Other X-Men interviews

Caleb Landry Jones - Sean Cassidy / Banshee - April 6th

Cinefumettaro
In the movie, will you wear the yellow-and-green uniform from the comics?

Caleb Landry Jones
Yellow, blue and black.

Anthony
What is your relationship with Moira in the film?

Caleb Landry Jones
Strictly platonic.

James
In the comics Banshee is roughly the same age as Professor X - because there isn't much reference to a younger Banshee in the comics did you have more freedom to portray the character?

Caleb Landry Jones
Not really. Only his motives should be less developed. Not yet the man he is to become.

Drakena
What was the coolest part of your role in the film?

Caleb Landry Jones
The character's appetite for a good party.

Marcus
I was wondering if Banshee's powers will be limited to just the sonic scream, or will he be flying as well in this movie?

Caleb Landry Jones
He learns to use most of his powers. This entails flight.

Miguel
Will we see a connection between Banshee and Siryn, who appeared in the trilogy, in this film?

Caleb Landry Jones
Not in the script but then again I haven't seen the completed film yet.

Jorge
How did your audition for this role go?

Caleb Landry Jones
I felt it went absolutely terrible.

Alicia
Did you do your own stunts?

Caleb Landry Jones
Most of them.

Laura
While filming or reading the script for Banshee did you ever feel a sort of connection with your own life or feelings?

Caleb Landry Jones
Only that he has trouble fitting in.

Anonymous
What do you think makes Banshee such a cool character?

Caleb Landry Jones
His naively destructive personality sprinkled with wit.

Edi Gathegi - Armando Muñoz / Darwin - April 6th

Jesse
I'm not too familiar with Darwin. Can you give me a rundown of who this Darwin is?

Edi Gathegi
Darwin, a mutant, is a relatively new addition to the X-Men comic world. Nicknamed after Charles Darwin - father of the theory of evolution - Darwin adapts to harsh environments based on an instinctual need to survive. His ability is called reactive adaptation. I want that power in real life - I'm not gonna lie.

Dipper
Will Darwin transform into his pale form?

Edi Gathegi
Not only will Darwin transform into his pale form, but he will also transform into his obese form, his female form and even his bovine form. Totally messing with you. You just have to wait to see what transformations occur. No spoilers here buddy. Not today. Not evah. No way.

Alex
In the comics, Darwin was discovered by Moira MacTaggert. Is this the same in X-Men: First Class?

Edi Gathegi
In our film Darwin is discovered by the mutant recruiters (I totally made up that term). I won't tell you who's on that recruiting team - it's better to be surprised.

James
Because Darwin is relatively new to the comics - did you have more freedom to portray the character than the other cast?

Edi Gathegi
I think everyone in the cast has a certain responsibility to maintain the integrity of the characters they are portraying as seen in the comics. With that said, we are actors, human beings, portraying these characters, so inevitably we have to make the characters our own. Bring them to life in our own unique way. Hopefully we strike a happy medium of what's expected, and a surprise unique personal take to really make our characters come to life on the screen as live action.

Filip
Did you have to spend a lot of time with the make-up department or did they 'humanize' Darwin (like the way you're seen in the trailer)?

Edi Gathegi
Because of all the transformations that Darwin can undergo as an evolving mutant, I am indeed as human as I can be for as long as I can be. That's my final answer. I'd like to use a phone a friend....the extensive make-up might come in subsequent movies providing that all our fans show up like they do in my dreams.

Rebecca
Who's your favorite X-Men character in the movie?

Edi Gathegi
Is this a trick question? Darwin. Duh. Well in truth there is a difference between "who is your favorite mutant in this particular movie" versus "who is your favorite mutant and power in general." The answer to the latter would indeed be Darwin. The answer to the former would have to be, gee, I don't know all of them? They are all dope. Love Azazel, love Prof. X, love Shaw. Magneto is a badass too. And Mystique. I wanna date Mystique. I wanna have Mystique babies. Little blue reactive adaptive rug rats. Don't judge me.

Anthony
If you were a superhero or villain what power would u use?

Edi Gathegi
I would be 2 parts Darwin and 2 parts something proactive. On second thought, I would be all parts Darwin, but learn how to control the evolution so it was proactive.

Sara
What's it like being a part of two enormous franchises - Twilight and now X-Men? Do you feel pressure from fans?

I've learned that you can't please everyone. And everyone has an opinion. Not everyone will like what you do and by that same token not everyone will hate it either. So the best thing I can do for my general overall happiness, the work, and the simple enjoyment of the process is to attack the characters the best I can - taking into consideration the source material. When I can do that then it's much easier to handle the negative feedback. So to that end I don't really feel pressure from fans. I feel pressure from myself to do my best. I thank my lucky stars everyday that I am even in a position where I am answering questions like this. Two franchises? Pinch me, am I dreaming? Don't pinch me I don't wanna wake up.

Pablo
Did you feel any connections or similarities to your character?

Edi Gathegi
I feel like this may be true for a lot of the mutants...they feel alone until they find each other. I think we all know what it's like to feel a little lost until you find a person, cause, or passion to give your life that much more meaning and direction.

Steve
I read you were an X-Men fan growing up - were you a fan of Darwin?

Edi Gathegi
D-money wasn't around when I was a young buck. But if he were you better believe he would have been my favorite. It was all about Wolverine when I was younger. I'm totally on the Darwin bandwagon now. His possibilities are literally endless. Limitless.

Alejandro Gonzalez - Riptide - April 20th

Jason
Each villain brings something fresh and new to the table. What's unique about Riptide?

Alejandro Gonzalez
His unique quality comes from his gift, or his power to control the wind. Riptide's personality is also similar to a tornado's because he starts off calm and elegant, but at a moment's notice, he can get very aggressive and destroy anything in his path.

Marcus
Are Riptide's abilities mirrored to that of the comics (a swirling wind mass with just his head visible) or are they altered for the movie?

Alejandro Gonzalez
His powers and abilities in the movie are very true to the comic. Riptide is known for his ability to create and throw a rush of wind from his hand, and he can also create a full tornado by using the force of his entire body. It's quite amazing.

Moin
We've seen very little of Riptide in the trailer, what kind of personality will he have in this film and what was your character dynamic within the Hellfire club?

Alejandro Gonzalez
In the comic, he´s a very solitary person and would prefer to work alone, but he ultimately realizes that he needs to work with the rest of the team to accomplish their goals. I think there's a good balance of dynamics within the Hellfire Club, Shaw and Emma are the leaders and brains behind the operation, while Azazel and Riptide are the more physical and action-oriented of the group.

Nick
So will we see Riptide join the X-Men or is he one of Hellfire Club's members?

Alejandro Gonzalez
He's a part of the Hellfire Club from the beginning and one of the original members.

Miguel
I know you from TV series and I'm so excited a Spaniard is in an X-Movie, so my question is: What was it like when you heard you were cast in the film?

Alejandro Gonzalez
In addition to television, I've also done several Spanish films, but this was my first big Hollywood movie and my first time working in English. When I auditioned for the role, I memorized my lines in English (but at that point could barely speak the language), so when Matthew started to speak to me things got very lost in translation. He told me to go home and pack my bags and come back to London…it took me a moment to realize he was telling me that I got the job! It's incredible to be a part of a movie like X-Men. It's a dream for every actor who is starting his career, but for a Spanish actor…it's a miracle.

ManFromRoomX
In the comics Riptide was a member of the Marauders, a villainous group of mutant assassins that slaughtered the Morlocks. In the movie is Riptide just as villainous?

Alejandro Gonzalez
He's a very complex villain, he's more than just menacing, he wants to control the world.

James
On a scale of 1 to 10 - with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest - how much fun was it to play a villain?

Alejandro Gonzalez
It's always more fun to play a villain because you can allow yourself to do things that you wouldn't normally do in real life, and when you also have the benefit of super powers…the fun is infinite!

Cinefumettaro
What is the best action scene you have filmed in the movie?

Alejandro Gonzalez
Well, there are many spectacular action scenes in the movie, but my favorite is probably at the end of the movie, where there is a huge battle that takes place on the beach. There was a lot of sand!

Filip
I always thought Riptide had really bizarre powers. Could you describe how you had to 'perform' his powers while shooting?

Alejandro Gonzalez
In large part, many of the powers will be created through effects in post, but there are also some more traditional and basic tactics that we used while shooting. For example, when my character had to begin to create a tornado, they placed me on a turntable which whipped me around very quickly to help create the illusion of my body spinning.

Richard
Riptide isn't that big of a character in the comics, so does that give you more freedom to do what you want with the character?

Alejandro Gonzalez
Matthew gave me a lot of freedom to define my character. However, all of the characters in the movie share a common factor: our gift was born from our pain.

Irene
If you didn't play Riptide – what other character would you like to have?

Alejandro Gonzalez
Well, that's a difficult question...I fell in love with Riptide, but if I had to choose another role, I'd probably choose Magneto. He goes through different situations in his life, has a perfect mix of heart and pride, and he has the power to control metal which would be fantastic when needing to find a parking space in LA!

Jason Flemyng - Azazeal - April 26th

Luis
In the past you have done fantastic and fictional characters. What drives you to do this? Why did you make the choice to do this one?

Jason Flemyng
To be honest, it was Matt - whether I'm the Batman or a ballerina, when he calls, I run!

Morgan
Was it fun to play the role and what challenges where there?

Jason Flemyng
The fun was in the fighting - I knew very little of it would be seen, but we did 8 weeks of sword and fight training. We could have shot a whole 90 mins of Azazel battles!

Spideyboy1111
We all know that Azazel of the comics becomes Nightcrawler's father. Is this touched upon in the film?

Jason Flemyng
Not yet, hope they get them together in the next one, love Alan.

Diggity
When figuring out your role, did you look at Alan Cumming's performance to thread a DNA to your performance as his father?

Jason Flemyng
Alan is a friend, we were at the RSC together. I think my boy turned out pretty good, mutants should be free to love who they choose, as long as it causes no harm!

Jennifer
How much focus will be put on the romance between Azazel and Mystique?

Jason Flemyng
None. Unfortunately she only had eyes for Beast.

Anonymous
Is your character a mutant or a demon like in the comic books?

Jason Flemyng
He's a mutant - looks like a demon, but he's pure mutant!

Joseph
What the best bit about your character?

Jason Flemyng
I have never had a tail before, can't beat having a tail. It's not in the movie, but you can smash anyone on the Xbox when you have two hands and a tail. It's also possible to make tea and play chess at the same time.

Anonymous
Having appeared in a good few of Matthew Vaughn movies, would it be fair to say you are his 'good luck charm'? And bearing that in mind, how has this role differed from your experience filming his other movies?

Jason Flemyng
He has a great core of actors and crew, we all watch out for each other, and speak shorthand amongst ourselves. We watch Mat's back, no one f*cks with our governor! I'm not naturally very nomadic, so I love working with my friends.

Amy
Now you play Azazel, a character who gets a few negative reviews in the comic book world, I wondered if you maybe read anything to keep to the character or if you brought something entirely new to the role to make him more likeable?

Jason Flemyng
My natural hair color is red, so I'm used to dodgy reviews! It's hard to make a mark in these movies, there are so many characters, but I think the bits I've got come across pretty well!

Ena
I'm a big fan of your work, the shots of you in the First Class trailer looked awesome. Did you do any research and training for your character when you got the role of Azazel?

Jason Flemyng
Thanks, mate! Nope, the make-up and fight training kind of took care of the character! Oh, and we made him Russian, just, well...it's the Cold War, and I'm a bit of an old lefty and it drives Mat mad!

Gareth
How was the look for your character done in the movie? Was it all CGI? Or was it make-up?

Jason Flemyng
Make-up 4 hours on, 30 mins off, tail CGI!!

Hunter
If you could teleport anywhere... where would it be?

Jason Flemyng
Right..... I seem to travel the world every week, I would LOVE to be able to teleport home to my wife every night and teleport to whatever country I'm in every morning!! I'm sooo lucky to work so much, (real secret is I'm cheap!) but I am kinda over flying long haul weekly!

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1662676/x-men-first-class-zoe-kravitz.jhtml

Apr 26 2011 11:48 AM EDT 654
'X-Men: First Class' Star Zoe Kravitz Talks 'Sexy' Audition
Cast as mutant Angel, Kravitz chats with MTV News about doing dangerous stunts, donning CGI wings and more.

By Eric Ditzian (@ericditzian)

MTV News' Summer Movie Preview roars ahead today, following up Monday's "Captain America" exclusive with even more comic-book movie goodness in the guise of "X-Men: First Class." Our exclusive photo captures many of the core mutants — James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and others — looking very suspiciously at ... well, something. (We'll have to wait until the film hits theaters on June 3 to find out for sure.)

Additionally, "X-Men" star Zoë Kravitz, who plays the insect-winged mutant Angel, called up MTV News to chat about the film's devoted fanbase, her less-than-sexy audition, and what it's like to be strung up on wires over a freezing cold beach for a week — all in the name of movie magic.

MTV: Have you gotten a sense yet about how passionate people are about comic book properties like "X-Men"?

Zoe Kravitz: Yes, it's crazy! I've never been into comic books, so I was never in that world. When the trailer came out, I looked at it on YouTube and there were pages and pages and pages of comments. People were getting heated. And all the blogs — it's crazy! This is really near and dear to a lot of people, so I hope we don't disappoint them!

MTV: Well, the reaction so far has been very positive, but was there that added pressure on set to get it right, based on how intense the fanbase is?

Kravitz: When we were filming it, we didn't have that sort of energy. We were just focused on what we were doing. We tried to focus on the drama in the material and approach everything as actors. Now that we're done, we're seeing that people are reacting strongly to what they've seen.

MTV: What was your audition process like?

Kravitz: I was actually one of the last people cast. It happened really quickly. They were being really secretive about the script and the characters that were going to be in the film, so I didn't even know who I was auditioning for. I didn't think I had a shot. I didn't even take it seriously. It wasn't with [director] Matthew [Vaughn]. It was with the casting director in New York. I got the call at the last minute and I'd gone out the night before and I was hungover and tired and not the prepared person that I usually am. I was wearing a big hat and totally not being a sexy "X-Men" character. I went in and had a good time with it. They called back and said, "Matthew really responded to your tape, but can you come back and maybe wear something a little more sexy?" I didn't know until later the character was a go-go dancer. I went back in and in the next two weeks, I was on plane to London.

MTV: So you didn't have to strap on the insect wings?

Kravitz: Nope! They flew me out and there was a full month of preproduction of making decisions about the wings — and putting them on — and the different shapes and colors. And there was a lot of training. I did do a lot of wire work, so I had to get pretty strong.

MTV: Angel isn't one of these super well-known characters, but she's got a cool backstory where she runs away from home and discovers her mutation. Do we get any of those origins in the movie?

Kravitz: She has such a cool background, but that is not in the film. You meet her later when they're recruiting these mutants to form the first group of X-Men. But it was really helpful for me to know all that information to form the character. But who knows what will happen in the future. Hopefully, they'll continue with her.

MTV: What's going on with that shot of you, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender in the trailer? You've got your top off in some kind of red, velvet-covered room.

Kravitz: It's really funny. They come to find me, knowing about my mutation, and I'm working at a go-go club. I don't know what they're there for, so I take them in back for a private dance and then we show each other our powers.

MTV News: Are the wings totally CGI?

Kravitz: Yeah. The tattoos are really there and they make them come out of the tattoos with CGI.

MTV: Was there was one stunt or scene that was particularly difficult or that you're proud of?

Kravitz: I never got hurt, so nothing was too scary. There is this big scene on the beach at the end, and they shot it in Georgia. They had me wired up and really high in the air and zooming around the beach. It was really cold and I was wearing these leather shorts and this backless top. I was up there for a week, zooming around and freezing my ass off. And then there was this one stunt I didn't get to do. They hung my stunt double out of this helicopter over the ocean. I was like, "Why can I do that?" And they were like, "Um, no."

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2011/04/28/x-men-first-class-the-producer-speaks/

X-Men: First Class – The Producer Speaks

dgolder | News | 28/04/2011 09:42am

As a preview for SFX #209 (out next week) here’s an extract from our exclusive interview with X-Men: First Class producer Lauren Shuler-Donner

“X-Men: First Class is very, very different to its predecessors,” says producer Lauren Shuler-Donner who has overseen all the X-movies so far. “It’s got a different style, a different tone. I believe you have to not just reboot but reinvent. So how do you do it? You make its world unique. You use its strengths. Make it of its world. Nolan’s The Dark Knight is vastly different to Favreau’s Iron Man. They’re very different movies, and that’s how you distinguish them. You stay true to your world.”

Part of the uniqueness of First Class is found in its defiantly retro setting, immersing its protagonists in the age of Kennedy’s Camelot and the Cuban missile crisis. As well as co-opting some Mad Men-style, there’s more than a pinch of vintage, softly-purring 007 cool.

“Yes, it’s got a Connery early ’60s Bond feel to it,” notes Shuler-Donner. “Michael Fassbender’s Eric Lehnsherr has definitely got a Bond element to him. And of course we tried to stay true to the look of the ’60s, the wardrobes and the hair. We took a few liberties, but mostly we’re in that world. And then we have the real events of the time to ground us.”

You imagine a period setting must be a harder sell for today’s audience. “Unfortunately it always is. There’s a generation that went through it, and then there are generations that didn’t, and do not know that time, and we don’t ever want them to see it as a history lesson. But that’s another way to stay unique and different.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 28th, 2011 at 9:42 am

http://www.showbizspy.eu/2011/05/jennifer-lawrence-on-her-career-%E2%80%9Ci-can-act-literally-that-is-all-i-can-do%E2%80%9D/

Jennifer Lawrence on her career: “I can act, literally, that is all I can do”

mei 03, 2011 By: showbizspy

In preparation for the upcoming X-Men: First Class movie, the June issue of ASOS Magazine features an interview and photoshoot with Oscar-nominee Jennifer Lawrence, a gifted young actress who is capable of expressing a wide range of emotions onscreen; yet I think that magazine stylists (see her tarted- and scorched-up GQ pictorial) just don’t know what to do with her. It’s a true shame, but at least the ASOS photographers managed to capture some pretty good montage photo sets even if they used some really vacant-looking shots for the feature pictures. Anyway, here are some highlights from the interview, wherein Lawrence gushes about her BFF, Zoe Kravitz:

On Winter’s Bone: “I knew that it was a good thing,” she says of her career-making role, “but I didn’t know it was going to be a big thing. The fact that the movie people know me for is Winter’s Bone, that tiny little movie I read and fell in love with and would have done anything for… I still pinch myself about it. I remember thinking, ‘This movie is going to be so beautiful, it’s a shame nobody’s going to see it.’ Fortunately, that came back and smacked me in the face.”

On Her Fellow X-Men Castmates: “We all legitimately love each other, so filming in London was like being at a really weird summer camp. James McAvoy is one of the best, most pure-hearted guys that I’ve ever met, and Michael Fassbender is funny and great, and Zoe… I can act, literally, that is all I can do, so thank god, just for Winter’s Bone, I got lucky enough to be told I was good at it, but Zoe’s the most talented person I’ve ever met. She has the most beautiful voice, she’s a cool dancer, and she’s a fashion genius. And she can act. And she can eat a chili sandwich and still weigh four pounds. So we don’t like her, we don’t like Zoe Kravitz.”

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/rose-byrne-talks-x-men-trilogy-hopes-and-her-experience-shooting-the-film-23886.html

Rose Byrne Talks X-Men Trilogy Hopes And Her Experience Shooting The Film

published: 2011-03-26 15:19:39 Author: Perri Nemiroff
Rose Byrne Talks X-Men Trilogy Hopes And Her Experience Shooting The Film image
Rose Byrne has acting for quite a role, with roles in Troy, Marie Antoinette and 28 Weeks Later, but now more than ever she’s in the spotlight and really expanding her repertoire. After tugging on our heartstrings in Adam she starred alongside Nicolas Cage in the sci-fi mystery Knowing. From there she unleashed the comedy in Get Him to the Greek and up next, she’ll get her horror on in James Wan’s Insidious. What can’t she do?

And this summer she'll finally check "summer blockbuster" off the list in X-Men: First Class where Byrne stars as Dr. Moira MacTaggert, a non-mutant CIA agent who joins forces with Xavier, Erik and the rest of the gang. While chatting up Insidious, Byrne took the time to update us on the new X-Men film, her experience making it, her affection for how universal the X-Men world is, and even her plans for potential sequels. Check it all out in the video clip below.

http://movies.ign.com/articles/116/1167782p1.html

X-Men: First Class - Banshee Interview
Exclusive: Caleb Landry Jones talks about landing the role of Banshee and becoming an action figure.
UK, May 13, 2011

Caleb Landry Jones made a cinematic splash as the creepy kid in last year's horror hit The Last Exorcism. He's tackling a very different kind of role in superhero prequel X-Men: First Class this summer, playing Sean Cassidy, who becomes better known as the sonic screaming Banshee. IGN exclusively interviewed Jones on the film's UK set late last year, and we talked about everything from cracking skulls to becoming an action figure.

IGN: How did you get the role of Banshee?

Caleb Landry Jones: All I knew was that it was the X-Men. I thought, 'What the hell are they doing auditioning a redhead? OK, I'll do my best.' I got the part and it's been brilliant. I've never been overseas - I've never been to Europe - and so that's amazing by itself. To be on a movie with such magnitude as this one is just absolutely amazing. I'm getting a chance I've never had before in my life. I'm getting to fly, which I've always wanted to do. I'm playing a superhero, which I've always wanted to do. Don't look like Spider-Man, don't look like Batman, so it's fantastic that there's one that I do look like, kind of.

IGN: Tell us about the character.

Jones: Well he's got a supersonic scream. He learns how to fly in this movie. He learns how to melt objects. In the beginning all he really knows is how to break things - car doors I'm guessing, things like that. And he's got selective hearing.

IGN: What does he do with his scream?

Jones: What's the technical way of saying it? I'm trying to think of Hank [McCoy]'s line when he explains it to me. He causes the sound waves... something about vibrations... I don't know the science behind it, but he can blow sh*t up and cause skulls to crack.

IGN: Do you get to do all that this in the movie?

Jones: Everything except the skull cracking. It's a PG-13!

IGN: How familiar were you with the X-Men when you got the role?

Jones: I'm much more familiar now that I've done some reading. I wasn't very familiar in the beginning - I wasn't allowed to watch it as a kid what with Wolverine saying 'Punk' and things like that. I couldn't watch the show. I was really into Batman, but not X-Men as such. Although now I've got a full booklet - it's like 500 or 800 pages of just Banshee comics.

IGN: Are you getting into the comics then?

Jones: Very much so, yeah. When I got it, it was scary actually. In the comics it seems like they reinvent him over and over again. The question was, which one to do. He always has an Irish accent, but in the movie he doesn't. How much to take from each reinvention, how much to put in, that was the question.

IGN: Did you end up coming up with your own version?

Jones: Yeah. He's always pretty smart, it seems like. He's mostly good. The script definitely defines him more so than the comics do, because I've got to do what the script says. I try to add as much as possible. I know there's a love connection in the comics with Moira [MacTaggert - played by Rose Byrne in the movie], so I try to look at her just a little bit differently, you know, when I can. I know Mystique cuts my vocal chords later on - I don't know if they're going to do that in the movies, but therefore I make it a little bit so that if that does happen later on, for any of the fans watching, they can notice that. There's so much to take from the comics.

IGN: It's quite a change of pace from The Last Exorcism, too - did you want to try something vastly different?

Jones: Honestly, in my career it's something where I don't have a choice. I'll take whatever I get. But, yeah, I wanted to do something different and was very happy this was completely different. And hopefully after this it'll be something else completely different, too.

IGN: Do you get much action in the movie?

Jones: We'll see - it keeps changing. In the comics, someone would shout, 'Banshee!' He'd fly in and do something and then be gone for a little bit. And then 'Banshee!' He'd come back for a little bit, fly and scream at someone. There's not a whole lot of combat, I'd say. But every once in a while I'll come in and beat someone up.

IGN: Why bother when you can just scream at someone and have the same effect?

Jones: Yeah, from really far away. I could just be sitting in a little cave and scream from there.

IGN: Are you conscious that this could become a massive franchise and there will be more of them?

Jones: Yeah, it hasn't really dawned on me quite yet I don't think. Maybe, if I get on a Slurpee mug then it'll dawn on me.

IGN: And an action figure?

Jones: Now that hasn't dawned on me completely, but my mind is already racing. I'm ready to be an action figure. I'd love that very much. And all the redheaded kids will get to go out and feel loved and be able to buy a redheaded action figure.

Jennifer Lawrence - Raven Darkholme - Mystique

Sean
How does Mystique differ from the one in the other films?

Jennifer Lawrence
This is when she's younger, so we see her grow from an insecure, curious girl into the strong powerful woman we know so well.

Jill
Other than the make-up, what was the most difficult part of filming X-Men First Class?

Jennifer Lawrence
There was a constant concern of making sure I didn't do anything to disappoint the huge fan base.

Dena
What is the most fun about playing Mystique?

Jennifer Lawrence
Once the makeup was on, I was a walking piece of art. The paint really is fascinating and beautiful.

Chris
What aspect of Mystique's character did you want to convey the most?

Jennifer Lawrence
Her strength and attitude. It was something Raven had to grow into but I think it's the most important thing about my character.

Dalibor
What did you do to acquire Mystique's philosophy and portray her character in the movie?

Jennifer Lawrence
I tried to understand her and learn as much as I could from the comic books.

Perry
What do you think you have in common with this complicated and charming character?

Jennifer Lawrence
I think we're both learning to accept ourselves in these very strange lives we're living.

Anonymous
I know that this is a prequel movie but, I was wanting to know if we will see you in any fight sequences?

Jennifer Lawrence
Absolutely! She may be young but she's still a badass.

Kristian
What can we expect from Mystique in this movie? In the trailer she seems childlish and like a romantic girl, very different from what we have seen on the original trilogy.

Jennifer Lawrence
She does start out like a romantic insecure girl, but she grows into herself, and finds her confidence and attitude.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/CoastToCoastStation/news/?a=37226

Rose Byrne On X-Men: First Class Sequels!
Click here to check out a pretty cool interview with Rose Byrne, who plays Dr. Moira MacTaggert in the upcoming comic book movie X-Men: First Class...

Movieline recently got the chance to talk to the lovely Rose Byrne, about Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming X-Men film. Check out what she had to say about future sequels of the X-Men franchise.

You must have flown to the X-Men set immediately after filming Bridesmaids. How did that timing work out? You were one of the last actors to join the cast, right?

It was within a few weeks, because I remember telling the girls on set that I had an audition and found out about it. And I was, again, very lucky because it just fell between the times of when Damages would begin again. I think I did come in fairly late in the audition process for Moira McTaggert — I think they had started shooting by the time I got there.

Moira is a very familiar characters to X-Men fans who have pored over their comic books for years. Coming into the character, how did you approach her — especially considering that, although she’s a human and not a mutant, she’s quite progressive in her thinking at this point in time?

She is! Well, in the comics she’s a genetic doctor so she’s a specialist in mutations and mutant forms, but in this version of the comics she works for the CIA. And she’s a woman in a man’s world, she’s very feisty and ambitious — you know, she’s got a toughness about her which I liked. But she’s very progressive and believes that humans and mutants can co-exist peacefully and they can help one another, and she hatches a plan with James McAvoy’s character Xavier to get the mutants to assist the government in this huge conspiracy, which is set against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis. She’s very impassioned and has a lot of tension between her and Michael Fassbender’s character, and then there’s also sort of a romance between her and Xavier.

Oh, yes. Moira and Xavier have a famous romantic relationship in the comics. How much of that relationship will we get to see?

I think it’s more of a hint than a full painting, or whatever the metaphor might be. [Laughs] But there’s definitely a flirtation and an affection; they’re allies, so from the start they’re there for each other.

Looking forward with this franchise, are you signed on for an entire new X-Men trilogy?

Yes. I have no idea, I can’t speak for other people, but yeah, I signed up for the whole bonanza. This and another two.

I think for most people, the idea of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender going head to head in a film is quite tantalizing on its own. Did you get to spend time with both of them on set and in your scenes?

I did — most of my stuff was with James, but I had a lot of ensemble pieces with a lot of the cast. They’re both wonderful in different ways; James is very smart, really clever with dialogue, really great with character, has an endless enthusiasm and energy and he’s really passionate about his work and a lot of fun. And Michael is brilliant. I think the tension between those two guys will be really interesting. Their relationship is the heart of the film. Michael has such a devilish streak in him that it really gives a whole new dimension to Magneto. I think it’s very exciting for fans to be able to revisit these characters as young men. What a pleasure, for fans to be able to say that.


SpaceGhost
5/13/2011
MovieLine

http://www.reelzchannel.com/movie-news/10307/caleb-landry-jones-and-rose-byrne-talk-x-men-first-class-romance/

Caleb Landry Jones and Rose Byrne Talk X-Men: First Class Romance
Posted 05.14.11 by Ryan

Director Matthew Vaughn's upcoming prequel to the X-Men trilogy, X-Men: First Class, will see several actors playing younger versions of previously seen characters, such as James McAvoy playing Charles Xavier, a.k.a. Professor X (previously played by Patrick Stewart) and Michael Fassbender playing Erik Lensherr, a.k.a. Magneto (previously played by Ian McKellen). While those two roles are more iconic and were instrumental to the X-Men, the character of Dr. Moira MacTaggert, despite first appearing in the 1975 Marvel comic Uncanny X-Men #96 and eventually becoming Professor X's fiancée, only appeared in the final installment of the X-Men trilogy of movies, 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand (played by Olivia Williams).

Rose Byrne takes over the role of MacTaggert in First Class and has previously explained that the character won't be the geneticist she is in the comic books, but rather "works for the CIA" and "gets involved in the whole mutant community." In a recent interview with Movieline, Byrne described MacTaggert as "very feisty and ambitious."

You know, she’s got a toughness about her which I liked. But she’s very progressive and believes that humans and mutants can co-exist peacefully and they can help one another, and she hatches a plan with James McAvoy’s character Xavier to get the mutants to assist the government in this huge conspiracy, which is set against the backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis. She’s very impassioned and has a lot of tension between her and Michael Fassbender’s character, and then there’s also sort of a romance between her and Xavier.

Byrne says that the "romance" between MacTaggert and Xavier is "more of a hint than a full painting" and exists more as "a flirtation and an affection." "They’re allies, so from the start they’re there for each other," Byrne added.

While the X-Men comics initially see MacTaggert become romantically involved with Xavier, she eventually begins an on-and-off relationship with Sean Cassidy, a.k.a. Banshee, which is the character Caleb Landry Jones plays in First Class. While Byrne has previously revealed that there's no relationship between Moira and Banshee in First Class — "At least not yet!" Byrne explained — Jones told IGN that he tried to use the history of that relationship and the rest of the character's comic book existence into his performance.

I know there's a love connection in the comics with Moira, so I try to look at her just a little bit differently, you know, when I can. I know Mystique [played by Jennifer Lawrence in the movie] cuts my vocal chords later on — I don't know if they're going to do that in the movies, but therefore I make it a little bit so that if that does happen later on, for any of the fans watching, they can notice that. There's so much to take from the comics.

There's so much history to Banshee (who first appeared in the 1967 issue of Uncanny X-Men #28), in fact, that Jones found the comic book history of the character "scary."

In the comics it seems like they reinvent him over and over again. The question was, which one to do. He always has an Irish accent, but in the movie he doesn't. How much to take from each reinvention, how much to put in, that was the question.

He's always pretty smart, it seems like. He's mostly good. The script definitely defines him more so than the comics do, because I've got to do what the script says. I try to add as much as possible.

http://veronicafelts008.typepad.com/blog/2011/05/x-men-star-jennifer-lawrence-was-intimidated-by-gorgeous-rebecca-romijn.html

'X-Men' Star Jennifer Lawrence Was Intimidated By 'Gorgeous' Rebecca Romijn

Actress talks to MTV News about taking over Mystique role in 'First Class' prequel.
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and actress Rebecca Romijn pioneered the big-screen portrayal of Mystique, the blue-skinned, shape-shifting baddie, in three "X-Men" films. For 20-year-old Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence, who was tasked with taking on a young version of the mutant for the upcoming prequel, "X-Men: First Class," Romijn's performances might have proved helpful — if it weren't for one small thing.

"It would have made my job a lot easier if she wasn't the most gorgeous person in the world," Lawrence laughed in a recent MTV News interview. "I was like, 'Really?' "

"It was good because you can take physical traits, but it's an origin story so it's before she became who she is," she added.

Romijn's statuesque example wasn't the only thing that initially kept Lawrence, who won critical plaudits and Oscar and Golden Globe nods for her turn in "Winter's Bone" last year, from taking on the comic book adaptation. As she put, "It was a brainer."

But she gradually came around to the idea after going back and watching the first three "X-Men" films before her audition, diving into the script and hearing which other actors had been cast.

"It is huge, but the movies are fantastic and I watched them and became a huge fan," she explained. "After reading the script, I really loved the script and I loved the character and I was already a fan of the director, [Matthew Vaughn], and I was already a fan of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, so then it became a little bit more of a no-brainer."

Do you think Jennifer Lawrence will make a good Mystique? Tell us in the comments!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1388370/X-Mens-January-Jones-With-I-actress-superhero-stripper.html

'With this name I could only have been an actress, a superhero or a stripper': The world according to January Jones

By Liza Foreman

Last updated at 10:00 PM on 21st May 2011

The actress on her unusual name, nearly being decapitated on X-Men and why she refuses to be just window dressing

'In terms of sexual equality, if anything has been taken away from women, it has been taken away by women. It's virtually impossible to balance our lives and still have time for ourselves,' said January Jones

'In terms of sexual equality, if anything has been taken away from women, it has been taken away by women. It's virtually impossible to balance our lives and still have time for ourselves,' said January Jones

Actress January Jones is best known for the hit television series Mad Men, in which she plays Betty Draper, a woman as well known for her girdle as her misadventures in Sixties suburbia. She is often compared to Grace Kelly and has, she confides, turned down several offers to play the legendary actress turned princess consort of Monaco.

Instead, Jones appears to have a penchant for working with the best of the British film industry, from Rhys Ifans in The Boat That Rocked to Bill Nighy in Love Actually and Liam Neeson in Unknown. She can next be seen in the blockbuster franchise X-Men: First Class.

A former Abercrombie & Fitch model, Jones is currently single after splitting from Saturday Night Live’s Jason Sudeikis in January. She recently announced she is pregnant – although she hasn’t named the father. Now 33, she lives in Los Angeles.
'Emma Frost, my X-Men character, has an impossible body. She has huge boobs with nice, womanly curves, but she is also ripped with muscle': January with Kevin Bacon in X-Men: First Class

'Emma Frost, my X-Men character, has an impossible body. She has huge boobs with nice, womanly curves, but she is also ripped with muscle': January with Kevin Bacon in X-Men: First Class
My unusual name comes from a trashy book.

My mum had read Once Is Not Enough by Jacqueline Susann and she and my dad liked how January sounded with Jones. The January character is the daughter of a Hollywood producer who has fallen on hard times, and she meets a sticky end after her parents’ divorce. They turned the story into a movie with Kirk Douglas. People think that I changed my name to be an actress but my sisters have unusual names too (Jacey and Gina). I also found out recently that there was an old singer named January Jones. Richard Curtis (who directed The Boat That Rocked and Love Actually) once sent me an old theatre poster and it said, ‘Singing tonight: January Jones.’ With this name I could only have been an actress, a superhero or a stripper.
'She looks right, acts right, doesn't say too much': January on Mad Men's Betty Draper

'She looks right, acts right, doesn't say too much': January on Mad Men's Betty Draper
Naivety, fearlessness and $200 in my pocket were all I had when I arrived in New York aged 18 to become a model.

I wasn’t scared at all. I was so ready to go out into the big wide world. My parents were open, very supportive and encouraging to whatever dreams we had – even if I’d wanted to be an astronaut. Worrying about survival didn’t come into it. I was excited to be independent. I wanted to be rich and famous. I lived in an apartment near the Empire State Building. But there were a billion girls in New York who wanted to be models. After a while I was immune to rejection, which helped when I went out to LA to become an actress. In modelling, the criterion is purely aesthetic. So when I got to LA I didn’t care if they said I was too small, too blonde, too pretty or not pretty enough.
Jack Nicholson may be a rogue who has dated millions of women but I’m lucky to have him as a friend.

We had worked together in the past. Then he called me up to say he had just watched the entire first season of Mad Men and loved me in it. He still has a mysterious quality about him that I think is unique to his generation – it makes him desirable, no matter what age you are. He is very funny, protective, charming and smart.
In terms of sexual equality, if anything has been taken away from women, it has been taken away by women.

Since the era of Mad Men, we have applied layers of stress on ourselves because we wanted every opportunity that men have. It’s virtually impossible to balance our lives and still have time for ourselves. We want to have the career and also have a family and kids. But that in itself is a choice and it’s our choice.
January Jones

'I've probably been unattractive to some men because I say what I feel and what I think'
Mad Men was a huge gamble for me.

I had never done TV before I signed that contract and there wasn’t even a role for me in the pilot. Matthew Weiner, the creator of the show, had no intention of showing Don Draper’s home life. I read for Peggy Olson twice – it was between me and Elisabeth Moss, who eventually got the part. Matt went home that night and wrote two scenes that featured Don’s wife Betty. I auditioned a couple of days later, and he made me a verbal promise that the character would grow. So I took a gamble and I won. We all did. Financially, we don’t get paid very much on the show, and that’s well documented. On the other hand, when you do television you have a steady pay cheque each week, so that’s nice.
I grew up running wild, dirty and barefoot in the wild Wild West.

South Dakota has Native American Indian history, which was a very cool vibe to grow up with. Because you’re outside in the wilderness a lot, you are always using your imagination. I was a leader, bossy and rebellious. Up until the age of ten I lived in a town with only 400 people. Everyone knew everyone. It was a very safe place to grow up and be outside with the animals. I wouldn’t trade my childhood for the world. Like most kids, I could be a little terror! I have a very guilty conscience, which always stopped me from doing anything terribly bad.
I’d love my body to take on the shape of the girdle I wear in Mad Men.

You hold yourself differently and it creates that incredibly feminine shape, though I’m glad I don’t have to wear it every day. Emma Frost, my X-Men character, has an impossible body. She has huge boobs with nice, womanly curves, but she is also ripped with muscle. In the amount of time I had to train it just wasn’t possible to achieve that amount of muscle without losing all the good bits. We finished Mad Men at the end of August and I had one day to fly to London to start X-Men.
I was nearly decapitated by the stunt wires in X-Men.

The most difficult stunts were with Michael Fassbender, where I was spinning in the air on those wires. While my stunt double did a lot of the harder stuff, I’ve always been very sporty and the stunts and action are part of the fun. As Emma Frost I’m telepathic, and I can turn into a diamond, which means I’m very, very cold. I always wear white: lots of iridescent stretch leather, lots of sparkle, and ass-kicking white boots.
As a woman, you don’t want to be just window dressing.

I’ve probably been unattractive to some men because I say what I feel and what I think. I don’t have a mechanism in my head that prevents me from saying what I think. I come from a family of very outspoken women. I can’t imagine living in a time when you couldn’t express what you felt. That’s why Betty does what she does. She’s imploding to the point where she gets so frustrated that she does something wacky. Don Draper’s married this woman who he thinks is the perfect woman and someone he should love. She looks right, acts right, doesn’t say too much. But then he’s sexually attracted to very outspoken, independent women. So some men don’t want their women to speak up, and then other men are attracted to that very thing.

‘X-Men: First Class’ opens in cinemas on June 1

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/gonna-go-her-way-20110519-1etig.html

Gonna go her way
Garry Maddox
May 20, 2011

A rock star's daughter earns her wings in prequel X-Men: First Class.

She might be a little-known American actor but Zoe Kravitz knows a lot about fame. The daughter of singer Lenny Kravitz and actor Lisa Bonet, she was shooting films while still in high school, initially playing a goth babysitter in Australian director Scott Hicks's No Reservations (''I was in, like, three seconds of the film'') then going on to a series of independent movies. In a few months, she is due to head to Australia for George Miller's Mad Max sequel, Fury Road.

At 22, Kravitz is also the lead singer of Elevator Fight and the face of Vera Wang perfume. And now comes a high-profile role in X-Men: First Class, the second origin story to spin-off the X-Men trilogy.
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Fly away ... Angel Salvadore (Zoe Kravitz) takes flight in X-Men: First Class.

Fly away ... Angel Salvadore (Zoe Kravitz) takes flight in X-Men: First Class. Photo: DFALLON@smh.com.au

She plays a mutant named Angel Salvadore or Wings, whose insect tattoos turn real and allow her to fly. Oh, her special powers also include projectile-vomiting deadly acid.

''It's just like a Friday night,'' Kravitz deadpans on the phone. ''Vomiting, flying around …''

One of the challenges of being in a big Hollywood movie is having to talk about it before you've seen it. Director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Kick-Ass) is reputedly working on X-Men: First Class right up to its release on June 2.

The movie centres on two close friends, Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, who later become arch-enemies in the X-Men trilogy - Professor X and Magneto.

James McAvoy plays the telepathic Xavier and Michael Fassbender is the magnetism-controlling Lehnsherr, who are discovering their powers in First Class, set during the Cold War in the 1960s.

What we do know is that Vaughn has assembled a seriously strong young cast that also includes Oscar-nominee Jennifer Lawrence from Winter's Bone as shapeshifting Mystique, January Jones from Mad Men as the telepathic Emma Frost, Nicholas Hoult from About a Boy as Beast and Australia's Rose Byrne as CIA agent Moira MacTaggert.

Kravitz says Xavier and Lehnsherr track down mutants to create the first X-Men.

''They go out and find Banshee and Havoc and all these different mutants,'' she says. ''I'm one of the mutants that they eventually find and team up with.''

So what was it like being in the centre of a huge movie full of stunts and visual effects?

''It was great and it was crazy,'' she says. ''The cast was so cool. We became very comfortable and it would be very casual, like we'd all be hanging out and laughing. We were a very goofy group of people.

''Then it'd be time to work and all of a sudden something would explode or we'd be hanging from wires and doing really crazy stuff. It would be like, 'Oh my god, I forgot we were making this huge film.' It was so much fun.''

Kravitz enjoyed the wire work that made her character fly.

''I got all strong in my core and did all kinds of stuff in front of a green screen. We did some stuff outside … they hung me from these four cranes and zoomed me around.''

So, how much have Kravitz's parents been encouraging her career?

''They're very cool people,'' she says. ''So whatever I want to do is great as long as I have my head on straight. If I'm doing it for the right reasons, which is art - making art - they're totally down.''

Kravitz has no plan for where the acting career will take her, other than playing ''one of five girls who are being rescued'' in Mad Max: Fury Road.

''I never intended to do action films just because I thought I didn't even have a shot,'' she says.

''It wasn't a world I was really familiar with. But it's amazing and awesome that it's taken a turn that way. And I really like character work, stuff that's very different from anything I've done before and different from myself. There's no plan: you read it then you know that that's something you want to do.''

If Hollywood releasing yet another comic-book movie doesn't excite you, Kravitz says it's no different from other popular styles of movies. ''I mean, how many times have you seen Adam Sandler, like, fall in love with some girl and they break up, then he shows up at the airport and gives a speech, then they get back together?'' she says.

''How many times have you seen a romantic comedy that's exactly the same?''

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

Director Matthew Vaughn Stars Michael Fassbender, Zoe Kravitz, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, James McAvoy, Rose Byrne Opens June 2.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2011/05/29/x-men-actor-no-longer-just-that-boy.html?sid=101

'X-Men' actor no longer just that boy
Sunday, May 29, 2011 03:14 AM
By Ian Spelling
NEW YORK TIMES SYNDICATE

British actor Nicholas Hoult is coming of age in his latest movie, X-Men: First Class - the prequel to X-Men (2000) and its follow-ups.

Set for release on Friday, First Class depicts the formation of the X-Men under Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and of the Brotherhood of Mutants - led by Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender), aka Magneto.

Hoult co-stars as Hank McCoy, an acrobatic mutant, known as the Beast, with a world-class scientific mind. The actor, 21, is joined by, among others, Jennifer Lawrence as Raven "Mystique" Darkholme, January Jones as Emma "White Queen" Frost, Zoe Kravitz as Angel Salvadore and Edi Gathegi as Armando "Darwin" Munoz.

First Class represents the biggest film yet for Hoult, who made a strong impression as Hugh Grant's young pal in About a Boy (2002) before being seen in The Weather Man (2005), on the British series Skins (2007-08), in A Single Man (2009) and in Clash of the Titans (2010).

He is tall, dark and handsome - and on the verge of stardom.

Hoult was fairly well-aware of X-Men before coming aboard the prequel.

"I'd seen all the films before and grew up actually watching a lot of the cartoons, the classic cartoons," he said, briefly humming the theme song. "So that was the basis of most of my knowledge. Then, when this film came up, I read a lot of the old classic comics with Beast, before and after his transformation, and the more recent ones. I went through those as well, just to get an idea of the world, I suppose, and Hank as a character a little bit."

That was the key, Hoult said, because much of First Class is devoted to introducing the assorted characters as they are discovering and contending with their mutant powers or unusual physical characteristics. These are not the characters that moviegoers remember from the earlier movies: The blue-furred Beast played by Kelsey Grammer in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) is a mature master scientist who has mutated far beyond the stage at which he appears in First Class.

"When you saw Kelsey Grammer as Beast," Hoult said, "you only saw him once he was the Beast. When you meet him in First Class, he's Hank, and he's uncomfortable in his body. Seeing him before the transformation helps you understand how he feels, what he's going through, when he does transform. So it was nice to play him out of the makeup and then in the makeup, as it were. That sets up everything else."

Hoult could be back in the costume soon enough: First Class is designed to launch another trilogy, and the young actor is signed to play the Beast for two more films.

"I'm sure it all depends on how this one goes down and if they want me to come back," he said. "But I think there's definitely more to explore with the Beast character."

Now, Hoult is in England, playing the title character in Bryan Singer's big-budget fairy tale Jack the Giant Killer. He'll then shoot the zombie love story Warm Bodies with Teresa Palmer and, if all goes according to plan, will join Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Palmer again for George Miller's long-delayed Mad Max: Fury Road.

Hoult mulled the possibility that, should his current and upcoming slate of films soar at the box office, he might become too big a star to slip unnoticed into his favorite sporting events.

No problem, he decided.

"To be honest, I worry more about if I'm going to get another job after the next one," Hoult said. "I think, if you become very famous, you just learn to deal with it, but it's not something that keeps me up at night.

"The thing that keeps me up at night is trying to give good performances in good films and keep it varied."

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/05/2250742/talking-to-zoe-kravitz.html

Posted on Sunday, 06.05.11

At the movies
Talking to Zoe Kravitz

You’ll believe a girl can fly — and projectile-vomit acid fireballs.

Such are the powers of Angel Salvadore, the Marvel Comics mutant played by Zoe Kravitz in X-Men: First Class, which opened Friday. Unlike the angelically winged, longtime X-Man Angel, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1963’s The X-Men #1, this character arrived in a 2001 comic as an abused 14-year-old with insect wings and the aforementioned acidic projectile.

“Every time I say that [‘projectile-vomit acid fireballs’], I think there must be a better way to put it, but I can’t figure out how!” Kravitz says with a giggly laugh. The laughter makes for a stark contrast to the dour roles she has previously played: a teenage prostitute in Jodie Foster’s vigilante film The Brave One, a grief-counseling addict in the dead-child drama The Greatest, a punky, attitudinal girl-band singer in a 2011 arc of the series Californication.

“That’s why they call it acting, my friend!” responds the 22-year-old daughter of singer Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet. She moved to Brooklyn after leaving her drama studies at State University of New York-Purchase after a year to do movies. “I think actors are attracted to things that are very different from themselves.”

She couldn’t have gotten more different than Angel, who in Matthew Vaughn’s ensemble movie is an older teen working as a stripper in 1962 when mutants Charles Xavier ( James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr ( Michael Fassbender, Kravitz’s rumored boyfriend) recruit her for a team of superpowered youngsters during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In that capacity she gets to fly and teleport. But she also has to make one of the most critical moral choices that involves the villainous Sebastian Shaw, played by Kevin Bacon.

The veteran actor was the genuine movie star in the relative newcomers’ eyes.

“All of us would freak!” Kravitz remembers. “He would come and go” as needed for his shooting days, “and we’d be like, ‘Dude, Kevin Bacon’s here!’ ’’

Equally cool for her was doing wirework flying that’s generally the province of stuntmen. “We had the same stunt team who did Inception, and they really knew what they were doing,” she says.

So did Kravitz soon enough. While she and the other actors did shoot green-screen, in which they were filmed in a studio with backgrounds digitally added later, “some of it was also on-set,” she says, “where they set up these wires and throw you around the room.

“It’s a strain on your body to hold yourself up in the air all that time; after a while, the harness can be a little uncomfortable — it’s tight and you’re hanging,’’ she says. “But it’s fun, not scary.”

Frank Lovece

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/06/meet-lucas-til-x-men-first-class-havoc.html

Meet Lucas Till: Top freshman in 'X-Men: First Class'
June 3, 2011 | 4:08 pm

Meet Lucas Till of X-Men First Class The jampacked ensemble of "X-Men: First Class" leaves little room for a breakout story when January Jones' baby bump rages, Michael Fassbender's romance with rock royalty Zoe Kravitz is in bloom and audiences have the task of reorienting themselves with James McAvoy as a leading man.

Yet Lucas Till, the 20-year-old Southern blond who stands beside Jennifer Lawrence as the younger generation of mutants in the film, can hold his own. The Ministry had a chat with Lucas, and here are some essentials:

Too small for ball: Acting is his passion now, but he originally started because he couldn't make the cut on the field. "I was really just too small for football," he said of growing up outside Atlanta, "and I needed an outlet."

Making the grade: After landing the role of Havoc, an able-bodied mutant with the power to send out energy blasts, Till took every chance to learn from his older costars. "Fassbender is a great guy to look up to, not just as an actor but as a man. And McAvoy is very charming. He's got the dirtiest jokes, but that accent makes everything sound good."

January the matriarch: Though Jones wasn't pregnant during filming, Till said he's definitely seen her softer side. "She can be very nurturing," he said. "It's great seeing her now at stuff like the junket because it's a whole softer side of her. I think she'll be a great mom."

Body of work: As a budding action star, fitness is a priority. Lucas' problem lies in his inability to keep weight on, so he found a novel solution while filming "First Class" in London. "I drank a lot of beer," he said. (Till may legally drink in the United Kingdom.) "But as a rule, I go back to military basics — situps, pull-ups, pushups. That's how they measure strength, and that keeps the bulk on."

"X-Men: First Class" is currently in theaters.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/MOVIE-XMEN-KRAVITZ_5262053/MOVIE-XMEN-KRAVITZ_5262053/

Zoe Kravitz wings it in new 'X-Men' film

By Frank Lovece Newsday
First Posted: June 02, 2011 - 9:37 am
Last Updated: June 02, 2011 - 9:37 am

NEW YORK — You'll believe a girl can fly — and projectile-vomit acid fireballs.

Such are the powers of Angel Salvadore, the Marvel Comics mutant played by Zoe Kravitz in "X-Men: First Class," which opens Friday. Unlike the angelically winged, longtime X-Man called Angel, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1963's "The X-Men" #1, this character bowed in a 2001 comic as an abused 14-year-old with insect wings and the aforementioned acidic projectile.

"Every time I say that ('projectile-vomit acid fireballs'), I think there must be a better way to put it, but I can't figure out how!" Kravitz says with a giggly laugh. The laughter makes for a stark contrast to the dour roles she has previously played: a teenage prostitute in Jodie Foster's vigilante film "The Brave One" (2007), a grief-counseling addict in the dead-child drama "The Greatest" (2009), a punky, attitudinal girl-band singer in a 2011 arc of the series "Californication."

"That's why they call it acting, my friend!" responds the 22-year-old daughter of singer Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet. She moved to Brooklyn after a leaving her drama studies at State University of New York-Purchase after a year to do movies. "I think actors are attracted to things that are very different from themselves."

She couldn't have gotten more different than Angel, who in Matthew Vaughn's ensemble movie is an older teen working as a stripper in 1962 when mutants Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) recruit her for a team of superpowered youngsters during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In that capacity she gets to fly and teleport. But she also has to make one of the most critical moral choices in an adult-themed movie with more than its share.

That choice involves the villainous Sebastian Shaw, played by Kevin Bacon — who, despite the classically trained credentials of McAvoy and Fassbender, was the genuine movie star in all the young actors' eyes.

"All of us would freak!" Kravitz remembers. "He would come and go" as needed for his shooting days, "and we'd be like, 'Dude, Kevin Bacon's here!' We're a bunch of newcomers and he'd walk up and we'd be, like, 'Oh my God!' And then, like, the whole Kevin Bacon thing completely disappeared because he's so normal and down-to-earth. He totally hung out with us. It was amazing!"

Equally amazing for her was doing wirework flying that's generally the province of stuntmen. "We had the same stunt team who did 'Inception' and they really knew what they were doing," she said.

So did Kravitz soon enough. While she and the other actors did shoot green-screen, in which they were filmed under controlled conditions in a studio with backgrounds digitally added later, "some of it was also on-set," she says, "where they set up these wires and throw you around the room. It's a strain on your body to hold yourself up in the air all that time; after a while, the harness can be a little uncomfortable — it's tight and you're hanging. But it's fun, not scary."

That proved especially so on location at the Georgia beach subbing for Cuba. "They had it set up so that I could actually fly over the beach," she said. "They set up four very big pillars and I was able to go from one side of the beach to the other. I forgot to ask how many feet up I was, but it was very high. It's like a roller coaster, you're gong so fast. You only get an opportunity like this once."

Or maybe not, because 20th Century Fox has envisioned "First Class" as part of a trilogy. So Angel — and Kravitz — may get to fly again.

———

(c) 2011, Newsday.

Visit Newsday online at http://www.newsday.com/.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/film-cinema/bacon-im-living-in-a-fish-bowl-2664146.html

Bacon: I'm living in a 'fish bowl'

Thursday June 02 2011

Kevin Bacon admits he has struggled to get used to being famous.

The X-Men: First Class star told The Sun he was desperate to be well-known when he was younger, but has found it difficult getting recognised everywhere he goes.

He said: "I have had to adapt, although it has been a long, long time, to being well-known.

"It was something I always wanted, always fought for and desired so strongly as a kid.

"At the same time you can't describe what living in a fish bowl is like until it happens."

Kevin, 52, who first shot to fame in 1984's Footloose, said he was not worried about portraying a mutant Nazi in the X-Men prequel, which also stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and January Jones.

He said: "I am not afraid of playing bad guys. I have no personal image that I am trying to uphold."

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/movies/movie-news/Rose+Byrne-97300.html

Rose Byrne Uncertain About X-Men: First Class Sequel

02 August 2011

Rose Byrne has revealed that she has no idea if a sequel to summer blockbuster X-Men: First Class will go ahead.

The movie, which was directed by Matthew Vaughn, took the story of Erik and Charles back to the sixties when they were grappling to understand this powers.

Byrne took on the role of Moira MacTaggert in the film alongside Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence.

The film was a critical and commercial hit as it topped the box office in both the U.S. and the UK - but she admits she doesn't know if she will be reprising the character

Speaking to IGN Movies the actress said: "We all had to sign on for three, I believe. ;Well, I did anyway. But as of right now I have no idea if they're planning on doing another one.

"But that was the idea depending on how it all went, I suppose. We'll see."

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the project Byrne admits that she would love to return to the franchise.

"I loved working on it and loved working with the cast," Byrne said. "I loved Matthew Vaughn. I also loved the style; the era and the fashion.

"And it was kind of kitsch-y and funny. It was a really fun and sophisticated superhero movie. I'm very proud of the film."

http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/09/26/hugh-jackman-x-men-first-class-cameo-interview/

Hugh Jackman on How His 'X-Men: First Class' Cameo Almost Didn't Happen
By Mike Ryan (Subscribe to Mike Ryan's posts)
Posted Sep 26th 2011 2:10PM
Filed under: Celebrity Interviews, Movie News
17442

One of the most pleasant surprises from this past summer was Hugh Jackman's extremely short, but very memorable cameo as Wolverine in Matthew Vaughn's 'X-Men: First Class.' For those who haven't seen the film (out on DVD now), Jackman's Wolverine is approached by a young Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (the future Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender) about possibly joining an early incarnation of the X-Men, and let's just say he isn't too enthusiastic about the idea. Moviefone spoke to Jackman over the weekend about his upcoming role in 'Real Steel,' and he shared with us the full story about that very secretive 'First Class' cameo... and why it almost never happened.

"Basically I was asked a long time ago if I would do a cameo. Way before shooting happened," Jackman told Moviefone. "And I said, 'Well, pitch me the idea.' They pitched me the idea and I remember saying, 'Does anyone else swear in the movie?' They said, 'no,' and I said, 'I'm in.' [laughs] It sounded perfect to me. The actual line they used in the end, 'go f-ck yourself,' was a bit of an ad-lib. The line was originally 'f-ck off.' We did about eight takes and I said, 'Matthew, let me do just one more.'"

Not that Jackman was convinced he would actually appear in the film product. "Really, what happened was I did not know it was going to happen myself. I was getting asked all of the time if I'm in the movie. Like, I think they thought Wolverine was going to be a big character in it and I just kept basically lying. Well, no, I would say 'no' to that because no one really suspected a cameo. And I, actually, for a while there, thought it wasn't going to happen because they were actually shooting and they asked me to go down to... where were they shooting? Somewhere down south.... Savanna! But that came and went and I wasn't used. So I said, 'OK, they've decided against it.'"

"Then all of a sudden they're doing reshoots and they were like, 'We honestly don't know if it's going to fit in the film. We don't know if we're going to use it in the film or not, but we love the idea, so can we just do it?' So I said, 'Yeah, sure.' So I was brought in; I've never been more secretive – even the hotel I was staying at was under an assumed name. I came in, it was shot on the Fox lot, so there was no access to the street. I came in for two hours, I shot it and they managed to keep it a secret. But, to be honest, even when I shot it, I wasn't sure if it was going to be in the movie or not. So I think they just decided in editing that this would be a cool moment, so they put it in. But I was really glad to have done it! It was really fun to get out there and it was the easiest line learning I had in my life."

And with a whole new cast, was Fox tempted to tease Wolverine's appearance in the advertising?

"I remember that decision, actually. Yeah, they did say to me that it was very, very tempting, but it would be the wrong thing to do for the film. But from a marketing point of view, they were tempted. It's one of those things where I think they thought this was better. And I have to take my hat off to Fox, that's one of those decisions where this is better for the film. It may not be as good for the box-office, but it's better for the film."

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/will-the-x-men-first-class-sequel-be-based-on-the-days-of-future-past-storyline-20120605?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=The%20Playlist&utm_content=

Will The 'X-Men: First Class' Sequel Be Based On The 'Days Of Future Past' Storyline?
News by Kevin Jagernauth | June 5, 2012 1:09 PM

Well, all of this year's comic book movies are pretty much squared away, with "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Dark Knight Rises" hitting theaters in the next month or so, we can now turn our attention to what's on the horizon, and early next year Matthew Vaughn will re-team with the cast of "X-Men: First Class" for a sequel. As usual, story details at the moment are being kept under lock and key, but that hasn't stopped nerds on the Internet from doing some digging, and some fresh intel has surfaced.

The folks over at AICN have been tipped off that 20th Century Fox has registered the title "Days Of Future Past" with the MPAA. Why is this significant? Well as comic fans know, that's the title of a two-issue story arc from 1981, and while we imagine it would be expanded/tweaked/refined on the way to the big screen, it does point to the possibility of a pretty ambitious story. But since we haven't it read it....to Wikipedia we go! Here's how they break down the plot:

The storyline alternates between present day, in which the X-Men fight Mystique's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and a future timeline caused by the X-Men's failure to prevent the Brotherhood from assassinating Senator Robert Kelly. In this future universe, Sentinels rule the United States, and mutants live in internment camps. The present-day X-Men are forewarned of the possible future by a future version of their teammate Kitty Pryde, whose mind traveled back in time and possessed her younger self to warn the X-Men. She succeeds in her mission and returns to the future, but despite her success, the future timeline still exists as an alternative timeline rather than as the actual future. (The Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 gave the numerical designation of "Days of Future Past" Earth as Earth-811).

Alternate timelines? Minds traveling back and forth through time? Internment camps? It's a lot to juggle, so we'll see how this bears out, but the idea of Mystique turning villainous does make sense without the comic book universe, and we're eager to see Jennifer Lawrence go bad with the character. But of course, none of this is official and who knows how much of this plot they'll use or keep or even if the title will remain. It could be a working title or a clever bit of intentional misdirection. Time will tell. "X-Men: Whatever It's Called" will hit theaters on July 18, 2014.