New Bond girl spills the beans on Quantum of Solace.
UK, January 29, 2008 – Gemma Arterton has only been acting for six months, but the 22-year-old has already won plum parts in Brit flicks St. Trinian's, 3 and Out and Guy Ritchie's forthcoming RocknRolla. If that wasn't enough, she's also playing a Secret Service agent in new Bond film Quantum of Solace, and IGN interviewed her on set last week to discuss landing one of cinema's most sought after roles.
You've been a Bond girl for a little while now — is it still exciting or is the novelty starting to wear off a bit?
Gemma Arterton: No, every day there's something exciting that happens, like I just got asked to present at the BAFTAs, which I can't do because I'm filming this, but little things like that. I've only just left drama school and have been working professionally for six months, so all of this is out of this world. It doesn't feel real still. That's why I wasn't too nervous on the first day because I just felt like it was a game. The size of it hasn't hit me yet, but I'm sure that it will.
Source: IGN
Tell us a little bit about your character?
Arterton: She's called Agent Fields and she's not a typical Bond girl. She's actually quite funny, and very real, and someone that you could know from down the road. There's something very fresh about her. For me, she's got stuff that all women can identify with.
How did you get the part?
Arterton: I went to two auditions. I was in a play at the Globe in London and the casting directors came to see me in it. I was playing a very Bong girly type of role, but Shakespeare. It was Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost, and she's very haughty and sharp. They asked me in for an audition, which I never thought I'd get. Then I got a second audition where I met the director and everyone, then I had a screen test which was petrifying, then I got the part.
Did you screen test with Daniel Craig?
Arterton: Yes. I had to do a scene from this Bond. I hadn't read the script so I didn't know anything about anything, which was quite nice actually, and it was such a bizarre day. You go in and have all your hair and make-up done, and I was so scared. They make you look as great as they can and then you go on set and there were literally about 60 people looking at you and thinking, “Could she be a Bond girl?” Everyone's eyes are on you and everyone's whispering and looking. It's so uncomfortable, but you have to do it because the producers have to see what you look like. Then I acted a scene with Daniel and it was very brief. He said, “Hello, how are you?” And I said, “I'm really scared.” And he said, “Don't worry.” We did the scene and he said, “Well done.” And that was it. Then the director Marc Forster said, “OK… good luck.” And I thought, “No, I've lost it.” But I didn't, so that was great….
Read full Q&A: IGN
