Kate Bosworth talks with Sam McFarlane about filming in New Zealand and her role as a blackjack whizz in 21
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Kate Bosworth has reason to feel tired at the end of a long, Las Vegas day during which she has been promoting her latest movie, 21. The 25-year old actress has just returned from Australia, where she was a bridesmaid to her Australian assistant, whom she befriended during the Superman Returns shoot.
"Yes, and I was a bridesmaid for the first time," Bosworth says. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride? Not quite, despite being happy with her current beau, British musician and model James Rousseau.
"It's funny," she says. "Someone asked me in an interview about getting married and I said, `Do you see the horizon over there? It's past that, like around the world. I'm quite happy just being 25 and enjoying life."'
As an actor, Bosworth has made a conscious effort to mix it up, venturing from risk-taking indie projects such as last year's The Girl in the Park, in which she plays an unsympathetically manipulative character opposite Sigourney Weaver, to the more flashy, but entertaining studio film 21.
And she's just been in New Zealand shooting Laundry Warrior, directed by Sngmoo Lee. "It's fantasy, martial arts combined with the old West," says the actress . "Yeah, I get to swordfight, knife throw, I've got wild red hair, wear chaps and I mean it's totally outrageous."
She enjoyed working in New Zealand but with reservations. "It was a tough film," she explains. "I mean I enjoyed it, but it was challenging, because the character is so kooky, and playing fantasy is something I've never done before. I feel like I'm constantly jumping into the shoes of the unknown with every project, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
"If I was consistently playing the same thing, I'd be bored as hell. But Geoffrey Rush is in it and it was a blast. If I were to pitch it very simply - and I hope it lives up to this pitch - it's a bit of Ang Lee, a bit of Coen Brothers and a bit of Tim Burton all thrown into one. It really does sort of create its own genre."
In 21, Bosworth plays one of Kevin Spacey's card-counting team members out to buck an unbeatable system on the Vegas blackjack circuit. "I just loved the concept," she explains, in discussing her rationale for picking this ensemble drama. "I thought it was just a fantastic concept and the fact that it was a true story was incredibly intriguing to me. These five kids were students just living a monotonous day-to-day life and were able to use their mathematical abilities to take on the major corporations. It's kind of a classic David versus Goliath, underdog story. So I thought that would be quite fun, just to be a part of it.
"I remember Kevin [Spacey] explaining why he chose to option the book in the first place. He said, `Look, we all love intense, dark, seedy material, but at the end of the day, we often in this business have fun, make movies and just enjoy it.' I think that's kind of how I felt with this. I also loved teaming up with Kevin again, who called me and asked, `Come play with me in Vegas?'. So he's quite difficult to say no to. I also think Laurence Fishburne is a tremendous actor who does a great job in the film and I got to meet all these wonderful, upcoming talents. All five of us became incredibly close and speak regularly - that does not happen all the time."
The movie is loosely based on real events and Bosworth says her character, Jill Taylor, "was very loosely based on one of the team members, whom I met in Boston".
One would imagine that a considerable amount of research would go into playing someone who mathematically counts cards in order to win blackjack?
Bosworth laughs slightly. "Well, quite honestly, the extent of the research of the film was, we all landed in Vegas and the five of us were put into sort of a blackjack boot camp," she recalls. "And we just sat there and learned basic strategy with some of the best players in a little room in one of the hotels, which was fun."
She and Spacey may be next seen together in a sequel to Superman Returns - if one eventuates.
"Kevin and I both contracted to do another film. We heard from a journalist the other day that Brian Singer had made a deal or is making a deal. I wish I could tell you more, but I don't know. I'd love to do it. I enjoyed it so much and I'd love to do another one."
This, despite gripes from fans that she was miscast in the role.
"I feel fortunate to be cast, but you can't please everyone. One of the biggest things I've learned in this industry is that if you sit there and try desperately to please everyone you're just going to run in circles and drive yourself mad. So I feel really fortunate to be cast by Brian Singer and, I'll tell you, he's not someone who is easily influenced. He's very meticulous, so, if some of the bloggers don't think I was right for the choice but he did, I'm fine with that.
"Look, you're going to get that with a film that's so iconic and everyone's going to have a really strong opinion about everything, so I understand it."
LOWDOWN
Who: Kate Bosworth
Born: January 2, 1983, Los Angeles, California
Key roles: The Rules of Attraction (2002), Blue Crush (2002), Beyond the Sea (2003), Superman Returns (2006)
Latest: 21 opens May 29
