The shark is a metaphor, until it’s actually chasing you in the water.
It seems fun, or not so fun.
I never had so much fun.
We had so much fun shooting this.
It’s a bonding film and that happens between actors.
We got along really well.
I was a recurring part on it and she was the lead.
We had a three-hour lunch and he hired me from that.
We’re close now.
Both of us had our kid there, too.
We’re all in the bubble for it.
You didn’t have to go through a traditional audition process or anything?
No, my body of work probably did it.
There’s an issue in their relationship and they’re working through it.
Eventually, you forget that it’s a shark movie and then suddenly …
Speaking of that, the film really centers on the shared trauma between the two of you.
We don’t necessarily get to know as much background or as much other information about the characters.
How did you approach bringing this character to life, given that we really only focus on that trauma?
We worked very specifically on all the stuff that happened.
All of us understood exactly what happened.
It’s still water, but we understood the depth of it.
When I started talking to him about it, we investigated … what happened before it even started.
You’re right, it never comes out, does it?
You understand that all that stuff is going on for both of these people.
That’s very attractive for an actor.
That’s very fun to do.
Although, I do think it’s the way a regular person would handle the situation.
How might your role on “Big Little Lies” have prepared you for this role?
That’s really interesting, I never thought about that.
He doesn’t know how to explore it anymore.
I feel like Kyle is suffering from that.
He can not figure out what’s going on with his wife and how to reconcile it.
Your character suffers both from a broken leg and from stepping on coral.
His other foot is also not working the best.
How did you bring that to life?
Had you experienced anything like this before?
I broke my leg for it.
[Laughs] No, I was just kidding.
A little method [acting].
“Does anyone have a hammer?”
I’ve always really liked physical things.
Some actors are really good vocally and then some are really good physically.
I’ve always been on the physical side.
It was really fun to do that.
I think it’s critically important because it forces her to become the one that’s driving it.
I think it benefits from having such a small cast.
What are the benefits there?
Do you know what I like, really?
Working with people that can do nuanced things, and Alicia is one of those actresses.
It’s the same with the “Big Little Lies” women.
Everybody could do really special things.
Everybody could do special things with the ball, amazing things.
You work at a scene, and it’s a bit like jazz music.
They can often do stuff and play and you just never know what’s going to happen.
It was really fun.
I think if the film works, that’s the area that it works in.
He did that intentionally.
It would be better if it was people that were in a relationship with a lot to lose."
A little bit older.
They took my temperature, I was hypothermic.
The divers are there, just jump off the platform."
They’d say, “Just do it, just do it, just do it.”
The physical challenge of shooting it played into the film a little bit to make it feel really real.
The shark is a metaphor until it’s chasing you in the water.
By the way, why do they have to have a large shark?
That would be insane.
Was this fear an irrational fear that I had?
I can see why, though, honestly.
