Maleficent: Interview with Brenton Thwaites

Australian actor Brenton Thwaites is a newcomer to Los Angeles but that didn’t stop him from landing the role of Prince Phillip in Disney’s “Maleficent.” Thwaites admits it was the screenplay for “Maleficent” that piqued his interest in playing the iconic fairy-tale prince. “It unleashed my imagination when I read the script and that was my first appeal. I could visualize these characters and my mind had no limitations when I went through the script. It was a journey and I liked that,” says Thwaites.

Describing his character, Prince Phillip, Thwaites says, “Prince Phillip is King John’s son and he meets Aurora in the woods and they have a little moment. Later on in the storyline when Aurora has fallen into her slumber, he becomes the main hope to wake her up.”

Explaining the feelings Prince Phillip has when he first meets Aurora, played by Elle Fanning, Thwaites relates, “When they first meet it’s more of a curiosity than a deep love interest. I think Aurora is the first beautiful girl that Prince Phillip’s ever seen and to stumble across a girl like this in the forest is quite unusual. His curiosity leads him to pursue what she’s about and what she does and who she is.”

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Thwaites enjoyed working with Elle Fanning on several levels and says, “I like Elle; she’s fun. She’s very nice and friendly and she’s always smiling. She’s always happy to give an idea or to try different things. I’m learning a lot from Elle. She’s so young, yet she’s so mature. She feels so comfortable in front of the camera and, as a newcomer, it’s good for me to watch.”

In his travels young Prince Phillip comes face-to-face with Maleficent, played by Angelina Jolie. Describing their interaction, Thwaites says, “Prince Phillip first meets Maleficent in the forest when he’s searching for Aurora. After Prince Phillip meets Aurora in the forest earlier, he defies his father’s orders and pursues her but Maleficent finds Prince Phillip before he is able to find Aurora. She uses her powers on him and controls him and leads him to the castle in order to fulfill the iconic kiss.”

Admitting that he found the horned Maleficent to be quite an imposing figure, Thwaites adds, “In the scene where I drop onto the ground, I remember just laying there because they were setting up the shot. I looked up and there was Sam Riley dressed in his black, rock-star bird outfit and Angelina Jolie dressed up in her Maleficent horns and they were just staring at me. It was quite intimidating, actually.”

But working with the famous actress was another story. “It’s been great,” enthuses Thwaites. “It’s been a dream. It’s great to watch someone like Angelina Jolie work. It’s intriguing and I learn so much every time I watch her on set.”

Thwaites’ favorite scene to film was the awakening scene, though perhaps not for the reasons one would imagine. Thwaites explains, “I really liked the awakening scene because it was nice and slow and intricate. The audience is going to believe in that moment. Robert [Stromberg] kept telling me on the day we shot to slow it down. He said, ‘You can’t do this scene slow enough.’ So eventually I slowed down and calmed down and got the feel for it and I took as much time as I needed. I learned a lot in that scene.”

Thwaites feels that audiences will be surprised by “Maleficent.” “It’s something different and Maleficent is the most well liked Disney villain of all time,” comments the actor. “It’s an honest tale about her journey and how she got to be who she is and it’s very much in parallel to everyday people—betrayal and revenge and love. I think it’s a much more honest and beautiful story than what people might expect.”

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Q&A follows:

What did you think of the story when you first read the script?

It unleashed my imagination when I read the script and that was my first appeal. I could visualize these characters and my mind had no limitations when I went through the script. It was a journey and I liked that.

Describe your character, Prince Phillip.

Prince Phillip is King John’s son and he meets Aurora in the woods and they have a little moment. Later on in the storyline when Aurora has fallen into her slumber, he becomes the main hope to wake her up.

How does Prince Phillip feel about Aurora?

When they first meet it’s more of a curiosity than a deep love interest. I think Aurora is the first beautiful girl that Prince Phillip’s ever seen and to stumble across a girl like this in the forest is quite unusual. His curiosity leads him to pursue what she’s about and what she does and who she is.

Talk about working with Elle Fanning, who plays Aurora.

I like Elle; she’s fun. She’s very nice and friendly and she’s always smiling. She’s always happy to give an idea or to try different things. I’m learning a lot from Elle. She’s so young, yet she’s so mature. She feels so comfortable in front of the camera and, as a newcomer, it’s good for me to watch.

 What have been some of your favorite moments of filming?

I like all the physical stuff, so I loved the cable rig when I was falling from my spell.

Can you describe that scene?

I float into the castle and Maleficent takes me out of her spell while I’m in the air, so I drop from about six foot high onto the ground and I wake up. I’m a little startled and confused and dazed. That’s where I get dragged into Aurora’s bedroom by the pixies and that’s the scene where Prince Phillip attempts to wake her up.

Talk about getting into the cables and what it was like doing the stunt.

Getting into the cables was quite frustrating because it was all very tight under my pants. I had all this padding and holes everywhere to get the cables in. It was quite hot, but I loved it. I love all that stuff; it’s fun. It’s gritty but I like being uncomfortable, in a sense.

What is the relationship between Maleficent and your character?

Prince Phillip first meets Maleficent in the forest when he’s searching for Aurora. After Prince Phillip meets Aurora in the forest earlier, he defies his father’s orders and pursues her but Maleficent finds Prince Phillip before he is able to find Aurora. She uses her powers on him and controls him and leads him to the castle in order to fulfill the iconic kiss.

What has it been like working with Angelina Jolie?

It’s been great. It’s been a dream. It’s great to watch someone like Angelina work. It’s intriguing and I learn so much every time I watch her on set.

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Is Maleficent intimidating with the makeup and horns?

Yes. In the scene where I drop onto the ground, I remember just laying there because they were setting up the shot. I looked up and there was Sam Riley dressed in his black, rock-star bird outfit and Angelina Jolie dressed up in her Maleficent horns and they were just staring at me. It was quite intimidating, actually.

When you were first cast and shown the world and all that was going into this, what did you think?

 Once I got to London, I began to get a clearer idea about the world. There were images and different paintings and drawings to look at. I thought I had an idea of what this would be like and then I saw the paintings and little figures. I’d never seen anything like it before in my life. I started to get really excited.

What kind of director is Robert Stromberg?

You can tell he sees everything in his mind and no one else does. I learned to trust him quite quickly in terms of visualizing exactly what he’s going to do.

Did the director sit down and explain what this world around you was going to be?

Robert shapes each day around what’s happening because it can change so quickly. For instance, on one of my first days, Elle and I had to pretend that there are pixies and fairies flying around us. Robert explained to us what they would be like and how fast they would move and the specifics of it all. But apart from that, it’s just left all up to your imagination.

Do you have any other favorite moments or scenes?

I really liked the awakening scene because it was nice and slow and intricate. The audience is going to believe in that moment. Robert [Stromberg] kept telling me on the day we shot to slow it down. He said, “You can’t do this scene slow enough.” So eventually I slowed down and calmed down and got the feel for it and I took as much time as I needed. I learned a lot in that scene.

What do you think audiences can expect from this film?

I think they’re going to expect a very strong leading lady but I think all the little backstories and Maleficent’s journey from when she was as a child are unexpected. It’s an honest tale about her journey and how she got to be who she is and it’s very much in parallel to everyday people—betrayal and revenge and love. I think it’s a much more honest and beautiful story than what people might expect.

What will this film look like?

The shots that I’ve seen are fantastic. Whenever I see a shot played back, it looks amazing…the castle, all the stuff inside the castle, the color. It’s eerie and it’s mysterious and it has that unexpected vibe.

What were you looking forward to filming the most?

I was really excited to shoot the horse stunts because, although my horse doesn’t like me very much, I like horse riding. In the horse stunt scene Maleficent puts a spell on me and I ride unconscious to the castle. That was quite difficult to master.

Why are audiences going to love this film?

Audiences will love it because it’s something different and Maleficent is the most well liked Disney villain of all time. There’s an honest, truthful story that will connect with everyone.

What scene are you looking forward to seeing on screen?

I’m looking forward to seeing the final scene of the movie where everyone comes together and all the little fairies are flying around and Maleficent and Diaval are flying in the air. I just want to see Maleficent flying because I can’t really imagine that. I’ve got an idea, but I really want to see Robert’s take on how he represents this beautiful creature flying in the air.

How would you describe Maleficent?

I’d say that Maleficent is misrepresented more than anything. The idea of evil and good doesn’t really work for Maleficent in this film because you like her and you fall in love with her. A lot of the things she does, she has a reason for and although sometimes it may not be good, at least she has a reason why. She makes mistakes but she realizes that.

Maleficent opens on 29 May 2014. Check out our review here.