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“Skyfall”-ing for a Bond Girl
N
aomie Harris was born on
September 6, 1976 in Lon-
don, England where she
was raised as an only child by Lis-
selle Kayla, a single-mom and TV
scriptwriter. The accomplished
young actress, who is of Jamaican
extraction, has already made a
name for herself in film, television
and theatre, and just completed
production on A Long Walk to
Freedom, a biopic about Nelson
Mandela in which she portrayed
his wife, Winnie.
Naomie recently starred at the
National Theater in London in
Danny Boyle’s production of
“Frankenstein,” and was last seen
on the big screen playing a gram-
mar schoolteacher who fights for
the right of an 84 year-old Kenyan
to be educated in The First Grader.
However, her breakthrough per-
formance was back in 2002 in
Boyle’s 28 Days Later after which
she went on to receive further
acclaim for her role as ‘Tia
Dalma’ in Pirates Of The
Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At
World’s End.
Her other major feature film
credits include Miami Vice; Tris-
tram Shandy: A Cock And Bull
Story; Street Kings with Keanu
Reeves and Forrest Whittaker; and
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll. On
television, she’s starred in the
BBC’s “Small Island” and “Blood
and Oil” and in the UK’s popular
television adaptation of Zadie
Smith’s bestselling novel “White
Teeth,” the adaptation of the novel
“Poppy Shakespeare,” as well as
“The Project.”
Naomie graduated with honors
from Cambridge University with a
degree in social and political sci-
ence prior to training at the presti-
gious Bristol Old Vic Theatre
School. Here, she talks about her
latest outing as a Bond girl oppo-
site Daniel Craig as Secret Agent
007 in Skyfall.
C
O
C ELEBRITY
I NTERVIEW
by Kam
Williams
Kam Williams: Hi Naomie, I’m
honored to have this opportunity
to speak with you.
Naomie Harris: My pleasure,
Kam.
KW: What’s it like to be a part
of such a storied, classic fran-
chise? Were you at all intimidat-
ed?
NH: It was intimidating in the
beginning, for sure. I was really
nervous, because I was certain it
was going to be bigger than any-
thing I’d ever done before. But I
was relieved when I actually dis-
covered that there was a family
atmosphere on the set, with a
brother-sister team, Barbara
[Broccoli] and Michael [Wilson]
running it all. They’re incredibly
down-to-earth and really warm, so
it was like making a little inde-
pendent movie most of the time.
That was quite surprising to me,
because I’d expected it to feel
huge. But it didn’t at all. It felt
quite intimate.
KW: I loved you in Ninja Assas-
sin, which was an action-adven-
ture that might have served as a
preparation for Skyfall.
NH: Yeah, in some ways, except
that in that movie I was mostly
screaming and running away from
the bad guys, whereas in this one
I’m generally jumping into the
action and fighting with them. So,
yeah, it was somewhat similar, but
also very different.
KW: I have a lot of questions
M
M
U
N
for you from fans. Documentary
director Kevin Williams asks: Was
the audition process for this role
physically-demanding?
NH: No, it wasn’t, at all. Sam
[director Sam Mendes] did say the
role would involve a lot of action,
and asked if I was okay with that.
Of course, I said, “Yes!” because
you say “yes” to anything when
you’re auditioning for a Bond
film. But I didn’t realize just how
much physicality was going to be
required of me.
KW: How demanding did it turn
out to be?
NH: I did more physical prepa-
ration for this, than I’d ever done
for any role. I trained for a couple
months. I was out on the shooting
range twice a week. I worked out
with a personal trainer for two
hours a day, five days a week. So,
it was quite demanding!
KW: April Hughes asks: What
was it like working with Daniel
Craig?
NH: I really enjoyed working
with Daniel, because he’s a bril-
liant actor at the top of his game.
That gave me an opportunity to
learn from the best, which is what
you’re always looking for as a per-
former in order to grow and get
better at your craft. It was also
great because he was so nice and
incredibly supportive, because it
really was an intimidating experi-
ence for me. He sort of held my
hand and said, “We’re in this
together and we’ll get through it
together.” And he did look after
me.
KW: And how was Sam Mendes
as director? He won an Oscar for
American Beauty, but he’s never
made a movie like this before.
NH: Yes, it was a really depar-
ture for him, and it was fantastic
working with him precisely
because of that. What interests
him are characters and relation-
I
T
Y
C
Naomie Harris
ships, and he was a genius at giv-
ing you the freedom to create the
type of character you want, and
also to explore and have fun with
your fellow actors. For him, char-
acters and relationships are really
the heartbeat of the film, and then
the action is the backdrop. By
developing the characters, he
makes you care that much more
about the action and going on a
journey with the characters. Peo-
ple are already describing it as the
best Bond flick ever, and I really
think it will be.
KW: Did you ever feel in dan-
ger doing any of the stunts?
NH: I definitely felt frightened,
but never in danger, because they
were always so careful about
everything. Some of the driving,
particularly on that road around
the sheer-drop cliff was actually
done by stunt driver Ben Collin,
who is otherwise known as The
Stig from the TV show Pop Gear.
He’s a brilliant drive, nonetheless,
it was terrifying to be careening
along when a wrong turn would
mean a thousand-foot drop and
you’re not in control and you want
to slow the car down.
A
L
E
N
D
KW: Larry Greenberg asks:
Growing up in London, did you
ever think you would be a secret
agent in a Bond film?
NH: I never ever thought that I
would be in a Bond film, ever,
which is weird because I grew up
loving these amazing movies. But
I never thought of it as a possibili-
ty, because there aren’t very many
black Bond women. So, it never
occurred to me. But I’m absolute-
ly loving being part of it, and that
not only am I a Bond girl, but I get
to be an agent as well.
KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles
asks: How do expect being a Bond
girl to affect your career?
NH: I definitely think it will
affect it positively, because it
means that now I’m much more
visible to a wider audience. Direc-
tors and studios in particular are a
lot more interested. So, I expect
it’s going to have a very positive
impact on my career.
KW: How did you enjoy shoot-
ing on exotic locations?
See CELEBRITY on page 8
A
R
S EATTLE 2012
of ethnic entertainment on two stages, plus an
international bazaar and exhibits. Admission is
free. Festival hours are: Friday 5 – 10 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. – 6
p.m., all at 15600 NE 8th . Bellevue, WA
If you have an event you want to share
with the community, email it two weeks
in advance to The Skanner at
info@theskanner.com
Friday November 2
KENT SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER HOLIDAY CRAFT
MARKET: The market will feature over 70 vendors,
a bake sale, entertainment and much more.
Doors open at 9 a.m. 600 E. Smith St. Kent, WA
Friday – Sunday November 2 – 4
22ND ANNUAL CULTURAL CROSSROADS: A
CELEBRATION OF OUR COMMUNITY’S CULTURAL
RICHES: The Bellevue festival will feature all kinds
Page 2 The Seattle Skanner October 31, 2012
creative side by pounding, stamping, embossing
and layering paper to make beautiful and
unique cards for the holidays. All materials
provided. FREE 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Evergreen
Hospital Medical Center, 12040 NE 128th
Kirkland, WA
Saturday November 3
BUILD A BOB BOOK AT THE SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY:
The Seattle Public Library invites children ages 5
to 8 and their families to Build a Bob Book with
children’s author Lynn Kertell from 2 - 2:45 p.m. at
the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave, Level 1,
Faye G. Allen Children’s Center.
WHERE THE JOBS ARE: The event will connect job
seekers with employees who are seeking
qualified workers in the greater Seattle area. The
job fair is free to all. Veterans and adults 40 and
above are encouraged to attend from 8:30 a.m.
– 1 p.m. at South Seattle Community College,
Olympic Auditorium, 6000 16th Ave. SW.
Monday November 5
HOLIDAY CARD MAKING MADE EASY! Explore your
Wednesday November 7
VETERANS TRIBUTE: The event features, speaker
Ken Lewis (Muckleshoot) U.S. Army Veteran,
followed by cake and coffee. 10 a.m.. – noon at
the SIHB Clinic, Training Circle Room, 611 12th
Ave. S. Suite 200. Seattle For more information
call 206-324-9360 ext 2806.
Friday – Saturday November 9 -10
AUTUMN ARTS FESTIVAL: Exhibition and sale of art
work created by instructors and their students in
the Lifelong Recreation Art Programs. The art work
will include watercolor, oil paintings and
Photography and more. Laurelhurst Community
Center, 4554 N.E. 41st St. Friday 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.