EXCLUSIVE: The actress set to bring Marvel Comics' Lady Sif to life on the big screen talks briefly about her experience on the THOR movie set as well as her arduous training for the warrior role.
Over the past few months, we've heard plenty from actors Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston about their roles in the highly anticipated, comic adaptation Thor; but there is one character whose appearance in the film has been kept relatively secret. The Lady Sif, a hardened Asgardian warrior and love interest of Thor in Marvel Comics continuity, is being portrayed be actress Jaimie Alexander; who was brought to sci-fi fans' attention with her portrayal of the cryptic Jessi in the television series Kyle XY.
Ms. Alexander took a break from her hectic schedule to chat with me about her role in Thor, and the amount of preparation it took to properly introduce Sif to the general movie going audience:
Pietro Filipponi: You're no stranger to the action genre, but would you consider THOR to be a step above the other projects you've worked on to date?
Jaimie Alexander: It most certainly was step above, I've always loved action movies and am so grateful to be a part of this one.
How long were you on set filming Thor, and how would you sum up your overall experience?
Well, I began training [for my role] in October of 2009 and we started filming in January 2010.. We filmed all the way through.
How intensive was the training? What would you say was the most difficult part of production?
The training was rough, I trained around 2 to 3 hours everyday.. Weight lifting, cardio, and [sometimes] yoga. The stunt training was my favorite! Learning weaponry skills and such.. I'd say fighting in my hero costume was the toughest part of all. It was rather restricting in certain areas and quite heavy.
We saw a bit of you in action during the Comic Con footage, what would you say is Sif's weapon of choice in the film, and how was it like being in that armor day in and day out?
Well, she has three [different weapons], but I can't tell you what they are just yet. The armor was rough to wear sometimes but very beautiful. I've never seen costumes so elaborate in detail.. So incredible.
Even though her proper name is Lady Sif, would you say the character is considered 'one of the guys'?
She most definitely is "one of the guys".. She's a very talented, skilled warrior and stands on her own against any villain in the film.
Definitely as tough as in the comics, but there's also a softer side to her. How would you categorize her relationship with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in the film?
She is very loyal to Thor and cares a lot about protecting him and protecting Asgard.. As for a possible love relationship you'll just have to wait and see the movie. My lips are sealed!
If you had only three words to describe the film version of Sif, which would you use?
Hmm.. Stoic, intense, powerful.
What was your favorite part of filming and what do you most look forward to seeing in the theatrical release of the film?
My favorite part of filming was showing up every morning seeing the people I work with and the smiles on their faces. We had an incredible cast and crew and I miss them all the time.
I'm [looking forward] to seeing the finished product come to life.. We all worked so hard and I believe it will show.
What are you working on between Marvel projects and when can we expect to see you don the Sif armor again?
I just finished shooting an independent film called Loosies with Peter Facinelli, it was such a great experience. I'm looking forward to it's release next year. If THOR does well, you will definitely see more of Sif on the big screen.
Side note: Did you get a chance to sneak any souvenirs away from the THOR set?
Just memories.. Good memories [laughs]
Jaimie and her stunt woman, Kylie Furneaux, will be returning to Asgard in the next several weeks for THOR reshoots; a necessary part of the post-production process.
Marvel Studios' THOR stars Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Rene Russo, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson and Jaimie Alexander. The film is set for 2D and 3D theatrical release May 6th, 2011. You can follow Jaimieand Kylie on Twitter for updates on their current projects.
Interview from the website Daily Blam!
Log in to comment