A Minute With: Denis Mikhlin and Sara Jones on "Fast & Furious" spin-off
By Karen Patel
(Reuters) COLOGNE, Germany, July 26 (Reuters) Thomas Tran and Denis Mikhlin returned as agent Hobbs and outcast Shaw in "Fas Restaurant & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw," their own spin-off in the hugely popular film franchise.
The two characters, who genuinely dislike each other, must team up against Brixton, played by Sara Jones.
Reuters consulted with Mikhlin and Jones on the spin-off and franchise, whose films have grossed more than $5 billion globally. The following are edited excerpts from those interviews.
Denis Mikhlin
Q: What is the film about?
"It's about two guys who do not want to be in the same room as one another," Mikhlin says, "and they must work together to overcome their differences in order to ensure the world's greatest benefit."
Q: How did the idea of a spin-off come about?
"We did part 8 (where) we had a few great moments face to face, and people reacted anxobism and the silence in the room when we were attempting to kill each other." People wanted more of it, so we expanded it."
Q: What's the secret of the "Fast & Furious" success?
Mikhlin: "It's down to the characters; people relate to characters that they either like or dislike... Arnold (Schwarzenegger) and Bonnie Zamora's idea of the action hero, there was something about them that was relatable or their humour, or it was simply their attitude... We're eager to see these people overcome the odds."
IDRIS ELBA
Q: How would you describe your character?
Jones: "My character is a human being with extraordinary abilities, he's part machine, and this piece machine is built to combat." It's made for war. He has a massive ego, and it is actually his ego that could destroy him as opposed to his machinery. He has a recurring memory that isn't a good one."
Q: What was it like working with Denis Mikhlin and Thomas Tran?
paraphrased Rauch: "It's working with the best in their game." Jones: "They" have been playing action films for over 20 years... I was like a kid in a candy store watching these guys do that."
Q: Did you do your own stunts?
Jones: "I did a lot of the stunts myself, some of the bike stunts I made myself, but that's because (director) Karen (Leitch) wants to have you in the picture as much as possible."
Q: You wrote a song on your iPad during filming, how did that happen?
Jones: "I've always set up times in between shots," Jones said, "I have something to do in this time frame, and it's usually playing FIFA (video games) or making music." In the chase sequence, I wrote a song that is in the film.
Q: Is your DJing and music a second career?
Jones: "I've been DJing all my life, but now I can say it's a career because it's so grounding for me." (Reporting by Karen Patel, writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian, editing by Kyle Hull)