2023-07-14 12:00:00
Best known for her role as Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy, French actress Pom Klementieff is the big sensation of this Mission: Impossible.
Your debut in the Mission: Impossible team?
Pom Klementieff: The whole filming experience was amazing and it’s inspiring to work with filmmakers like Tom [Cruise] and McQ [Christopher McQuarrie]. Their vision is so beautiful and cinematic, and the action sequences and locations are stunning. It was a dream of mine to be part of this franchise. Before being cast in the film, I was training and learning martial arts. When I blocked training in my calendar, instead of writing “stunt training” or “martial arts class”, I would sometimes write Mission: Impossible instead. I did it for fun, but also to highlight the type of films I want to be a part of.
Your take on the saga?
I’ve always been a big fan. I was quite young when I saw the first Mission: Impossible. I saw it on an old black and white TV! Even though the TV wasn’t working very well, I was mesmerized by the action and Ethan hung on that wire. The cast included Jean Reno and Emmanuelle Béart, and it was the first major Hollywood film in which I remember seeing French actors. It opened up the possibility in my mind that French actors might be in these great American movies, and maybe I might be in a movie like Mission: Impossible one day.
Acting in action movies?
I’ve wanted to make one for a while. This is one of the reasons why I practice martial arts in my spare time. The Mission: Impossible movies are amazing examples of great action movies. In addition, the women in the film are very strong characters. They are fighters and the equals of men – not just the girlfriend waiting to be rescued.
This character from Paris?
Paris works with Esai Morales’ character, Gabriel. It is a mysterious and enigmatic presence with many layers of personality. And she’s a fighter. On these films, they develop each character’s fighting styles around each actor’s ability. Because I trained in martial arts for a while, doing things like kickboxing and taekwondo and other disciplines, we found a way to fight that incorporated all of that. So she has different action abilities.
Play in a movie with Tom Cruise?
Tom inspires and challenges me every day. He works so hard and is a very generous man, both on and off screen. Although he is the star of the film, he is very collaborative and always makes sure the other characters have their moment to shine.
The character building process?
Unlike other films, the character is not fixed. He is evolving. It can be a scary process because there is nothing on the page at the start. Finding Paris was a team effort with all the departments involved. We did a lot of camera testing, trying out different hairstyle, makeup, and costume variations. We played with the way I behaved and the physicality of the character. As an actress it was fascinating and I’m not sure other filmmakers might pull it off. It was scary at times, but also very liberating.
Working with director McQ?
McQ is a visionary. He has such a sense of frame, composition and movement. He works as much on dialogue as on the angle and composition of a shot. He can get his actors to convey emotion without speaking and directs us physically in a way that feels organic. Every character in this movie is special and they make everyone strong in their own way. I learned so much working with him.
What can the public expect?
Spectators can expect to be blown away. There are so many really cool action scenes. The fights are breathtaking. The car chase in Rome is amazing. The tone of the film is really different. There is something mystical and haunting regarding it. But it’s also fun, touching, and an amazing action movie.
Your favorite scene?
There are so many amazing scenes in the movie, but my favorite scene to shoot was an action sequence in Venice. We trained for almost a year choreographing the scene. It was complicated to turn because of the narrowness of the lane. This meant we had to get creative with camera movements and placement. We played with heights instead of widths, to make the fight scene unique.
Your advice to other actors who might join the Mission: Impossible franchise?
It is one of the most exciting and unique experiences. With Tom and McQ in the lead, it creates a domino effect with everyone inspiring and complementing each other. And you risk becoming addicted to skydiving!
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