SimplyScottish.com: How does your second
movie-making experience compare to the first? In Millions, you were acting for
the very first time. Was it easier in The Waterhorse? Can you describe some of
the differences? What was one of the high points? Did you have any low points?
Etel: Well I was only 8 when I filmed
Millions, and now I am 12, so it is quite difficult to remember what it was like
filming Millions. I remember that with Millions we had a couple of weeks to
learn the script before we had to film. The Millions script was harder to learn
because I had to remember all the names and dates for the saints, but with
Waterhorse the script was easier to learn but the hard part was having to learn
the lines with a Scottish accent. Also, Lewis (who plays Anthony in Millions)
used to help me quite a lot and I could practice my lines with him, but a lot of
the time in Waterhorse I had to speak to a tennis ball on a stick and pretend it
was Crusoe so that was harder. Also, Waterhorse was a lot more physical to do
because there was a lot of underwater scenes etc. So I think I would have to say
that filming Waterhorse was harder than Millions.
The high point of filming Waterhorse would be learning to scuba dive. I was
taught how to scuba dive by loads of stunt men when I first arrived in New
Zealand. We went to one of the local swimming pools and practised swimming
underwater and diving with a tiny air tank, which was scary but I loved it. The
lowest points were when we did night shoots, because it was winter in New
Zealand and I had to swim in the outdoor tank and it was absolutely freezing.
They set up a warming tent by the tank and as soon as I got out the wardrobe
girls would wrap me up in big blankets and put my feet in buckets of hot water
and bring me drinks of hot chocolate and muesli bars, so it wasn’t really that
bad.
SimplyScottish.com: How would you compare
the two directors you’ve worked with so far, Danny Boyle (Millions,
Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) and Jay Russell (The Waterhorse, Ladder 49, My Dog
Skip)? In what ways were their directing styles similar and different?
Etel: Mmmmm … now how do I answer this one ?
… Well, first of all I have to say that I liked working with both of them. No
seriously though, I am very lucky because they were both really, really nice to
me. They helped me a lot with my acting because I didn’t have any acting
experience before Millions. Both of them played football with me and Jay was a
better footballer than Danny, but
I will say that Jay is also a lot louder than Danny but I think Americans are
always louder than the British anyway, aren’t they? I would also say that Jay is
more of a perfectionist than Danny was, because we would have to re-shoot scenes
over and over again for very small reasons, but because of that (and also
because I am now older) I think that my acting is better in The Waterhorse.
SimplyScottish.com: What was it like working
with Emily Watson, David Morrissey, Ben Chaplin and other members of the
Waterhorse cast?
Etel: It was good because they have a lot of
acting experience and so I learned a lot from each of them. Emily was lovely and
always acted like a mum to me. Before I went over to New Zealand I had heard
what a fantastic actress she was and I was amazed at how good she was to work
wit h.
David was quiet, like Emily, and looked after me in a fatherly way and Ben ..
well, what can I say about Ben .. he is absolutely mad ! .. He was always joking
around on set and making me laugh. There were a few scenes where he would make
me laugh and we had to re-shoot them over and over again because we just
couldn’t keep a straight face. Also, I went fishing a few times with Ben in
Scotland and I thrashed both him and David at snooker. They were both really
good fun to be with. Oh and Priyanka, who plays my sister Kirsty in the film,
became a very good friend to me. We used to spend a lot of time between scenes
playing cards in our trailers and she cried when we had to say goodbye at the
end of the shoot. I can't wait to see them all again.
SimplyScottish.com: What did you like about
the story and characters of The Waterhorse? Were you able to relate to Angus?
Etel: I liked finding the egg on the beach
and then having a monster become my friend. I wish that would happen in real
life, only I would like Crusoe to stay small and cute like he is at the
beginning when he first hatches out of the egg. I really didn’t like the clothes
that they wore in those days, especially when they had to wear knitted swimming
trunks .. very itchy and uncomfortable ! .. I can’t say that I was able to
relate to Angus really, because he is very different to me. Like my character,
Damian, in Millions, Angus is also a quiet boy with no real friends, but in real
life I am not very quiet and I like to think I have a lot of friends, so he is a
very different person to me, but a very nice person anyway.
SimplyScottish.com: The Waterhorse is based
on a book of the same name by Dick King-Smith (Babe:The Gallant Pig). In what
ways do the book and movie differ?
Etel: (Laughing)…. Well, I know that this is
really bad but I can honestly say that I haven’t had chance yet to read the
book. Everything happened so fast when I got the part and I have only actually
read the script, so I cant really comment on that question I’m afraid, except to
say that I am sure fans of the book won’t be disappointed with the film.
SimplyScottish.com: Acting seems easy
sometimes, but in reality can be very difficult. In Millions, you filmed the
loft scene 21 times to get it just right! Did you face any acting challenges in
the Waterhorse?
Etel: Well, as I said before, we had to do
lots of repeating scenes to get it looking exactly as Jay wanted it to look. As
I said in a previous answer, the accent was probably the hardest part of filming
Waterhorse for me, because you have to concentrate harder to make sure that you
remember the lines word for word, as well as acting sad, surprised, excited etc.
and then on top of that you have to speak in an accent which is different to
your own. And that was something I didn’t have to think about in Millions.
SimplyScottish.com: Explain how you hid your
Manchester accent to portray a young boy from Scotland. Was it hard to sound
Scottish? Did you have help? Do you have any Scottish friends?
Etel: I had to work with a dialect coach to
learn how to speak with a Scottish accent. That was one of the first things that
I had to do when I was offered the part. It was harder at first because they
pronounce things so differently to how I would say them, but it gets easier with
practise and I think that I did a pretty good job in the end. And no,
unfortunately I don’t have any Scottish friends, but I do have a Scottish
grandad who comes from Glasgow .. and he is very difficult to understand because
their accent is very strong. Oh and also, people from Glasgow are also like the
Americans, loud ! (I hope that doesn’t offend anyone, it is just an
observation).
SimplyScottish.com: Speaking of Manchester,
there’s a certain football team you’d love to play for when you get older! I
remember as a boy myself in Scotland playing football all the time, sometimes
all evening until I couldn’t even see the ball anymore! Wh at
kind of player are you? What position do you play? Who’s your favourite
Manchester United player right now?
Etel: I am a big Manchester United supporter
and I even have a signed football shirt on my bedroom wall which I am very proud
of. I am a right mid-fielder but I used to play as a striker which is my
favourite position to play in. To be honest, I don’t get much time these days to
play football because I spend quite a lot of time filming, but I hope to join a
new team at the start of the new English season. My favourite Manchester United
player at the moment is Ronaldo because he is a really amazing player and he is
only 20 ! .. And my favourite world player is Ronaldinho (Barcelona) because he
is just the best ever.
SimplyScottish.com: So what’s next, Alex? Do
you plan to stay in school and/or go to college? Are you considering any film
projects right now?
Etel: At the moment I am filming a period
drama for the BBC, called Cranford Chronicles, with Judi Dench, Francesca Annis,
Eileen Atkins, Philip Glennister etc. and it is scheduled to show later this
year in 5 one-hour episodes. I am having fun working with lots of amazing actors
(and not having to go to school). But I do have a tutor on set, so I don’t
escape school work completely. Shame. I intend to go to college when I leave
school but I’m not sure what I want to study yet. I suppose it depends whether I
carry on with acting .. which I hope to do.
SimplyScottish.com: One final question, Alex
– have you ever seen the Loch Ness Monster? After making the Waterhorse, do you
believe there’s something in those dark deep waters?
Etel: Yes I do actually. Only yesterday I
was sent a video clip of a man who has just filmed something in the Loch. I
really hope it is true because it is such a cool idea to think that there is a
monster out there. I wish somebody would find it soon though.
The Waterhorse opened in U.S. theaters Dec. 25th, 2007. It opens in Scotland,
England, and Wales on February 8th, 2008.
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