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Margot Martindale Talks BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

Lots of Beautiful Creatures stuff going on today!  Here’s what Margot Martindale, who’ll be playing Aunt Del (the article posts her as playing Aunt Deb, and they also referred to Lena as Nina):

Martindale has a helluva presence, both onscreen and off, and the time we spent interviewing her on the Baton Rouge set of LaGravenese’s film was easily the highlight of our visit to that set: warm, funny, quick-witted, and genuinely invested in the character she’s playing (Aunt Deb), she had much to say about the film and her character within it. We’ll get to the interview in just a second, but first—the highlights from our chat:

  • Martindale says that her elaborate costumes are both “painful” and “absolutely beautiful”, and that the character itself is “a whole different world” for her but “really fun”.
  • Martindale says that she read all of Garcia and Stohl’s books prior to filming, and that she finds the idea of a character that can see time from all angles—past, present, and future—to be “interesting”.
  • Asked what made her take the role, Martindale offers an answer that typifies what makes her so charming: “What drew me was they offered it to me. And I love Richard so that’s a huge plus. It’s fantastic. It’s fantasy. It’s a fabulous story with wonderful actors. Why wouldn’t you?”
  • On the day we arrived, Martindale had only been on-set for a day, but had the following to say when asked what it had been like working with Jeremy Irons: “My answer is that he as handsome as I thought he’d be or more handsome.”

Here’s some of the interview’s Q&A:

You see the past, present and future?

 

Martindale:  Yes, isn’t that interesting? The past, present, future and all things going on at the same time.

 

With every person you come into contact with?

Martindale:  With every being in this world is what I think. It’s not in the script. I have to infuse things with that, seeing past, present and future. I used to have a dream about that from reading a book. It was about the past, present and future. It’s kind of the opposite… it oddly rings true to me.

Can you delve into this scene in particular? It seems Nina is trying to figure out which side she’s going to.

 

alden-ehrenreich-alice-englert-beautiful-creaturesMartindale:  She’s trying to decide. This is the night, the 21st day of December in the 12th month of the 21st century. I say we must get on with this because the moon is about to appear. When the moon is about to appear, whatever her true nature will be will define the new age to come. The old age will be ended and the new age will begin. It’s a big night.

 

It seems like it’s much bigger than just her… It’s the entire race.

Martindale:  It’s a big night. In this age the light and dark will merge. (Margot is singing) And all the world will be as one.

Did you read the book before or after the script?

 

Martindale:  I read the script and then I read the book and then I came back and read the script.

 

What drew you to the character when you read the script?

 

beautiful creatures emmy rossumMartindale:  What drew me was they offered it to me. And I love Richard so that’s a huge plus. It’s fantastic. It’s fantasy. It’s a fabulous story with wonderful actors. Why wouldn’t you?

 

In the book, Deb is described as being out of it because she’s seeing all these things all the time. Is that what you and Richard talked about doing for the character, did you bring something into it as well?

 

Martindale:  That’s what I will bring. We just started. I’ve been other people recently. I’m trying to get …. I want to feel like that, kind of like seeing through a prism. Ohhh how do I get … I need to stop spinning. I don’t know if there will be a place like that in here but there will be a place.

 

If you could have that gift of seeing the past, present, future in real life, would you want to take it?

 

Martindale:  No. No, no, no. I am way too fearful.

 

How difficult is it to give a believable performance and merging it with a Satan universe of the world. Has it been tough to play into?

Martindale:  Like I just said, I really just started so that will be to come. I think it won’t be difficult. I think it will be fun to come from reality. It’s sort of theatrical and that’s where I come from, the stage. As do most of these people so it’s fun.

How do you compare the book to the script?

Martindale:  It’s hard because … I love the script. I think there are things about the book that I had questions about that are answered in the script.

Your power to see all the things at the same time, is the power visualized in the movie?

Martindale:  I don’t know. I think in this movie… I don’t know if there’s a place for it in this movie. I don’t know what he has it in his mind visually.

You can read the full article including more Q&A at Collider.

By Nat, the Geek Girl

Southern California native who likes movies, books (Shadowhunter Chronicles, NA, YA fantasy, Red Rising series), TV shows (The Sandman), and San Diego Comic-Con. I also like to write, but don't get to do much of that aside from on here. I fell into the BTS rabbit hole, and I refuse to leave.