Apove Photo: Zoë Kravitz as Angel Salvadore in X-Men First Class (Fox Pictures)
I am a huge X-Men fan and a fan of movie and music industry people who like to carve their own path, not bending to the will of the masses. For my 100th post on Dan's Movie Report, I present an trailblazer, a young woman grounded in her morals, and steadfast in her principals. Welcome X-Men First Class star and Elevator Flight vocalist, the multi-talented Zoë Kravitz . Her parents and upbringing are so widely publicized that I decided to focus this interview on X-Men, life, and her music career.
How was the audition process for the X-Men First class? Time involved,
scene read etc..
It was very last minute, definitely. It honestly only took around half an hour. The script wasn't finished by then, so I just read through different lines and then I got called back and was in total shock because it was a huge, "proper" movie. Then I had to wear a slightly more revealing outfit, obviously, and I got the role. :) - Still very much in awe!
Were you a fan of the comics before the production?
Not really, I suppose I didn't know much about it at all, but I have a lot of friends who were really into the comics and I learned most of what I know about X- Men from them.
How did you research your character?
I read through a few comics during filming and spoke to some of my actor friends who had been in other x men films about the experience. i also got a lot from searching through fan sites and reading about their expectations for first class and what they made of the characters. it was a real learning curve for me.
How about the sultry aspect, the dancing scene, were you nervous,
because it looked so natural on screen?
We did so many takes because I kept falling over! I was so nervous, but I like to think I got it eventually haha. I suppose what looks like nerves to me may look natural to others, but I was very very nervous, and I kept sucking in because I felt I looked so large on screen. I even hired a personal trainer to get my abs up to scratch!!
What was the make-up process like? how many hours? The wings were
added later as computer graphics?
The wings were actually temporary tattoos, but when they came out, they were CGI, yeah. It took about 6 hours, and when they missed a spot or a bit came off, they had to go over it with eye liner and I wasn't allowed to move until it was dry, so it was pretty boring, but my co-stars kept me amused. especially Lucas, he's so funny and sweet!
Were there any stunts you had to do yourself that were hard?
The hardest thing I had to do was probably being in the harness for so long, in that scene over the beach. I got really achy and it really does hurt after a while. controlling the flips and flying without looking like a bird short of a wing was the most difficult thing, I think.
Share a story from the set?
Oh goodness! I suppose you'd probably enjoy hearing about all of the pranks. The most horrid prank ever was pulled by Lucas on Jennifer and I, and I'll regret telling you this, but one morning, I walked on set and was going to have my makeup done and I'm about half way through getting my wings put on and Jen (Lawrence) just had her blue finished and Rose (Byrne) and Nick (Hoult) walk in and they're talking for a while, then Michael (Fassbender) and Lucas (Till) walk in and then James (McAvoy) walks in from the other side of the room with my dad, and Jen is like "why's everybody here?" and then Lucas is counting down, and me and Jen can just feel that shit's going down, and Lucas gets to zero and everyone pulls out water pistols, even the makeup artists, and we get soaked and our makeup got ruined and we had to sit there for another 5 hours, at least! That is partly why Lucas got all of his soda shaken up, but that's another story. ;)
I read that they made the cast sign a three picture deal, any
rumblings of a new X-Men film in the works?
If I told you, I'd have to kill you with my acid vomit, sorry. :)
(Editorial note to self, this would probably be painful, might be fun though.)
Above Pic: Zoë Kravitz in Elevator Flight (Photo Credit on pic)
Turning to the musical side: Creativity runs in your family, do you like blazing your own trail musically or do you sometimes ask your dad for advice even though the
music style is different?
I don't think you can ever really ask another artist for advice. The best advice any musician could ever give you would already be in their work. and my dad's is in his work. It's mainly to just go with your own flow and follow your own vibes and what your heart tells you to do. If your heart's feeling a sax riff, go for it.
Do you like singing or acting more, or like to have a variety of both?
I could never choose! I'm definitely a cake-having and eating kind of person. especially when it comes to the two things I love most!
What bothers you about the music industry today?
That it's so fake. I think artists should at least try to write their own stuff and not churn it out. I'll listen to anything that has some emotional substance. for example, I love Rihanna, but sometimes, I get the feeling that she doesn't mean everything she sings, but her latest single, We Found Love, just blows my mind.
How would you change it if you could?
I'd give every artist the ability to write music and transform their feelings into words.
Do you like American Idol and the music talent shows? Does it let
musicians take short cuts?
It does, but it's not a good idea. at all. I don't like it. I think it's making people lazy. people don't make music because they love it, anymore. they're making music to get famous and get money. I respect music too much to take short cuts. I find my inspiration from little known artists such as Frankmusik, a British electropop musician or SALEM, a Michigan based band. It's musicians that work to achieve their ethos that I can identify with, not people who are given an image to work with. find your own. Like Kanye. I. Love. Kanye.
Are you writing or recording any new releases currently with Elevator Flight?
I most certainly am, we're working on Post Empire!
Some final questions: What pisses Zoe off?
A lot. But generally, people who don't appreciate art. Like I loved the A Series of Unfortunate events books, but the movie that came out did it no justice at all! I was really upset the director didn't take the books seriously because they are a work of art. Then recently, I went to go see We Need to Talk about Kevin which has been a favorite book of mine for years, so I was really glad that Ezra Miller got the part of Kevin because I knew that he would play it better than anyone else, ever, and I was really pleased with the outcome, I seriously recommend that everyone in the UK goes to see it. I'm not sure if it's out in the US, but just watch it. It is a must see for the well cultured!
What makes Zoe the happiest?
Not much, really. Art, friends, family, food.
In 10 years, a huge movie star, rock star, or still blazing your own trail?
Doing my own thing, definitely. Nothing I'd rather be doing.
Thanks for your support of Dan's Movie Report!
You're welcome!!!!
Follow Elevator Flight on facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Elevator-Fight/85182010347
They have some songs for their forthcoming album Post Empire @ http://elevatorfight.bandcamp.com/
Check out Elevator Flight live on November 1st (Full info on their facebook page @
The Studio at Webster Hall
125 East 11th Street
New York, New York
Great Interview, Danny and Zoe!
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