Penélope Cruz reveals why she was scared to film intense fight scenes with her real-life husband Javier Bardem in The Bunker.
Speaking at the London Film Festival premiere, the Oscar-winning actress opens up about working alongside Javier, how he brings out the best in her and what their children think about seeing their parents on screen together.
We also caught up with Mark Gatiss, who jokes about working with Penélope and Javier, reveals his obsession with The Traitors and shares his thoughts on billionaires building bunkers.
Director Florian Zeller discusses bringing his psychological thriller to the screen, reuniting with his cast and what it was like directing the real-life Hollywood couple.
#PenelopeCruz #JavierBardem #TheBunker #MarkGatiss #LondonFilmFestival Report by Jonesl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Speaking at the London Film Festival premiere, the Oscar-winning actress opens up about working alongside Javier, how he brings out the best in her and what their children think about seeing their parents on screen together.
We also caught up with Mark Gatiss, who jokes about working with Penélope and Javier, reveals his obsession with The Traitors and shares his thoughts on billionaires building bunkers.
Director Florian Zeller discusses bringing his psychological thriller to the screen, reuniting with his cast and what it was like directing the real-life Hollywood couple.
#PenelopeCruz #JavierBardem #TheBunker #MarkGatiss #LondonFilmFestival Report by Jonesl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00I was really scared of the scenes that we had to do with the big fights.
00:04Hi, I'm Lucy, so you're alone tonight?
00:07Has he made you do all the hard work without him?
00:09No, because he's rehearsed in theatre.
00:12There you go.
00:13But he will come later, some of the interviews and the Q&A.
00:17So what is it about him that brings the best out in you on set?
00:20What do you love about working with him?
00:23With Florian.
00:24No, with him.
00:25With Javier.
00:29He's somebody that is always researching, that is always looking to find something new,
00:35to find truth.
00:36He's a really good partner in every scene.
00:40I was really scared of the scenes that we had to do with the big fights.
00:45Because some of those scenes we shot for three days, locked in that space.
00:52And it was terrifying.
00:54But Florian noticed that we were nervous about it and he really helped us.
00:58And he never tried to force or manipulate or use anything that was personal,
01:04but that didn't have a place in those scenes.
01:06And at the same time, our history is there and it's our own interpretation of those scenes.
01:12So it's like a tricky thing where you don't want to say, no, nothing of me is going into those
01:18scenes.
01:19But at the same time, you don't want to manipulate the audience or betray yourself bringing your own personal stuff.
01:24It's a lovely balance.
01:25What do the kids think when you're on screen together?
01:28They haven't seen this movie yet, but I think it's one that they can see and they will enjoy.
01:37How are you feeling about the reaction to it so far?
01:40I mean, for tonight, you mean?
01:42The film? What are people saying? Are you happy?
01:45No, I'm happy but I'm excited about filling also this room here in London.
01:50The story takes place in London, so it means a lot for us to present the film here in London.
01:55And everything that we do, like making films, telling stories, it has a lot to do with this,
02:01which is sharing emotions with the audience, so I'm excited.
02:04Talking about emotion, you make psychological thrillers, you're amazing at it.
02:09Do you find it pressurized? Do you find there's a lot of anxiety at the time when you're making these
02:14films?
02:17Yes, I mean, to make a film, it's a joyful process, but it's also a very difficult one.
02:22I mean, like, you have a lot of decisions to do every day with the feeling like if it's the
02:27wrong decision,
02:28it would be too late for the rest of your life.
02:30So it's a lot of pressure, but it's good also that it's hard because it's a way to test your
02:36desire to do it.
02:37You know, you make a film only when you truly have the desire to tell that story in particular.
02:42Otherwise, it's worthless.
02:43I was chatting to James Gray earlier about his film and he said he hates watching them back because he
02:47wants to perfect them.
02:48He wants to change them. Do you feel the same about when you watch your films?
02:52Yeah, I think the most exciting thing is always to be connected to what is ahead of us, not behind
02:59us.
03:00Interesting. And what about Javier and Penelope? I mean, is it just so special what they have on screen?
03:06You can't emulate that because they're a real couple.
03:09Yeah, that's the real thing. I mean, I love them as actors, of course. I think they are the greatest.
03:15But I was really excited by the idea to work with them together and to get them together on screen
03:19because, as I said, they are a real couple.
03:22And I thought for them to play a real couple was a way for me to, I mean, to embrace
03:27and to explore something very unique, which is like to give layers to every scene, you know, as if you
03:34don't know exactly what you're invited to watch.
03:35Is it the truth? Is it fiction? Is it another version of the truth? And that gives, I think, layers,
03:41but also power to every moment.
03:43Yeah, they say don't work with children, don't work with animals. Perhaps the husband and wife could be included in
03:48that.
03:49Yeah, yeah, exactly.
03:50And what do you want people to feel after this? Because it's a lot of thinking going on. How do
03:55you want people to react to this?
03:58I mean, you know, I don't like pieces of art who tell you what to think, who tell you what
04:04to feel.
04:05But I think, I mean, art, I think is a place for questions and not for answers.
04:09So I would hope people would let a room in their own life for this film to go on and
04:14for them to think about it and to question their own relationship
04:19with, you know, the others and the encounter with the others.
04:23Yeah. And if you were offered a bunker, would you go in it during one of these events?
04:27With who?
04:29Who are you going to pick?
04:30Yeah, yeah. That's the real question. I mean, we're all trying to answer to that question. It takes years and
04:35years.
04:36I'd want to be on my own, I think.
04:37Oh, really?
04:39Or with maybe a little cat or a dog or something.
04:41Yeah, yeah. Less trouble.
04:42Yeah. Thank you very much. They can't talk back to you, can they? Thank you very much.
04:45Thank you. Fantastic building.
04:47So how are you getting on? You're at London Film Festival.
04:49Do you get a pass from these things?
04:51Yeah. I haven't been for a while, actually.
04:53You've been a busy bee, though, surrounded by books and all sorts recently.
04:56Yes, yes, I have.
04:57Are you having a good time?
04:58Yeah. Yes, thank you. I'm very excited to see the film because I haven't seen it yet.
05:02How do you feel when you're about to go into a cinema and watch yourself on a big screen like
05:06that?
05:06Well, I mean, you know, we've all been to ones where you discover that you're not in it as much
05:11as you thought you'd be.
05:13Or sometimes you're not in it at all.
05:16But I don't think that's happened this time.
05:19That's all you can...
05:20It definitely hasn't happened.
05:22I love the script.
05:23And I did The Father with Florian a few years ago with Anthony Hopkins.
05:27And I was just saying, I genuinely was just thinking, oh, I'd love to work with Florian again.
05:33And the same day I got an email saying, do you want to come to Madrid?
05:37I went...
05:38So a bit like Noel Edmonds, manifesting things, you know.
05:42You took the words out of my mouth.
05:44I'm the new Noel Edmonds.
05:45Do you believe in manifestation?
05:45I believe in Noel Edmonds.
05:47Well, Noel's book is very fascinating.
05:50Is it?
05:50It's actually a really good read.
05:52But it is a bit bonkers in places.
05:55Yes.
05:55But I think if you want something, go and get it.
05:57And Noel actually did that.
05:58So there you go.
05:59Plus the fact, the other day it was the 50th anniversary of Swap Shop.
06:03Can you see that?
06:03Yeah.
06:04He lives in Australia now.
06:05I know he's got his own show about wine and all sorts.
06:08New Zealand, I think.
06:09It's unstoppable.
06:10Unbelievable.
06:11Let's talk about the fact that the amazing cast in this, apart from yourself.
06:15What's it like working with a real life couple?
06:17Did you get involved with them at all?
06:18Well, it's strange.
06:19No, I didn't do anything with Penelope.
06:21But I met Penelope Cruz 20 years ago.
06:23I did a stage version of Pedro Almodovar's All About My Mother.
06:28And she came to Preston.
06:30And I got a picture of us together 20 years ago.
06:34So that was my connection.
06:35And then all my services with Javier Bardem.
06:38And we had an absolutely wonderful time.
06:40He's a lovely, lovely man.
06:42And it's so, you know, even after all these years,
06:45it's very easy to get intimidated by the idea of it.
06:48But it was a very small film.
06:51Lovely.
06:51Florian's lovely.
06:52And the DOP was the same as the father.
06:55And Javier couldn't have been nice.
06:57In fact, there was extraordinary.
06:58I was going to wear glasses.
07:01And Javier was wearing glasses.
07:03And I saw him, Florian, the director, like talking.
07:07And he said, do you want to wear the glasses?
07:11It is your call.
07:13And I said, no, please.
07:14You have first dibs.
07:15You wear the glasses.
07:16Oh, but you do look great in glasses.
07:18And what about the fact that you had that picture with Penelope?
07:21Did you print it off?
07:22Get her to sign it?
07:23Did you show her it?
07:23It wasn't there?
07:25What?
07:25Not when I was there.
07:26What a shame.
07:27Yeah.
07:27Tell you what I would absolutely love to see you in.
07:29Series three of The Traitors.
07:31What are you thinking?
07:32Oh, Celebrity Traitors?
07:33Yeah.
07:33Don't spoil it.
07:34I won't.
07:35Because my partner's doing a play at the moment.
07:38And I have to wait till weekends to catch up.
07:40And it is agony.
07:42It's like that episode of The Likely Lads, where they try to avoid the football match results.
07:46Trying to avoid spoilers.
07:48Almost impossible.
07:49I love the show.
07:51But my problem is, I think, even if I were asked and I have not been asked,
07:56I think people would assume I was a baddie and would vote me out straight away.
08:00And as Amal Rajan will tell you, there's nothing worse than going out first.
08:05No, but I think that you would not say no to it.
08:08Your agent would say, you've got to say yes to it.
08:10Well, it's good for people.
08:11It's a wonderful show.
08:12Oh, it is.
08:12I do, I think it's, I've watched them all.
08:15Yes.
08:16And have you seen the Australian ones?
08:18Yes.
08:18They are the best.
08:19Yes.
08:20The dramatic, the actual story, the betrayal in those made, I felt a bit sick with tension.
08:28It was fantastic.
08:29They're not as dramatic as the Americans.
08:31They're not as kind of timid as us.
08:33They're right in the middle, aren't they?
08:34Somehow, yeah.
08:34They really are.
08:35And also because they have no history, their version of a castle is a sort of slightly fly-blown hotel
08:41from the 1930s.
08:43And just finally, back to this film.
08:45Oh, yeah.
08:45Yeah, that's that one that you're in apparently.
08:48Bunkers, what's your opinion on spaces, clothes?
08:51You know, did you mind change after this kind of idea of architecture and things like that?
08:56What, about billionaires building bunkers?
08:57Yeah.
08:58I think we should all be very afraid.
09:00Yeah.
09:00But the thing is about, you know, if this sort of thing is happening and is real, then what billionaires
09:10would discover after an apocalypse is money doesn't mean anything.
09:14So, who's going to look after them?
09:17They all come out.
09:17Yeah.
09:18Looking around.
09:19Into what?
09:20Exactly.
09:20So, I mean...
09:21All we need is love.
09:23All we need is love.
09:24The famous band once said that.
09:25Yeah.
09:26The Beatles films will be along in a minute.
09:28Oh, yeah.
09:29I know.
09:29Well, thank you very much indeed.
09:30It was fab to see you.
09:31Pleasure.
09:31Thank you very much.
09:32Enjoy yourself tonight.
09:33Bye.
09:33Bye.