Backstage - Keri Russell Interview
KERI RUSSELL
MAKES HER ANIMATION DEBUT AS “WONDER WOMAN,” THE NEXT DC
UNIVERSE ANIMATED ORIGINAL MOVIE ARRIVING TODAY (MARCH
3)
Actress Keri Russell makes her animation debut as
the voice of the title character in Wonder Woman, the
next entry in the popular series of DC Universe animated
original PG-13 movies arriving today (March 3) from
Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation.
Warner Home Video is distributing the all-new film,
which will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View
as well as available for download today.
Russell
is best known for her Golden Globe-winning lead role in
the popular television series Felicity. One of the
Mouseketeers on the 1990s incarnation of The Mickey
Mouse Club, Russell has appeared or starred in numerous
films and TV series, including Mission Impossible III,
The Upside of Anger, We Were Soldiers, and the recent
Bedtime Stories. The New York-based actress drew
widespread acclaim for her performance opposite Wonder
Woman co-star Nathan Fillion in last year’s Waitress.
Following her first-ever voiceover recording for
an animated film – that would be Wonder Woman, coming
out on Tuesday, March 3 – Russell chatted about the cool
factor of owning an invisible jet, Halloween costumes of
her youth, potential future Russell-Fillion co-starring
roles, and a super hero supplies store. True story.
Please feel free to utilize some or all of the final
Warner Home Video-distributed Q&A with a member of the
cast/crew of Wonder Woman … Wonder Woman herself, Keri
Russell.
QUESTION: What was the extent of your
knowledge of Wonder Woman before accepting this role?
KERI RUSSELL: I have vivid memories of being four
years old and my mom making a Halloween costume for me –
and I was Wonder Woman, thank you very much. It had the
tiara and the wristbands, and I remember my younger
sister was clearly upset that she didn’t have that
costume. I’m standing there very proudly in my Wonder
Woman outfit, and she’s standing just naked in a diaper
and a cape, looking at me as if to say, “Where’s my
costume?” So I guess that was my first official Wonder
Woman stint.
Obviously, growing up, I knew of the
show. I can remember folding laundry with my mom while
watching Lynda Carter on TV. So I knew a little bit, but
I didn’t know all the depths of the story we discover in
this film. Ultimately, she’s a very cool, strong, female
warrior.
QUESTION: What do you find enticing about this
story and the character arc of Diana/Wonder Woman?
KERI RUSSELL: I think the good stories are those
where the character decides to break away and do
something different. In this case, Diana is at that age
where she’s breaking away from her mom, and from the
whole island of Amazon women. She wants to explore.
She’s walking that fine line of child and good kid, and
wanting to become a woman who can make her own choices
and explore the world.
QUESTION: “Wonder Woman”
is filled with action and humor, but can you discuss the
love story aspects of the film?
KERI RUSSELL: I
think love is a great catalyst for many characters to
further the story or their own growth, and in this film
Diana is intrigued by learning about man and the outside
world. Seeking that knowledge and experience definitely
propels her forward, and away from the safe haven of her
family.
QUESTION: How do you feel about stepping
into a role like Wonder Woman that could very well
inspire a future generation of females?
KERI
RUSSELL: Any story that inspires you is great, male or
female. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. I just
think Wonder Woman is cool (she laughs). She’s got her
invisible jet, and her armbands. There is something to
be said about the gender issue, but I think more than
anything Wonder Woman was just a good, cool comic, and
that’s why people read it. It wasn’t like just throwing
one to the ladies. She was tough and smart, and her
super powers were cool, so that’s why I think Wonder
Woman has staying power.
QUESTION: How did
you arrive at the voice used for Diana/Wonder Woman?
KERI RUSSELL: I was trying to focus on her
differences – she's a true, strong warrior, but she's
also right at the break of being a young woman standing
on her own and fighting out in the world. So it was a
question of playing the innocence in her voice against
the strength of a warrior, and then balancing that
against Virginia Madsen playing her mother with such
warmth and wisdom already in her voice. So finding
Diana's voice was trying to figure out how to walk that
line.
QUESTION: Was there anything in
particular that made you agree to make this your first
animated performance?
KERI RUSSELL: I personally
adore origin stories – they're so intriguing, learning
what shaped and formed a character. And this story is
funny and action-packed and adult in a nice way. Then
they said Nathan Fillion was playing opposite me, and
that made it that much better. I adore Nathan and, after
spending so much time with him making “Waitress,” I
could hear exactly how he'd read every line while I was
reading the “Wonder Woman” script. Then you've got this
great cast with Virginia Madsen and Alfred Molina and
Oliver Platt – so I kind of wanted to do it to be in the
cool kids' group.
QUESTION: You and Nathan
Fillion just came off the acclaimed “Waitress” and now
you’re back together – and with seemingly great
chemistry – in “Wonder Woman.” Can you frame that
relationship for us?
KERI RUSSELL: Nathan and I
have decided to do all our movies together, animated or
non-animated (she laughs). Can you imagine it? In our
next film we’ll be playing Jamaicans – it has nothing to
do with anything, but we’re just going to be in it
together (she laughs).
Nathan Fillion is so
lovely, and so funny – he really is a huge part of the
reason I took this. When I heard he was doing this, I
thought, “Oh Nathan’s doing that voice – I want to act
with him,” even though I don’t even see him once the
whole time we’re recording this. He’s so funny for this
– he has the old kind of 1940s swagger, that sharp
rah-rah-rah dialogue that he does so well, and it’s
written so well for him in the script. I think he’s
perfect for Steve (Trevor). I just want to know what we
get to do together next.
QUESTION: So what’s
special about playing Wonder Woman?
KERI
RUSSELL: I love watching animated films, so it sounded
exciting and fun because I had never had the opportunity
to do voiceovers before – and ultimately, recording this
film was a blast. There were some challenges – I haven’t
been impaled too many times in my life with swords and
spears and things like that – so I didn’t have a lot of
experience making those sounds. Voiceover work
definitely requires it’s own specific muscle. And
because you’re not seeing what you’re recording, and all
these things are going on, you really have to use your
imagination and stay focused and kind of be able to tap
your head and rub your belly at the same time. Luckily
they surrounded me with people who really know what
they’re doing – to guide me through the technicalities
that I had never done or used before. I loved being in
this little dark room and not having to worry about the
way I looked or anything other than just really
concentrating on the intention of the words on the
script.
QUESTION: Do you take any guilty
pleasures in playing a super hero?
KERI RUSSELL:
Um … yes. I think it’s because all those things describe
me perfectly (she laughs). I’m smart, beautiful, strong
(she laughs harder). I don’t really feel I am any of
those things right now – but I think it’s really cool
they asked me to do it. She’s the epitome of amazing. I
mean, she’s WONDER Woman! My husband is having a good
time with that. As I was leaving the house, my husband
was already making jokes about me being Wonder Woman.
But I do take some pleasure – and pride – in being
chosen to play this role.
QUESTION: Is it
difficult for women these days to find a good role
model?
KERI RUSSELL: I think they’re out there.
Growing up, I would say Wonder Woman and Nancy Drew were
definite role models for me. Historically, I know Amelia
Earhart stands out for me. Even today, there’s no
shortage of female role models. They’re everywhere – in
history, in literature, in the news. Just look around.
QUESTION: Do you ever wish you had some of
Wonder Woman’s goodies – like an invisible plane or
lasso of truth?
KERI RUSSELL: Who doesn’t want an
invisible plane – that would be so cool (she laughs). I
wish I had an invisible plane to take me home to
Brooklyn, and I wouldn’t have to ride the subway. But a
lasso of truth might be a little too much at times.
Sometimes you don’t want the truth. Sometimes you’re
like, “Oh just tell me the good answer. I don’t want the
truth.” On the other hand, a lasso of truth could be
interesting on the streets of New York. And the tiara I
can do without. But the invisible jet is definitely the
way to go.
QUESTION: Now that you’ve been chosen
to play Wonder Woman, has the super hero world revealed
itself to you in any greater detail?
KERI
RUSSELL: The funny thing is that my husband and I were
going to brunch in Brooklyn, and across the street, all
closed up, was a shop with this big sign that said,
“Super Hero Supply Center.” It’s set up like a real
store. Inside, there’s cans of what looks like paint,
but when you look closer, it’s like anti-gravity powder,
and then there’s advertisements inside for maps to find
your best hide-out, and a rack with capes on it. It’s
filled with all these actual super hero supplies. I
think we figured out that it was either for little kids
or a creative writing workshop place.
Please
visit the film’s official website at
www.wonderwomanmovie.com
Images/captions:
Diana-stick.jpg.jpg Princess Diana practices her
combat tactics in preparation for becoming Wonder Woman,
an all-new DC Universe animated original movie to be
distributed March 3, 2009 by Warner Home Video. Keri
Russell supplies the voice of Diana/Wonder Woman.
WW-Closeup-Concern.jpg Wonder Woman pauses for a
moment of reflection and concern before moving into
battle in Wonder Woman, an all-new DC Universe animated
original movie to be distributed March 3, 2009 by Warner
Home Video.
WW-FlyingKick-toAres.jpg Wonder
Woman and Ares engage in several battles during the
action-packed Wonder Woman, an all-new DC Universe
animated original movie to be distributed March 3, 2009
by Warner Home Video. Keri Russell is the voice of
Wonder Woman, while Alfred Molina plays Ares, the God of
War.
Trademark information for the images:
"Wonder Woman" (c) Warner Bros. Ent Inc. "Wonder Woman"
and all related characters and elements are trademarks
of and (c) DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.
[ Back to Backstage ] |
|
|
|