While she was in New York for the US premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Bonnie Wright spoke to Film School Rejects about what she learned about filming in her role as “Ginny Weasley”. It has inspired her to attend film school in September:
You started acting in these films in 2000, and you’ll be still working on them through 2011. Is that daunting in any way?
I don’t think it’s daunting. We’re going to finish filming the last one in April of next year, and the release date, it won’t come out until 2011. I think I’ll be 20 when we’re done. A nice 11 years spent on these films. I think you realize as well from having this experience – the first few years, that age of your life, no matter what you do it can really affect your whole career because it’s when you start to understand yourself and what you’re interested in.
Have you figured that out?
I think so. I think more lately, applying for University and discovering what I wanted to do has made me look at what this experience has done for me and how it’s redirected me. I think, when you’re nine, the dreams that you have are slightly sort of weird and sort of random. But being within these films has been an inspiration to me. When I was younger and got the part I’d never done any other sort of acting, and I was never one of those kids who are like, “All I want to do is be famous. I want to be an actress.” That was never something I ever wanted. Just from being in these films, it’s been amazing to find what makes me tick and what I love to do.
You’ve said in other interviews that the process opened your eyes to filmmaking. Is that still something you want to pursue?
Yeah. In September I’m going to film school, so that’s what I decided to do for my University choice, so [the movies] couldn’t have directed my life more. I think as well from working within Harry Potter, it’s such a large scale of production but also because we’ve all been there together for so long, and all the crew – we’ve had the pleasure to work with so many people on all the movies. I think the work ethic and the passion that goes behind the filming of it have really made me have a work ethic that I want to continue, and I’ve born a sort of passion toward film.
I think that’s why people always ask why we’re so calm or why we still love it so much. I think it’s just the network we have that’s been surrounding us from the producers to the runners on set to the cameramen. It’s a real family that we’ve had on set.
If you do get to direct one day, what kind of story do you want to tell?
I’ve always loved European cinema and French, the Nouvelle Vague. I do love blockbuster and magical fantasy films, though.
Have you talked to David Yates about wanting to direct?
I’ve been talking, obviously he’s really excited that that’s what I’m going to do, to go to film school. When I start, I’m starting in a few weeks on the 7th film, and I’m going to do some work – I’ve already got some work experience with the art department and costume department – but I’m going to do some work with the editors and the cinematographer and the cameramen. So it’s going to be amazing to get first-hand work experience with those people. I’m really looking forward to that.
Wright was also asked how she felt about coming to the end of filming the Harry Potter series. She says she tries not to think about it. She believes it may be strange, but not weird until sixth months have passed and the realization comes that there are no more Harry Potter films to shoot. But she is enjoying the work on Ginny Weasley’s recent growth and character development.
In that process, you’ve grown specifically because your character Ginny steps up. What was that experience like for you? Did you find anything discouraging or encouraging?
Definitely. I think by challenging myself and having more of a character and a development. Obviously the character develops through the series, but even just in one movie [Ginny] develops. That’s been amazing to have enough scenes to really grab hold of something, develop the character and let the audience see more of someone that they’ve read about so much in a book. But it hasn’t been discouraging at all.
It’s shown to me what I love about filming, and that’s that moment when you’re on set, that moment from action to cut when you’re completely in the moment. You forget about what surrounds you, and you’re just being her. You’re being someone.
I think that’s why I’m excited to go on to other characters. With acting, it gives you such a fun idea that you can be so many different people, people unlike yourself. I’d love to do something that takes a lot of research. When actors do projects based on the life of someone who existed or someone who is so intense, I’m excited to do a job that you really have to prepare for.
Click here to read the complete interview.
Thanks to Snitchseeker
I’ve posted more of our videos from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter celebrations. This time we have Warwick Davis conducting the Hogwarts Chorus to Something Wicked this way Comes. There’s John Williams conducting the Orlando Philharmonic Symphony. The cast show up in the Knight Bus and the Ford Anglia to help open up Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with some magic and a lot of fireworks! We also have more of the interviews from the press conference with the cast. Check back tomorrow for videos and photos from the public grand opening of the Wizarding World!
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