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Compiled by: Jack Foley
Q. You take to the action very well. Did you find your
training as a ballerina helped, or was it a hindrance?
Summer: I think being a dancer I was used to the routine
of going to the gym every day and working on the class and the
choreography. I could mimic the shapes that they taught me but
learning the aggression and re-training my muscles to move and
not twitch, to attack, to crouch, was completely different. It
took me a long time. I was used to working hard but it was completely
different.
Q. Can you describe the experience of walking back onto
the set, given that they had been destroyed from the series?
Joss: I got emotional! Particularly because we were filming
Nathan's scenes in the locker, which were pretty emotional.
And also because when Nathan and I walked on for the first time
together, he said 'captain on deck'. I still don't know if he
was talking about him or me, but it really moved me either way.
For me, it was extraordinary. The one part of filming I remember
the best was when we were actually on the ship again, kids...
Nathan: I remember when we came and we visited
the cargo bay. We got a tour of the ship before it was actually
finished being created. I remember a couple of us were a little
put out... 'this isn't the same, this is round in the original
ship and this isn't round; and these stairs go down, they're supposed
to go up'.
There were some minor differences and people didn't take right
away to any changes to the ship. It was quite personal they were
taking it. But once the ship was actually finished it looked very
home-like; it looked very much like home and we took a liking
to it real quick.
There are some subtle differences and a couple of us were thrown
a little bit - Alan Tudyk cried a little bit but that's his way.
Summer: The thing is it doesn't feel like a set,
it's really built like a ship. It's a real ship. It's not just
like a wall here or a wall there. You really feel like it's your
home. I remember when we were doing the series even, people would
have their special places and we would never go back to our trailers.
We would just find a couch and rest on the couch.
And during the lunch break, a crew guy would always sleep in my
bed. It was just my little room but it still feels like our home,
which is why I think we got so attached to every little detail.
Joss: A different crew guy in your bed every
lunchtime. My God!
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Q. Were you aware of where
the plot was going? Or did you sit down, read the script and go
'wow'?
Summer: I was 'oh wow; oh my gosh'. Joss is really good
at keeping secrets from us about our characters' path and their
future. I was amazed and thrilled. I can't think of any role for
a girl my age that is more satisfying and challenging than River.
She's like ten girls in one.
Q. Have you spoken to Joss about where you'd like the
character to go next?
Summer: I'll leave that up to him.
Q. I saw you in the 4400 the other day playing a similar
character to River. Are you worried you might get typecast playing
slightly nutty young girls?
Summer: I just want to get cast, that's all [laughs].
I'll play as many crazy psychics as possible as long as I'm still
working. But the role that I just finished shooting was a girl
next door type. It was a comedy. So I am aware but I really want
to keep playing River.
Q. Which were your individual famous scenes?
Summer: My favourite was the fight scene between
Malcolm Reynolds and The Operative at the end. Again, they're
so well matched.
Joss: My favourite is River's in the maidenhead.
Literally, 11 months of editing and not once could I go through
that on fast forward. Every time, whatever we were doing, I just
watched. I just love how she's actually doing it all. It's not
a bunch of slow-mo, Matrix-style effects (50 stunt-men and four
CGI doubles). It's just Summer and a camera and some guys going
'ouch'. It's kind of glorious to watch and there's this incredible
kinetic energy and then it cuts to Nathan with his fan. It's such
a civilised gesture and it's so wrong.
Related stories: Read
our review
Joss Whedon interview
Nathan Fillion interview
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