ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke with John Wick: Chapter 4 star Natalia Tena concerning the thrilling motion film sequel (watch and skim extra interviews). John Wick: Chapter 4 is out on digital now and releases on June 13 on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD.
“With the price on his head ever increasing, legendary hit man John Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Japan to Berlin,” reads the film‘s synopsis.
Tyler Treese: So Natalia, John Wick’s adoptive sister, is such a enjoyable position.
Natalia Tena: Wait wait, another person — actually the man earlier than you — stated this: we by no means labored out what she is. So she may very well be an adopted sister, however we have been like, “Maybe she’s niece or cousin.” We by no means fairly labored [it] out, as a result of I believe the Ruska Roma household is such an expansive web of family-extensive lunacy that we’d by no means labored out fairly what she was. But we positively labored out that I’m somebody that positively seemed as much as him vastly after I was an adolescent and now the sport’s modified. Anyway, sorry! Carry on.
I like that facet as a result of you possibly can actually really feel that there’s that historical past there of their interactions. How was it, portraying that offscreen historical past? As you stated, perhaps it’s one thing else — we don’t actually know, however ensuring these interactions between them had that additional depth. You can inform these two know one another and have gone by means of so much.
Yes. I’ve stated this earlier than in previous interviews — I really feel like with this prolonged Roma household, which most likely clearly comes from Eastern Europe, there’s a couple of bases round Europe and going into America. They will need to have met up. In my thoughts, they final noticed one another when she was a youngster and he was simply starting to essentially hit his stride as a correct murderer and I think about she actually seemed as much as him and it was most likely a really bizarre household gathering, like a funeral [laughs] most likely, or a marriage, or Christmas — they’re deeply non secular, perhaps Easter.
So that’s the final time she noticed him. But I believe she has seemed as much as him. I believe although, at this second, when he comes into her life, she feels he’s form of betrayed the clan and likewise she is within the full black gap vortex of grief and he or she’s very offended. So I believe their dynamic, clearly, has modified over that point.
Yeah, she’s definitely offended. That scene the place Keanu Reeves is within the noose is fairly brutal. How was filming that? What I preferred about your character is that she’s absolutely in management. How was it having that energy in that scene?
That’s an fascinating query as a result of I felt very nervous on the day. Obviously with filming, you by no means know the place it’s going to begin. You’re very fortunate if it goes in sequence. And truly, they did do it in sequence as a result of we had a short while in Berlin they usually fortunately bought the situation so it form of went like that. So that was my first scene: me strolling in that room, talking Russian — which I don’t converse — in a room filled with all these Russian-speaking extras, a whole lot of them, and Keanu Reeves in a noose.
So it was a bit intimidating, however I truly form of discovered to breathe by means of it and do not forget that she is that this excessive standing and I attempted to deliver that into my thoughts as I walked into the room, that she’s truly the one in energy on this room. That was the useful factor to get by means of it.
Yeah, it turned out nice. How was truly studying Russian for that scene?
Basically, it was throughout the pandemic and I needed to go to Spain. Luckily I’ve a Spanish passport. — I assumed in any other case, I most likely would’ve misplaced the position. I went to Spain for 10 days earlier than having the ability to go to Berlin to do it and I had 10 days, just about as a lot as I wished, with this pretty Russian tutor in New York.
I simply went by means of it over and time and again as a result of I’m a musician anyway, so it’s like I bought him to document it as properly for every time I went for walks within the park or for a run, [I] truly listened to it and listened to it and listened it. The Russian accent wasn’t too laborious, as a result of I’ve finished that earlier than. So it was simply form of re-remembering the place the tongue goes, you realize? But studying it as a language … yeah, it was an oral stunt, positively.
Then there’s that nice scene the place Wick’s achieved what you requested of him, after which he’s let him again to the household and also you model yourselves. How was it filming that sequence?
Oh, I actually preferred that sequence so much. I all the time like it whenever you get to do a little bit of prosthetics and also you get any of that — it simply provides extra layers to it. I believe it’s a extremely enjoyable scene as a result of she’s making it … I felt like a witch — that’s what I felt like. I felt like that is my cauldron and, particularly as a result of I used to be talking Russian, it felt like an incantation and it felt like bringing him again. And additionally, it felt like that’s the primary time her grief has been in a position to go, like, “Fine, we’ve done it. I’m burnt. I’m having a shot of vodka. Retribution is done.” And it felt like her palate cleanser for her grief. So it felt very enjoyable doing that scene for her.
Everybody I’ve talked to that has labored with Keanu all the time has the very best reward. So how was he as a scene associate?
Lovely. He’s pretty. He is as pretty as everybody says. He’s calm and personable and he bought his hair and make-up finished in my identical trailer, which, generally, may be very uncommon. Some huge actors I’ve labored with earlier than, you don’t see them till you come on set. You actually don’t see them. You see them for 2 seconds on set and also you don’t actually construct something. Whereas he would discover me after I’d be outdoors having a vape [and] we’d have a little bit of a chat. So there was a component of that. He was attempting to at the least make me really feel comfy within the scenario, which he didn’t should do in any respect. So that was pretty.
This entire film is simply off the wall, fashionable. I like the units, every part seems to be nice.
The colours, the music, the costumes, every part. Yep.
What actually stood out about working with director Chad Stahelski? He simply has such a way of favor. It’s wonderful.
He’s wonderful. He is. I might work with him once more in a heartbeat. He simply picked me up and made me really feel every part was okay. I bought there and he made me really feel like I used to be a lead. That’s how he made me really feel. Which is how I believe individuals that basically succeed apparently make individuals really feel: superb. They could make you are feeling safe in a scenario that perhaps you wouldn’t. He will need to have seen this actress coming in first time from the second he met up with me within the studio in Berlin. He was like, “Nat, I’m taking you everywhere.”
He wished to point out me everybody, introduce me to everybody. I met the canines, I met the stunt groups — although I wasn’t doing stunts. When I used to be doing the costume … a whole lot of the occasions whenever you do any kind of costume check and [are] looking for what the outfit’s going to be, you simply ship it to the director as a result of they’re of their workplace or they’re doing one thing — particularly simply whereas filming. No, he sat on the couch for 3 hours [for] a extremely enjoyable dress-up session with him and me. He provides individuals time and that’s, I believe, why every part works, as a result of everybody feels very, very protected in his fingers and appears like he sees them. That’s the one means I may make sense of it.
That’s unbelievable. Another factor I’ve actually preferred concerning the John Wick franchise because it’s gone on is the world constructing has been so nice they usually create these pockets that may be expanded upon. I do know Lionsgate desires to do extra spin-offs inside that world. What’s cool about your scene is that they work completely for the John Wick 4 plot, however you can see these characters popping up later and doing extra. How thrilling is it that we now have that higher world of John Wick which you can have an effect on?
Yes. And I believe now there’s going to be Ballerina that comes out, that I’ve heard about. I imply, it’s simply an enchanting universe — the underworld of those individuals, but in addition all of them being such huge characters and the characters across the motion as properly. They’re not simply form of mediocre, easy individuals. They’re all the time these … I believe there’s most likely so many individuals which can be like, “Oh that’s my favourite character from the second or that one from the third, and that’s what makes the curiosity preserve going and that’s why you possibly can have spin-offs, as a result of persons are focused on all of the totally different characters’ universes.
Definitely. You talked about earlier that you simply’re a musician and I noticed that you simply play the accordion. How’d you agree on that instrument? That’s probably not many individuals’s go-to.
No, it’s not. So I did piano my entire life and I did all of the grades and I did blah, blah blah, blah, blah. And then it form of killed my love for music, doing all this classical blah-blah. Then at 18, I used to be like, “I’m never playing an instrument again.” And then I used to be doing a play known as Night on the Circus with this firm known as Kneehigh — they’re now known as Wise Children. If you’re ever in England, lookup Wise Children. When you go see their performs, it appears like afterwards, you wish to make mischief and love and music. They’re so naughty and loud and ah, it’s like consuming life, watching it.
I used to be in one in every of theirs and I needed to be taught trapeze and I needed to be taught to play the accordion. We needed to all decide up an instrument and I noticed the accordion. The director, Emma Rice, was like, “Everyone pick an instrument.” And she had the shonky accordion and I actually noticed it and it was like love at first sight. I may switch all I had discovered from the piano onto this bizarre fucking instrument. I discovered it on the trapeze, after which from there, I constructed up a band.
Are we going to see extra music sooner or later from you?
I hope so. We’ve bought a couple of gigs this yr. We’ve needed to change round of a few of the gamers due to life. Life strikes and folks transfer away and stuff like that, however I’d like to. I’d like to create extra music. It simply will get tougher and tougher as individuals become older and the place life takes them. It’s tougher to get collectively in a room, the way it was once we have been in our 20s, you realize? To simply play. But I actually hope we will create once more.
One of your early huge roles was within the Harry Potter films. Looking again on it, how do you view your time in that franchise? It has such a passionate fanbase and that needed to be fairly formidable to stroll into that so early in your profession.
I’d already finished a couple of ins and outs in different movies, in order that helped. But additionally versus John Wick — as a result of [with] John Wick, I used to be already an enormous fan. I had simply, throughout the pandemic — actually simply earlier than I had the assembly with Chad and I knew that this was on the desk — I simply rewatched all of them. You know the way all of us, within the pandemic, simply binge-watched random stuff that we beloved? Like, “I’m going to have a Bruce Willis day,” or no matter. So I’d simply finished that work. With Harry Potter, after I did the audition the second time — as a result of the primary time, I actually didn’t do properly — the second recall, I had learn the books after which I bought actually into it as a world.
But I nonetheless hadn’t watched the movies and I wasn’t nervous about it in any respect after I walked in. It’s solely after I bought to the studio and I noticed the scope of how huge it was. And truly, after I went to the primary premiere, that’s after I was like … after I did the sixth movie after I was already in it, that’s after I was like, “Oh God.” I form of felt it as a result of earlier than that, I used to be like, “Isn’t it some weird kids film? I don’t really get it.” And then abruptly, I may visually see the influence of the individuals and the paparazzi and the followers and I used to be like, “Okay, I’ve entered into another dimension.” [Laugh]. Yeah.
That’s actually enjoyable. Your character, Tonks, she’s actually resonated with followers regardless of not having a ton of display screen time. So how has that been, getting that constructive fan response to your portrayal?
I do some conventions and that’s all the time very nice since you get to fulfill followers. But on the identical time, lots of people, they could have a favourite character, however it’s extra that they’re probably not enthusiastic about you. They’re enthusiastic about the world and I believe the world is what everybody’s obsessive about, actually. I believe Harry Potter works so properly as a result of on the core of it, if you consider it, it’s a couple of child that’s struggling little one abuse and finds his household not in household, however in pals. I believe that’s such a tremendous message and, clearly, it’s coupled with magic, which all of us wish to wish to be actual, all of us. And it’s coupled with actually attempting to course of loss of life as properly, which is why I believe it’s such a profitable factor. Because it does all these issues for kids, however for adults as properly.
You have been additionally in such an ideal episode of The Mandalorian a couple of years again. What did it imply so that you can be part of the Star Wars universe?
Oh, I wish to be in it extra! [Laugh]. I’m actually hoping that I come again in The Mandalorian, fingers crossed! I beloved it. I bear in mind it was … I believe it was January, 2019, so it was freezing chilly and horrible right here. And I bought this job provide and I used to be like, “I’m so happy to be going to Manhattan Beach in LA and spend two weeks doing Star Wars and wearing this amazing outfit.” It was actually … once more, I felt very welcomed on set, [it] felt actually enjoyable. The means that she seemed actually helped get me into that universe.
You’ve been part of so many huge franchises like we’ve simply talked about and Game of Thrones as properly. To be part of that many large franchises and be part of that legacy, has that sunk in or is that also like a bit surreal?
No, it hasn’t actually sunk in. I believe it hasn’t as a result of I’m all the time very small. I form of dip in. It’s not like I’m … I believe if I used to be like a a lot greater half in all of them, perhaps it might sink in as a result of it might be like a correct tally on my mattress. But for me, I simply really feel like I’m this actor that goes and dips into all these. So I virtually really feel like I’m … I’m a part of the franchises, however a whole lot of the time I don’t really feel like I’m as a result of I do these smaller characters. In some methods it’s fortunate as a result of I hardly ever get acknowledged and I can stay my life, however then on the identical time, I generally bear in mind and I’m like, “I did that!” So it’s very stunning.
Is there a personality you get acknowledged essentially the most for?
No. I get extra acknowledged in Spain, truly, for Spanish movies and stuff I’ve finished. And even for stuff like Game of Thrones and Harry Potter … I believe perhaps it’s as a result of I’m the Spanish actor in a type of worlds. Weirdly, I get it so much at airport safety, like perhaps not the road, however they take a look at me. “Are you…?” I’m like, “Yeah.” So it’s normally after I’m Madrid or one thing. Barcelona.
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