CHARLOTTE KIRK TALKS THE LAIR
"The most fun I’ve had playing a role yet"
Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.
Kate Sinclair literally takes off spinning and don't stop finding herself in tough situations?
Playing Kate Sinclair was so exciting! Getting into the mindset of a British fighter pilot and exploring this emotionally and physically. And working with such a lovely and talented ensemble cast was pure joy. It was definitely the most fun I’ve had playing a role yet!
It's a change of pace from what you and Neil Marshall did with 'The Reckoning' before it. Serving something that is more of a throwback to some of his earlier monster films?
'The Lair' was very different to 'The Reckoning' in so many ways. 'The Reckoning' was more of an emotionally demanding role, whereas 'The Lair' is my first real action movie, and so it was a lot more physically challenging. For example I had never fired a gun before, in fact I’d never even seen a gun until I started training for 'The Lair'. There was also some fight scenes, and although I had done some scrapping in 'The Reckoning' I hadn’t fought hand to hand with an alien before!
Would you say your acting process for Sinclair began already in the process of writing her?
When I am writing I never think about the acting side of things, I just think about the story and the world I am creating, and later when I start the process of building my character I always look at the piece with a fresh pair of eyes. I try to keep my writing and my acting very separate.
When did you first realize you wanted to act?
As long as I can remember, acting was always something I just wanted to do. To perform. When I was a young girl I always used to perform any chance I could. It was play to me. Though my mum probably thought I was acting up and driving her mad! But step by step I realized this was something I could do, so I started in the school play, and then weekend classes soon turned into drama school and finally the big move to America and Hollywood.
Is now producing and writing a way of getting to better parts, or to a larger variety of roles, than what is usually out there?
But of course. Reality soon hit. Competition is fierce and decent roles are few. I was lucky enough to land some great parts but it got to a stage where I wanted to take my destiny into my own hands and that’s when I started creating roles for myself, so I started writing and producing my own projects with my partner Neil Marshall.
If this film perhaps was more close to the mind of Neil, would you say that the third film you've done together will be more "you"?
The film Neil and I have just completed is definitely my pet project, it’s called 'Duchess'. It’s a female gangster movie, like 'Scarface' but with a woman calling and taking the shots. So plenty of shooting, fighting and drama. It was definitely one of my most challenging and exciting roles yet!
Do you think there is a possible return for Kate Sinclair, or will she be stuck in that car in the middle of the desert for some time?
As for 'The Lair', there is definitely a possibility for Kate Sinclair to return! She would certainly not be stuck in the car, she would be kicking ass, fighting bad guys and slaying monsters!
