- [Announcer] Hey U Guys.
(upbeat music)
- Ladies. It's great to meet you.
Thank you so much for your time today.
I thought the movie was absolutely fantastic.
Naomi, when you first read the script,
what was it that struck you that made you want
to play the role of Maria?
- Well, I think it was just clear on the fifth page
and thereon that this story just felt really, really true.
Obviously I was nervous about the idea of doing a movie
about the tsunami, but once I read the script I...
Inside of that story was...
This really intimate storytelling about a family
and that's why I just knew I had to do it
from the fifth page.
In the beginning,
the idea of making recreating the tsunami, just,
it was like, ooh, that's such a big subject and so heavy
and how well can you do that?
And obviously the story is Maria's family story.
It's just one story inside of much bigger story
that still is living with people today
and will forever.
So it's such a delicate subject,
but I just connected with it 'cause it was just rooted
in absolute truth and it's because
it's pretty much blow by blow what Maria went through
and their family.
- And Maria the movie was shot in the same place
where it actually happened.
What was it like going back there?
Was it harrowing or was it, how did you feel?
- No it was okay. It was okay.
I mean we, it's difficult to say,
but we don't fear life anymore after the tsunami.
It's like we know life and death is coming
to pick you up wherever you are. So it was good.
It was good revisiting, especially the hospital
and giving thanks to so much people that we owe to thank.
- And when Naomi took on the role as you,
were you pleased and how much did you work together
to sort of make sure the role was as real
as it possibly could be?
- Yeah. I have to say I don't have the word, not in English,
not even in Spanish to say how pleased I am.
I need to invent a new word.
(Naomi chuckles)
She's been, I don't have the word.
You see?
It's not being proud, it's not being thankful.
It's much more beyond that.
She's been so generous, so so generous,
so talent, so professional.
She's not Maria on the film.
I seen all the mums there, all the mums struggling.
- Yeah, and the movie is just epic on such a huge scale
in so many different ways.
What was it like for you working in the huge water tanks
and things and having to relive
those things over and over again?
And you were there for quite some time.
- Yeah, we shot in the water for five or six weeks
and definitely the most difficult stuff
is when it's physical. Yeah.
And you're gasping for air a lot of the time.
And that was definitely the challenge
and the most challenging part I've ever done
in in the physical regard. But yeah.
And then even when we got to Thailand,
everything was of a certain pitch, emotionally,
fearfully, everything.
But going back to your question before,
Maria and I had a very strong involvement
with each other and that came in before we started filming,
we connected and and talked a lot.
And then once they came back to Thailand,
I mean, I remember a scene
where I basically just pulled her in and said,
I need you right now in this moment.
I need to connect with her and her story.
And it was just a look in the eyes
and a tight grip of the hand
and I was right where I needed to be.
And so we were...
I was very aware of our connection and the presence of her
was the reminder of what we were doing at all times.
I mean, there were so many reminders
because we were in the place that the story took place.
And so the extras all had their versions of the story,
family members lost and their stories of survival,
what have you.
I mean you couldn't get away from it.
It was there.
- Yeah, and I need to wrap up.
Maria, when you first saw the film for the first time,
how did you even feel?
Were you blown away by the way in which you were shot
and the way it all came together?
- Well, I've seen the films in many pieces
because I've been working so close with
the whole process,
but the first time I saw the film at once
I cried for 45 minutes.
That's all I could say.
- Oh, I cried pretty much of it as well.
And I can't wait for everyone to see this film.
Thank you so much for your time today.
And then for the story that you both told, thank you.
- Thank you - Thank you.