Our Professor Marston and the Wonder Women coverage started with Angela Robinson. It’s only fitting that it end with her, too. Robinson’s film opens today in the U.S, and if you’re looking for a film to see this weekend, I would highly recommend it.
In getting to talk to Robinson a second time at the Toronto International Film Festival, I wanted to specifically ask her about her perfectly-cast actors, and what she saw in each of them that made them so well-suited to their roles.
You can check out the video interview above, and if you have trouble watching video, there’s a transcript below!
TRANSCRIPT:
Teresa Jusino (TMS): So, it’s premiering at TIFF now…is this the first time you’ll be seeing this with an audience?
Angela Robinson: It won’t be the first time I’ve seen it with an audience, but it’ll be the first time I’ve seen it since it’s been completely finished. Because there’s kind of a testing process that films go through. So, we did screened it for test audiences, but we’ve changed it since then. So, this is gonna be the all-shiny, all done, picture-sound…so I’m super pumped.
TMS: We had time to chat about making the film [in our previous interview], but I didn’t get to talk to you about the actors, and all of these people are so awesome in their roles, I think. What Kind of drew you to each of them as far as their roles? What about each of them spoke to you?
Robinson: It’s rare as a director that you get three incredible actors who are actually perfectly cast.
And, I’ve been obsessed with Luke Evans for a long time. I think he’s such an incredible actor, and I really, for Marston, wanted somebody with a very palpable masculinity, but who also could convey intelligence and sensitivity. I felt that Marston was kind of a combo of all three of those factors, and that Luke represented those beautifully.
Rebecca Hall is just off-the-charts brilliant. I heard that she was interested in the script, and I just freaked out. I was like “Whaaaat?!” Because when Rebecca Hall expresses interest in your script, you flyyyy to New York. And we sat down in Brooklyn and had a mind-meld, and she was perfect for Elizabeth Holloway Marston.
And Bella Heathcote was a revelation. Just so incredible. I met with her, and then she put some scenes on tape for me, and they just showed up in my email box, and I watched them, and I was sold. I was blown away, because it’s very hard. She has this huge arc in the movie, and for somebody to both play the beginning and the end of her arc, and to be both incredibly vulnerable and incredibly strong at the same time. It’s hard to occupy that space as an actor, which she does beautifully.
TMS: What do you hope people take away from this film once they’ve seen it?
Robinson: For me, it’s really important…I came at it as a Wonder Woman fan, and the Wonder Woman character is so important to me. And I feel like it’s really important to honor, and respect, and investigate the ideas of the people who actually brought her to life, and the women that Marston was inspired by. And I feel like the film has an incredible message about love, and tolerance, and having the kind of courage to be who you are against adversity. And I think that’s also what Wonder Woman is about.
I’m really excited. They wanted to save the world with their ideas, so I’m hoping that these ideas go out there and can do something positive. Because the world kinda needs saving right now.
Check out my video interview with Professor Marston himself, Luke Evans, HERE, my video interview with Bella Heathcote, the film’s Olive Byrne HERE, my interview with Rebecca Hall, the film’s Elizabeth Marston HERE and my first, longer interview with director Angela Robinson HERE.
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is IN THEATERS TODAY in the U.S.
(image: screencap)
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