411 Movies Interview: Natassia Malthe of Skinwalkers Posted by Tony Farinella on 12.19.2007
411's Tony Farinella sits down with Natassia Malthe for an exclusive interview!
If you're in the mood for a werewolf movie, you've come to the right place. Skinwalkers features a whole lot of werewolves and a whole lot of blood and guts. Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Natassia Malthe, who plays one of the werewolves in Skinwalkers. We talked about how she prepared for the film and what it was like getting into costume. Skinwalkers is now out on DVD.
TONY: With Skinwalkers now on DVD, you've had a chance to digest the experience and take it all in and have some perspective. What was the overall experience like?
Natassia Malthe: I thought I was pretty much in character the whole entire experience of it all, so my experience was really just being in that feeling and in that personality, if you can imagine. (laughs) So, I think the experience was overall really good. I thought it was a challenge to get into the costume ...the weather was cold. I thought it was great going on the motorcycle, which was my favorite and, basically, I really had fun being in that character. It was an overall great experience working with Jason Behr and Rogue Johnston and Elias Koteas. It was a highlight to work with them in the move.
TONY: You've said in past interviews that you research all of your characters psychologically. Psychologically, how did you research your character in Skinwalkers?
Natassia Malthe: I watched a lot of werewolf movies. I watched a lot of movies, basically, with certain qualities of Sonja. I think one of them was Girl, Interrupted with Angelina Jolie. I thought about an animal. I thought about being a wolf, and I watched these films about wolves, and, basically, just fell into my instincts and had fun and just used my fantasy and went wild. And I think after doing the movie or while filming or after hours, it was hard to get out of character. So, it was really fun.
TONY: What was it like being in the make-up chair? How many hours did you end up spending in the make-up chair?
Natassia Malthe: Well, it was different from time-to-time. The first time that we did it was eight hours, because it was the first time. And then eventually it got better and better. So, I think we were down to four to five hours at the end of the it.
TONY: Once they put the make-up on you, were you ready to go? Did you just fall into character right away?
Natassia Malthe: I think I clicked into character instantly. It wasn't that difficult for me. I'm very visceral, and I like to play a lot of animals. I don't find that difficult at all. I can get into the body language of a cat or a dog, too. It's just feeling them out and then doing it and imitating them.
TONY: What's your most vivid memory from shooting this film?
Natassia Malthe: Hmm. It would probably be getting on my costume one of the first times and just on no sleep and it being cold outside and the hardship of putting glue on your body and all the hair. It was very, very uncomfortable, especially when you're really tired. (laughs) Yeah, I think that moment was pretty vivid. I was like, "Get me out of here!"
TONY : What's it been like promoting this film? Have you had any bad experiences with the press?
Natassia Malthe: It's been positive overall, except for the fact that sometimes you get asked stupid questions for men's magazines, and then they kind of misconstrue what you say, and then you have to read about it later, and you kind of feel like a jackass, because it sounds silly sometimes when you read it back.
TONY: How do you feel about body image in Hollywood? Do you think it's gotten out of hand?
Natassia Malthe: Yeah, I think it's ridiculous. I think the more attention you put on it, the worse it's gonna get. The more relaxed the press would be on women and their figures, the less of an issue it's gonna seem. So, I don't think people would get so neurotic about it. But the more negative attention you put on it, the more we're gonna think it's an issue and think about it more. It's like constantly telling people something about themselves, and then it makes it more of an issue. I think every negative subject out of the press, or if it's put in the press, it's made into an even bigger issue, and it will make that person who they're talking about even worse in that situation, because there's so much focus put on it.
TONY: I just wish they would focus on their acting. It seems like that gets lost in the shuffle. They're more focused on their bodies.
Natassia Malthe: Well, that's what sells magazines. People are allowed to make money their own ways, even if it's at the expense of silly comments.
TONY: While researching this interview, I discovered that you've traveled quite a bit in your life. How much has that helped you as a person?
Natassia Malthe: It's probably helped me gain some perspective. It's difficult for me to actually get wrapped up into the whole scene in Hollywood when I've traveled and seen a lot of perspectives on things. So, I can really be myself, and I don't think I'll ever change.
TONY: How have you adjusted to Hollywood? I read an earlier interview where you said that you thought you would make 5 million dollars on your first movie. What's it been like dealing with the reality of Hollywood compared to what you thought it would be?
Natassia Malthe: Well, when you're out of the country and you're reading tabloids and you get pictures and stuff, it's different. I lived in Norway, so I had a misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the whole business, and, yeah, I literally thought that everyone was equally paid. (laughs) I didn't have that whole system in my head, because I was very young at the time. So, I just thought everything was equal like everyday life and how it was everywhere else.
TONY: You've worked in the past with Uwe Boll. What's the biggest misconception about him?
Natassia Malthe: He's not stupid. He has done other movies that are really, really intelligent. It depends on if he's passionate about a project or not. It really, really depends on his mood. If he's in a passionate position about the movie, he can actually make a great movie. If he is just doing it because of money or whatever, I think he tends to have a little ADD.
TONY: What can you tell us about Chaos? It comes out in February, and you're in the film along with a number of talented actors.
Natassia Malthe: It was so long ago that I did that movie. I play a crack-head, and my boyfriend gets into trouble. And in my scenes, I'm high on something. So, it's a cop movie with Jason Statham, and I actually have not seen the movie, so I can't really comment on it much.
TONY: What's it been like working in the horror genre? Do you enjoy it?
Natassia Malthe: Well, I'm looking forward to doing other films rather than the horror genre. Unless it's a very, very good script, I'm not going to do another one. It just has to be really good, and if I find a really, really good one, then I'll do it, but not until then, because my taste in horror is quite particular.
TONY: Finally, what are your plans for the future?
Natassia Malthe: Well, I'm going off to London to shoot something right now, but I can't really talk about what it is. I don't know. i don't know what my future lies. I'm just gonna work hard and see what unfolds. That's it.
