going to happen with that. It was only after 6 months even before I got called back in and then we had a few situations where they brought people in, in groups of 5 of us, reading for the 5 characters as they wanted to get that dynamic right.
We just kept reading with different groups of people and I guess they were finally happy with what they got.
Obviously you’re best known for playing Cassie in Skins so have you found the transition from TV to movie?
I think there’s a sense to which they’re both the same but you do get a lot more time, which is a lot nicer. I can remember on the first day on Chatroom, it was just one scene for the whole day which was a really nice luxury to have.
I don’t think it’s necessarily worth privileging one over the other, in terms of saying I only want to work in film. It depends where the good writing is really, it doesn’t matter what medium.
So you’re not just set on movies from now on then and would consider going back to TV work?
Tagged in Hannah Murray