The New World (2005)

The Interview with Q'Orianka Kilcher ("Pocahontas")

At the Age of 10 she was singing on Santa Monica's Third Street Avenue for Dollars. She was 14 when The New World was shot. The day before the OutNow.CH-Interview Q'Orianka Kilcher just turnded 16 and all the journalists where singing Happy Birthday for her during the press conference. Quite the career for the American singer and actress who's mother had Swiss ancestors. Her first larger role in movie, she also had a blink and you'll miss it Scene in How the Grinch stole Christmas, brings her already to Berlin for the Berlinale.

She seems to enjoy it quite a bit. She never stops smiling and her cheeks glow nonstop. But she is into the glamour too much. The clothes she wears are designed by her mum and she also has something to say about environmental issues.

» Das Interview in deutscher Sprache.

OutNow.CH (ON): I'm sure you saw Disney's version of Pocahontas.

Q'Orianka Kilcher (QK): Actually it was all I knew about the legend before I've got role. But I did extensive research after I was cast. When I went to Virginia to shoot I read through tons of books on her and John Smith, the Algonquian Indians and John Rolfe. The reason I did this is because there are so many different opinions. I really needed to do it in order to figure out how to portrait Pocahontas.

ON: How did you get the role?

QK: It was quite tough. They were actually looking for someone aged 18 or older. I was too young for them. I had in between 15 to 20 auditions before I got the call from producer Sarah Green. I could not believe it. The odds where not in my favour at all due to my age.

ON: There is very little known about Terrence Malick. How was it to be on set with this mystical director?

QK: I didn't know who he was, when I got the role, so I wasn't really aware of those things. When I first met him he was a bit shy and didn't say too much. But on the set he was amazing. That's where his genius started going. He is a very wonderful, spontaneous director that really allows his actors to bring their characters to life in their own way.

ON: How was it to work with big Hollywood stars like Colin Farell and Christian Bale as a 14-year-old girl?

QK: They were two perfect gentlemen and very serious about the work. The made my job so much easier.

ON: They didn't treat you like a little girl?

QK: I did most of my filming with Colin Farell. He became sort of my older brother and took me under his wing and thought me a whole bunch in acting.

ON: In real life, who would you have prefered as a boyfriend, Colin Farell or Christian Bale?

QK: I've fortunately never had a hearbreak yet. As for now I would probably go with the John Smith-Character. I was raised very free-spirited and I am very adventurous. So he would fit perfectly. Later on in life I would probably stick with the John Rolfe-Character. But that would probably be a very good question to ask in five to seven years, when I know more about it.

ON: Which was the most difficult scene for you in The New World?

QK: I would say crying for four or five hours straight. I never had to do that before and was not really sure if I would be able to do it.

ON: You had to cry a lot in the movie. How did you achieve that?

QK: I thought of the story and what Pocahontas had to go through. The way Terrence Malick wrote the script you could read it a dozen times and cry. Not because of the way it ends but because of her internal struggles and the courage she had to have. It really is overwhelming.

ON: How was it to do the romantic scences with Colin Farell? I mean he is twice the age you are.

QK: They were not really love scenes. Terrence Malick decided to focus more on the emotional rather than the physical part of their relationship. I admit that I had butterflies in my stomach the first time we kissed. It was a little scary with the cameras and it was my first kiss, too.

ON: Your first kiss ever?

QK: Yes.

ON: Your first kiss ever was with Colin Farell?

QK: I didn't do too bad, did I with my first kiss with Colin and my second with Christian Bale? That was a little Oh my god I can't believe it!

ON: How did your girlfriends react when the heard that?

QK: Some went like: "You lucky little chicken".

ON: Is there an actor you would like to get your third kiss from?

QK: I'm not really thinking in terms of who am I going to kiss next. But I would love to work with everyone who would like to work with me. I think Sean Penn is an amzing actor as well as Jodie Foster.

ON: Does your name mean anything?

QK: In Quechua it means golden eagle.

ON: Where do you want to go from here?

QK: I adore acting and I love every part of it. I've been offered other parts but nothing is set in stone yet. But the main reason I started acting as well as singing is that I am involved in a lot of environmental and human rights things. I want to try and have a bigger voice. I want to be able to do my little part in the huge puzzle of the world. There are everyday heros in our society but they don't reach a vast amount of people. That's what I would love to in the future.

ON: So it is all just part of subversive plan to become famous to make the world a bit of a better place?

QK: In a sense yeah. I started an organisation together with my mum called Generation Q. And I was the first person ever to show up at a movie premiere with a hydrogen-fueled car. I try to do that in every public place that I arrive. Just to get people aware that these cars exist. So that in a few years hopefully the people of my generation start to drive these sort of cars so we don't have to fight billion dollar wars for oil.

ON: You've travelled the world with this film. What is more frightening: shooting a film or the whole publicity machine.

QK: I feel extremely lucky to talk to so many people and I get to travel a lot. I'm thankful for that. But it was very tiring because for two months straight I have been living in hotels and airplanes. But I love every minute of it because you never know if you are going to do it again or not.

ON: What are you going to do next?

QK: Hopefully finishing my CD.

ON: What kind of music do we have to expect?

QK: (Teasing) You will find out? But it's a bit of mix from a lot of stuff. It has elements of blues and jazz.

ON: Which where your favourite movies before you worked on The New World?

QK: I love Legends of the Fall.

ON: Because of Brad Pitt?

QK: That's not really the reason why. Of course it is a big bonus. I love the human story of it.

ON: You're mother has Swiss origins. Have you ever been to Switzerland.

QK: I haven't but I would love to go there.

ON: You're doing a great job in this interview. Where do you take your self confidence from?

QK: Acting is a wonderful thing. (smiles). No. But I can assure you that my heart is pumping at a million miles per hour right now and I am little terrified. You have to really know what you're talking about. I sometimes get asked hostile questions about the history of Pocahontas. That was another reason I wanted to research on her character. I also had some interview training but I didn't like it. You have to be yourself. And the training was all about answering the questions perfectly. But I don't want to put an act on for people.

ON: Is there anything to be learnd from Pocahontas today?

QK: Yes there is. First of all that one person can make a difference. Every decision to take has an influence on the people and the environment around you. Another valuable lesson is to really learn from your past, so that you don't repeat the same mistakes again.

12.02.2006 / rm