With all the recent news about the potential breach in personal liberties due to the invasive nature of the internet, director Robert Luketic (The Ugly Truth, Legally Blonde) and his cast of A-List talent couldn’t have hoped for a more timely release of their latest film, Paranoia.
Although Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games) is the undeniable star of the movie, a huge attraction – and really, a reason in itself to give the movie a chance – is the reunion of former castmates Harrison Ford (42) and Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Rises). We haven’t seen these two together since 1997’s Air Force One, and watching them interact on the screen is an intense experience.
This is also the first time we’ve seen Hemsworth really lead his own film and take on a role that will help to give him more of his own identity – outside of his relationship, and his brother’s shadow. He took a risk with a more mature, dynamic character and gave us a solid performance under the direction of Luketic, opposite the strong female presence of Amber Heard (The Rum Diary).
Luketic and his cast, with the exception of Oldman, sat down for a press conference in Los Angeles recently to discuss the upcoming film and give us some insight into just how relative the content is to current events.
Check out what they had to say below.
So much of this film is premised on connection, disconnection, technology, old-school privacy – a big part of that was shooting this film in Philly at the Arbor Hill estate. How much for you, Harrison, did working in that environment of historic origins help inform your performance? Similarly, Liam, filming down in Philadelphia on cobblestone streets where the very heart of freedoms started, and this film being so much about those freedoms being taken away. How much did each of those impact you?
Harrison Ford: I didn’t work at the place you’re talking about, though it’s very impressive on screen. But I did also have a very impressive home that Robert found for me which I think informed my characterization in places where you see the character in his office and his home, I think that’s really important, so I cared a lot about that, but the character that I played was really created to help tell this story, further tell it, and the shades of his nature and how they were presented was part of the drama of the film. And, it was a great opportunity for me. I really enjoyed being in the film, working with Robert. It was a very good experience for me.
Liam Hemsworth: Philadelphia was great. I’ve never been there before and it was really interesting because it’s like a small New York, but it’s not as busy, and it’s easier to shoot a film in. We had a great time there, just a good city. What’s good about this film is that you’re getting an insight into this day in age, and how hard it is to keep things private. From your personal life to the internet, and how much information is able to be stolen so easily and so quickly.
Amber, your character mentions relationship qualities, for yourself, what kind of relationship qualities do you look for? Your character is so strong, are you yourself that same kind of strong and self-focused about things?
Amber Heard: Part of why I liked this character, Emma, was that she’s her own woman. She’s independent. She has a life outside of the relationship she ends up being a part of. I tend to like that in characters – a strength, an independence, a quality that sets them apart from their male counterparts. Which is not not easy for me to do in this business, but when you can find a strong character and a director that does want to protect the integrity of all characters, female and male, then it’s a good deal. That’s what I found on this one.
Liam Hemsworth: Amber’s character in the film is extremely intelligent, a little scary, and I would say that she’s pretty close to that in real life. She would come to set and she would be reading some interesting book that she would have conversations with me about where she would just say things that I didn’t understand. She’s intelligent in real life. I’d say almost as intelligent as the character [laughs]. Just about.
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