 The Interview:
So Jordana, how did you get the
role of ‘Christie’?
I had seen the 2003 remake starting Jessica Biel and loved
it. Then some time went by and my agents called me and said
that a prequel was in the works. I went into to meet with
the producers, whom I liked immediately and wanted to sign
on to the project. Now there was no script at that point,
but I knew it would be cool because I love their company. So
I signed on blindly, pretty much with no script. Then I
started auditioning with the other cast members, which was
really fun.
So you did have to audition for
the film?
Oh sure, but I was one of the first to be cast.
Was there any element of the
production that you were really looking forward to in
particular? That is - besides being chased for days on end
by a fat guy with a huge chainsaw!
That's easy. I was really looking forward to returning to
Texas, because I shot my first movie in Austin and I love
working in Austin.
Was there any part of the
production that you weren't looking forward to?
Well, the intensity of the performance with all the sobbing
and crying was pretty intimidating. Because Jessica did such
a good job with that I was really scared of matching it, or
rather that I wouldn't match it. Jonathan (Liebesman, the
director) said that I had to get to that level and that it
needed to be intense. I was trying to talk him out of it,
but then that ended up being the most fun part of it,
because it's so cathartic.
I think you were probably in
that state of mind for what, about seventy percent of the
film?
Yeah, it was a lot.
During the real intense scenes, like the one with my
boyfriend, not very many people talk to me those days. Or I
was really sort of introverted. But the rest of the time, I
got to have fun! So I found a way to get in and out of it
pretty well, which is nice. I wasn't a weirdo on set all the
time or in character all the time, which wouldn’t have been
fun for anybody.
 What
was the atmosphere like on-set?
It was awesome, because again, Platinum Dunes - they work
with the same crew on every film, so everybody knows each
other - and they also had all the kids (the four primary
cast members) hang out in Texas several weeks before the
shoot, so we could get to know each other as well, build
some chemistry. That way, when people start dying, the
audience cares. You know, if people don't care then the
movie isn't going to work. So we all hung out on set and
during weekends. No one was really a loner on set, which is
really a change from shooting in Los Angeles. It's the
complete opposite.
Well as far as the chemistry
goes, it worked, because my wife actually walked out during
the film just because she didn't want to see all you guys
die off.
Oh, that's so sweet! (laughing)
What is Andrew (Bryniarski) like
on-set? Does he even talk?
No. He definitely stays away, and I think that's a good
thing. I didn't want to hang out with him or even like him,
because then I wouldn't be as scared of him in our scenes
together. He kind of stays in character too, which makes
hanging out a little strange.
Does the guy bring a chainsaw to
the lunch table?
He doesn't, but he brought a guitar to the premier with
“CHAINSAW” paraphernalia all over it. But, yeah, I think he
definitely alienates himself for the performance.
Do you have a favorite scene in
the film?
The scene with me and my boyfriend was fun to shoot, but my
favorite scene in the film is when Lee (R. Lee Ermey)
becomes the sheriff. I love the music in that scene. And I
love the scene when Leatherface makes his first kill. That's
really good, too.
Which scene was the most intense
to shoot? Was it the dinner sequence?
Oh, yeah…the dinner sequence. That was pretty intense.
How long did that take to shoot?
Three or four days straight.
Man, that's a long time to be
tied up and going through that much emotion! You know what I
thought was cool, too, was how you weren't screaming the
whole time. Your character was fuckin' tough; definitely not
one of the average ‘screaming blonds’ featured in most
horror films.
Yeah, and I love that, because all these characters are so
infuriating. At some point they just piss you off, because
they're so twisted and sick and you have to start fighting
back. I love that moment specifically at the dinner
sequence. And we all wanted that. We didn't want her to be
some helpless little ‘scream queen’. It's funny - people
keep asking me if I've perfected my scream, but most of the
film I'm just sneaking around and when I do get into the
house, I'm fighting more then anything else.
 I
saw some stills from the set a few weeks back, and I saw
(producer) Michael Bay in one of the pictures. Was he on-set
much?
He was on set for a couple of days, but Brad (Fuller) and
Andrew (Form), who are also with Platinum Dunes were on-set
most of the shoot.
Oh, so he just swung by. I
thought he would’ve been there a lot more then that.
Nope. He does make a lot of the decisions when it comes to
editing, casting and the script, though. He's definitely
very involved. It's just that he can't be on set all the
time, because of all his other projects.
So do you have any more horror
films planned for the future?
I would love too. I think in terms of career, I can't repeat
myself too soon, but I think horror is the most fun genre to
work in, for sure.
What would you say was the last
good horror movie you saw?
THE OTHERS with Nicole Kidman. I liked that movie a lot. And
I liked the AMITYVILLE HORROR remake, too.
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