Petra Bryant
Petra Bryant is a name to watch out for in 2014, as she is set to star in a string of projects including The Last Scout, The Disappearance of Lenka Wood, Mightier Than The Sword and Looking For George Clooney.
We caught up with the actress to chat about all of her upcoming projects and the directors that she has been working with.
- The Last Scout is set to hit the big screen in the UK so can you tell me a little bit about it?
The Last Scout is set in space and yet it is a movie that people will be able to relate to.
There are no aliens and so it is quite real. It follows a group of people who are looking for a new planet to inhabit.
- You take on the role of Melissa in the film what was it about the character and the Paul Tanter's script that really drew you to the project?
I really like strong female characters, and Melissa is actually the captain of a spaceship; I don't know how many other opportunities there are to play a captain of a spaceship as a woman (laughs).
That is really what attracted me to the film. I also want to work with Paul because he has directed a whole host of British films.
- How did you find stepping into the sci-fi genre?
It was pretty easy because one you are on set you do forget that you are no familiar with the genre and you just get so into it. You just become part of it and you start believing it yourself (laughs).
- The movie sees Simon Phillips return to the director's chair for only the second time in his career. So how did you find working with him? What kind of director is he?
Simon is very calm to work with as a director. I find that he gets quite a lot of out of people because he is nice and doesn't lose his temper or annoyed. It is really nice to be on his set as it is pretty relaxed.
- I have already mentioned Paul Tanter and he is in the director's chair for another of your films The Disappearance of Lenka Wood. So how did that role come about?
Paul, Simon, and I were in L.A., we were driving to the studio where we were filming The Last Scout, and they just said 'what would be your next dream part to play?' I said 'don't take this the wrong way, but I would really like to play a girl who gets kidnapped.'
They were both looking at each other and said 'this is really spooky as we are writing something like that' (laughs).
When I came back from L.A. and shooting The Last Scout they emailed me and said 'we would like you to play Lenka, what do you think?' I said 'yes'.
- So, you agreed to do the movie without seeing a script?
Pretty much (laughs). I was just like 'yes signed me up'.
- What did you think of the script when you eventually read it for the first time?
I immediately thought that it was going to be very challenging to play because she is nothing like me; she is as tough as nails where as I am a pussycat and very tame. It is a very physical role and at first as I was a little bit worried because I am quite petite.
I worked out before the shoot and bulked up a little bit, as I knew that I was going to need all of the energy. I also watched a lot of movies like Taken to get a bit of inspiration. It was a very intriguing experience playing Lenka.
- You take on the role of Lenka in the film so can you talk a little bit about the character and how we see her develop throughout the film?
The first half of the film is set in New York and you follow her in her day-to-day life. She is living there with her fiancé Dexter, who is an ex-military guy, and they have been together for a couple of years.
He proposes to her on 4th July and she is very happy with him. They decide to go on honeymoon to Turkey where their relationship changes and things go wrong.
You will see that she is feistier than you would expect, and she is actually pretty strong. When you see her in New York, she appears like a girl next door; in Turkey, she is a feisty girl (laughs).
- This is an action packed role, so where you just thrown into the stunt work?
Pretty much. I did boot camp Pilates a couple of months before filming. They didn't really train me because they wanted lots of improv.
In addition, she isn't meant to be a born fighter and so the moves cannot be properly rehearsed. They wanted a lot of organic action going on; that was pretty tough.
- How did you find working with Paul - he really is one of the upcoming British filmmakers?
Working with Paul is interesting because he writes his movies as well, so he knows what he wants. In his mind, he really visualises how he wants each scene to look.
You have to be careful as well because when the writer is on the set and he is the director as well, it can be tricky. It turned out that he was generous to work with and he did give me lots of advice and direction.
He also gave me plenty of room for my creative input. It was great working with him and I am looking forward to working with him again in the future.
- You are filming Mightier Than The Sword at the moment, so how is that going?
I am it is my day off today. It is going pretty well actually. The film is based on the train bombings in Bologna on 2nd August 1980, so the film is based on those true events. It is not a documentary; it is an action packed movie.
It follows two journalists - I play Italian journalist Isabelle - and we uncover more than we were meant to. It turns into a big chase movie like the Bourne Identity.
We have been doing a lot of green screen action (laughs) - that has been quite tough because you have got to use your imagination. It is really interesting working on that.
- You really have made the move into film this year having completed work on the likes of Lighter, The Last Scout, and The Disappearance of Lenka Wood, so how have you found the transition into film?
It is really interesting and I am really enjoying that. Film is very different to TV because it is a much bigger production and I feel that there is more at stake. I feel very comfortable doing it.
With TV, I found it to be very fast paced and you don't really get the chance to do that many takes. With movies you can do thirty takes, you can do things from different angles and there are many close-ups. It is very rewarding as well.
- You have also served as produced on a short film called Cuffs and Collar, how much is behind the camera something you are interested in going forward?
I am quite a creative person and when I produced Cuffs and Collar, I did get the taste for it (laughs). Now I am actually producing another short film and it is going to be an interesting project.
Gary Grant has written and directed the film, and I have a main part in it. I am co-producing that with him and so we are working on that at the moment and trying to get it off the ground.
- You are also going to be making the move into more of a blockbuster project with Fallen Eagle: Broken. So can you tell me a bit about that?
We are going to be filming that in the spring; it has actually been postponed as we were supposed to film in autumn 2013. The same director who is doing Mightier Than The Sword is doing Fallen Eagle.
I initially auditioned for Fallen Eagle, and then I got a call saying 'I think you could play Isabelle in Mightier Than The Sword' (laughs). Fallen Eagle is going to be a huge film that will be Gladiator style.
There are going to be loads of special effects and visually it is going to be beautiful. I am really excited about it as we are going to be filming in Malta.
- Finally, what is coming up for you as we go into 2014? And where would you like to see you career over the next couple of years?
I do have another film project coming up; it's a rom-com called Looking For George Clooney (laughs). I am really looking forward to tackling comedy.
I really love comedy movies and I want to get into that genre more. Hopefully, 2014 will bring me towards that genre (laughs).