Melissa George |
"She loves the people in her town, she loves Eben--and she loves her gun."
Touted Aussie actress Melissa George describes her character Stella, an Alaskan fire marshal (married to Josh Hartnett's Eben), with the utmost respect for her half-tough, half-vulnerable essence.
With more than 70 percent of the film set at night, it takes a tough cookie, male or female, to sign on for a shoot where pitch-black dark would be the ‘order of the day’--for weeks. In fact, 30 Days of Night used 33 days of night shoots.
With film credits that include strong supporting roles opposite Clive Owen in Derailed, Josh Duhamel in Turistas, and Ryan Reynolds in the Amityville Horror remake, and TV credits such as a recurring role on Alias and a popular guest star on Friends as the lesbian nanny, George doesn’t shy away from non-traditional fare. And in playing an estranged wife who reconnects with her stalwart, but understandably overwhelmed sheriff husband Eben while an entire frost-bitten, snow-banked town is being gouged of its blood and guts by the arty walking dead, Melissa encouraged her collaborators to bring it on!
Melissa George and Josh Hartnett star in 30 Days of Night |
George met whet with Hollywood.com to shed some light on a few behind-the-scenes happenings of the darksome vampiric set where 30 Days of Night was just the beginning...
Hollywood.com: What is behind a legacy of human fascination with vampires?
Melissa George: I think because it’s other worldly. I think there’s a fascination with that. It’s very curious to see a vampire film because it doesn’t play on something that could happen to you in real life.
HW: How was it shooting at night?
MG: It was very difficult actually. You know, coming home at 7 a.m. in the morning.
HW: Tell us about your romantic tough gal city official character, Stella.
MG: In Hollywood you can often get the pretty, little wife [character] who doesn’t say much but these roles tend to be very, very strong women. I enjoyed playing this sort of strong characters.
HW: These definitely weren’t romanticized vampires…
MG: No, no. It’s very couture. You know the part when they’re all walking towards us? It felt like [Michael Jackson’s music video] "Thriller." It was kind of like, "What the hell are we doing? This is so great."
Josh Hartnett |
HW: Speaking of a romantic element of this film, what was it like working with onscreen sheriff Josh Hartnett?
MG: Josh is probably one of the most intelligent actors I’ve worked with: a deep thinker; really loves the rehearsal process; a gentleman. I can’t say enough good things about him, it was just lovely working opposite of him. You know what I love about him, he's a young handsome man, but he doesn't act like, 'I'm gonna be this young, handsome Hollywood heartthrob'. He's all about craft and he's all picking alternative roles--if they don't make money at the box office--we know that some of the best movies don't make money, and some of the worst movies in the world make a ton of money. He's not interested in that. He just wants to tell a beautiful story.
HW: Did you read the graphic novel before shooting?
MG: I did not. I read it after and I was wishing it looked exactly like the graphic novel. Just the colors and I loved the fact that most vampire films are just two little fangs this is not the average vampire. I was glad they made the movie look like the novel.
Megan Franich stars in 30 Days of Night |
HW: What did the vampires truly come to Alaska for in this film's case?
MG: Feeding. It was a feeding frenzy. To build enough blood so they could outlast the winter. Most vampires sort of just infect you but they didn’t want their breed to keep going. They wanted to keep what they had already which was a different version of a vampire film. So, yes, the blood was messy. I kept getting told off for standing in the blood. I was like, "I’m really sorry guys but there’s four gallons of blood" and I was trying to walk to the door.
HW: Any interest in doing the sequels?
MG: Absolutely! I want to get a mohawk! I’ve always wanted to do a great mohawk but I wanted to get paid to do that haircut.
HW: Do you choose film roles by genre?
MG: I never pick a script by genre. You look within it and see what the character is. I don’t want to come out as the weak thing on the floor with her clothes ripped off and being eaten alive. Okay, it’s a horror film but if you look beyond that there’s a lot more in there.
HW: What was it like to be around the vampires communicating with each other in their own language?
MG: Oh my God! I just got chills thinking about it. They did this sound that they invented. (The impeccably dressed, lady-like Melissa throws her energy into attempting to (gently) convey the breathy, inhuman screech!) They made up this language which took months of classes. They would do this sound, I can’t do it, so I don’t know how they did that. It was spectacular to watch them create this dialogue.
HW: Did you get nightmares from the ghoulish set?
MG: I don’t go home traumatized at all. This was just a fantastic, fun vampire film.
HW: Can you talk about working with your super meticulous director, David Slade?
MG: He’s my modern day Hitchcock. He was wonderful to us. Great energy. Treated us so fantastic. And just a fun guy. Never raised his voice or lost his cool. It was a big, big heavy shoot.
Ben Foster stars in 30 Days of Night |
HW: Ben Foster is always so full of explosive energy. What was he like on this collaboration?
MG: I love watching Ben Foster work. He really gets into it--for real. When he was walking across the snow, that long wide shot where he’s walking--I think the original shot went for nine minutes and David and I were like, 'Yes, this is so European.' But [the shot] wasn't very studio oriented for America. I think Ben Foster filled his clothes with ice to feel really cold. It’s a rumor, maybe, but you should really ask him.
HW: In working with Josh to bring this married couple, Eben and Stella, to life, how did you bridge the real gap they begin with at the story's start?
MG: That was the biggest challenge for us: Starting out as an estranged couple and reuniting in a diner after nine months of not seeing each other--and the town has gone into a terrible phase, and just how we're going to pave us reuniting our love. That was challenging, because we didn't want it to be too soapy, and 'Oh, I missed you sooooo much!' The ending of the movie says it all--how they feel about each other. That's my favorite thing. I cried for like a week after that. We really connected, Josh and I. And it really made sense to the film.
HW: What’s your own biggest fear?
MG: Somebody breaking into my home or being attacked or one day not having my family around me or not being able to have children. There’s a lot of fears that I have.
Manu Bennett, Melissa Geroge and Josh Hartnett star in 30 Days of Night |
HW: There was a lot of kinetic action and combat going on. Were the actors engaged in doing a lot of their own stunts?
MG: We did all of it. All of it! Funny, funny story--it wasn’t funny at the time. [Josh and I] were in the car--the scene where it gets tipped over. So I said, "Sooo, was my double called today!?" They [the crew] said, "No, no, no. You’re going for it!" I said, "Oh, that’s ... great." Okay. [Exhales] "So, is there a harness?" They were like, "Yeah, there’s a little one in the back that holds you to the seat." I said, "Okay, but don’t make it too tight because I really want to fall into the windscreen." Anyway, they tipped it up on its nose and we just went FLYING like the worst car accident you’ve ever seen. My brother was over from Australia and he went running thinking I was just like--you know … I was like, "No buddy. It’s acting. You know?" But everyone was really worried. We just went flying!
HW: This is when you and Josh Hartnett are flipped over?
MG: We were upside down, with the roof caved in, and we kind of rolled up into a ball because there wasn’t any room for our bodies anymore. I remember being upside down looking over at Josh and thinking, 'Are you okay?' And him being like, 'Uh, I don’t know?' That [scene] was a bit rough. [The film crew] kept pulling and pulling--and finally it [the caved-in car hood] popped right back out. Take two! It went even more! But, every take Josh and I were getting smaller, and smaller, and smaller in this car. I said, "I don’t know about this anymore." [Nervous laugh] Something doesn’t feel quite right about this job.
HW: Are you always up for doing your own stunts?
MG: I love it! As long as you don’t feel like you’re going to endanger yourself.
HW: Growing up did you have any favorite horror or vampire films?
MG: Yes, yes Creepers. Oh-my-God! I think I watched it 50 times, and at every slumber party we’d watch the same movie.
Melissa George, Rachel Maitland-Smith star in 30 Days of Night |
HW: The look in your eyes at the end really makes us think there might be another movie.
MG: You’re great. You really watched the movie! I’m liking this. What I like that you noticed acting things and choices of an actor in a scene. That’s what makes people react to a movie good or bad. With the finale shot, with the zoom in on her eyes, you want audiences to think that she’s infected but also, "I’m gonna get those f*ckers!" Oh, excuse me! It’s very emotional like, "I’m going to get them, I’m going to get them, I’m going to get them, I’m going to get them." I wanted to recreate that emotion into fire and toughness.
HW: You did recreate that--just like in so many of your other scenes in 30 Days!
MG: There’s a couple of things going on but I tell you what, that tracking shot went for a minute and there was a lot of wind and I didn’t want to blink and as soon as you blink your eyes you shut off the audience. I really had to try and I had to do twenty takes of that.