A quick look at Milla Jovovich's filmography will tell you that she's not one to be messed with. Among Hollywood's finest leading ladies when it comes to kickass action, she talks about acting, stunts and motherhood with Neha Sarin
Tell us what you love about this character of Alice in the “Resident Evil” franchise that you keep coming back to her?
Well, I was always a real fan of strong female characters while
growing up and watching Frederick Cats and watching Shira, and reading comic books and was really into Sci-fi, fantasy novels, and reading Dragon Land. I was a real fantasy geek growing up, watching Kung Fu theatre with my dad every Sunday, so for me I always had this dream of being one of those ninjas, it was always something I wanted to be and when I grew up, it was the same as well. Being physical was always a part of my life in a way, so when I got the opportunity to sort of be a past of this video games, it just seemed really fun, it was my brothers favourite game and he was like "Oh my God, you will play my favourite” so I pretty much did it for him and we never expected this kind of small film to snowball into what its become at this point. I met my husband through it and it's almost 10 years of my life dedicated to it and of course, I have such a love for it because it gives me an opportunity to do some that I love so much which is fly and do really crazy stunts.What do you think it says about female empowerment?
Well, apart from Angelina Jolie's movies or the underworld stuff, it's one of the only films where girls really get to take control and they are not the ones saying, “look out, duck” which is normally the girls role in an action film which is either damsel in distress or a high powered corporate evil woman or something. But you seldom have a woman taking control physically and being able to take on these challenges physically…it's a very Asian thing; you see that a lot in Asian movies. You see really incredible action female theses, it is wonderful that it's been able to cross over and come over here.
What's interesting too is that the whole “Resident Evil” game franchise is based on female characters - Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, Veronica - these are all really strong females. My brother played Jill Valentine, he was not playing like the dude in the game, he was playing the girl…so even the boys were playing the girl characters, which says a lot about how much these women kind of hit a nerve in a lot of young boys. I think it's amazing that we were able to take that and translate into the film world because “Resident Evil” was always that kind of underground game.
Do you think 3-D has made a difference?
Definitely! It's a very immersive experience, as immersive as it is for the audiences; it was just like that for us as actors. You really can't cheat, so when someone throws a punch, a lot of times you are going to get hit by it because you have to be so close, so definitely as actors, we felt like one with our characters, because when those action scenes had happened, you cant lie, you got to get right in there so that the camera doesn't see you cheating and a lot of time there was no cheating.
You are a tough girl on the big screen but you are also a fashion and beauty icon. How's is that combination working out for you?
Well this year, I have been doing a lot of movies, so I haven't been able to do fashion week. I love fashion week but modelling has built my career along with acting, and I have been so lucky to make such amazing friends in the industry and it's made me who I am. That's for sure…being around artists, amazing writers and photographers and art directors, its made my style what it is, inspired by people, by different photographers and different images, the books that I read and people going, “Oh! You have to read this photography book” and just being able to educate myself aesthetically. It's definitely made me who I am, as a person, stylistically what I like.
This may sound weird, but as an actor, I live in a bit of an insulated world. I work on sets, or modelling jobs on a airplane, I have my family so when I come home, I stay home a lot because LA has become a zoo when it comes to paparazzi and stuff and things that I was never used to. Six years ago, you didn't have this kind of madness, so I have become very insulated in my world. So, its fun fore me to inspire myself, I don't like to be boring.
You are the star of the movie, you are in the franchise. How is it at home, as your husband is the director? Do you whack him?
(Laughs) What kind of an interview is this? What part of my life are we going into?
In “Resident Evil: Afterlife”, Alice becomes a human. What does that add to everything?
Oh, there is a joy to it, there is a bit of a sense of humour that she has that she has never really had before. There is a more relaxed quality to her, now that she is part of a team again, throughout all the movies, she was always the outsider, in the first film, she had no memory and then when she did get her memory, it was like, “Oh! You are responsible for this disaster” and then she went to being on her own and now is the first time that she's being able to interact with people on a level that's equal.
Does your daughter accompany you while shooting?
Oh! She goes with me everywhere. You know that's one of the biggest blessings, now that I am a mom I realise that this career allows me to bring my child to work with me which is so rare for working moms. I am so lucky that she can be a part of it, especially now that I am doing “The Three Musketeers”, she is having a great time, she has got all these inexpensive princess dresses, the bigger the better, the more cheesy and rhinestones, she loves it. When me and the other girls are wearing out costumes, she is wearing her dresses, pink and gold.
So you won't be surprised if she wants to be an actress like her mother?
I don't know but it's hilarious she is such an actress and it's really fun to see her perform.
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