Army of the Dead is an explosive mix of genres. How were you introduced to it?
“Like an action-packed heist and zombie movie [rires]. My agent emailed me. Zombie movies, gore or bloody, it’s not really my thing. I can’t watch horror movies. So I didn’t really consider doing it and I had a lot of misconceptions. But, upon reading the email, I was intrigued and read an early version of the script. There were a lot of political elements in it and there was this relationship between Kate and her father, which is very well written. I met Zack [Snyder, le réalisateur] and I loved it. This is one of the main reasons why I acted in this film. He’s so passionate and energetic, weird and creative. And when he sent me the revised version of the screenplay, I thought it was much better. »
How did you develop the character of Kate?
“It was really done in collaboration. Even during filming, I suggested improvising a passage and he was always open to ideas, we tried. There was not this imperative of productivity at all costs. Much has been said regarding the tragedy that turns Kate’s life upside down and explains her attitude towards her father during the reunion. That’s what interested me the most. Knocking out zombies is great, but the heart of the plot is all the same this character who finds herself in an extremely perilous situation with a man whom she blames for having abandoned and betrayed her. It cannot continue to hide behind walls. The conversation they eventually have regarding their story will be surprisingly emotional. Reading the script, I was amazed that there was a place, in the middle of all this action, for a father and a daughter to pick up the pieces.
Kate is truly a heroine character. You’ve mentioned in the past that you were offered roles as girlfriends or roles as women waiting to be rescued. Is this precisely what attracted you to this film, that this role is rigorously poles apart?
“Indeed, I am very attentive to this aspect of things. Often, in these genre films full of testosterone, the woman is the hostage, the girlfriend, the wife or the one that the hero will come to save. There is none of that here. Each character follows a personal or emotional journey. »
