Lessons Learned from Interviewing Film Stars

By Laura J Biggs

Ralph has always had its heart in entertainment. It’s why I joined 10+ years ago. I saw that they were working on Breaking Bad and Dexter (two of my favourite shows at the time) and swiftly begged to meet them.?

Since then I’ve worked with most of the streaming platforms and film studios. The 18-year-old Cineworld projectionist in me still can't believe it.

Last year was a particularly big year for us in terms of the amount of face-time we had with, for lack of a less cringey word, the stars.?

We (in the London office) shot and/or interviewed the likes of; Keanu Reeves, Jodie Foster, David Schwimmer, Pedro Pascal, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Brian Cox, Florence Pugh, Zach Braff, Michael Mann, Bella Ramsey, Patrick Dempsey, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton, Danny Dyer, Martin Freeman, Daisy Haggard, Gerard Butler, Jack O’Connell and many more.

Sorry for the ultimate name-dropping, but I needed to set the scene.?

Here are some things I’ve learned from it:

• Very famous actors and filmmakers look remarkably just like normal people when you meet them. Good looking ones, but people all the same.?
• Getting people to read questions on biscuits is fun.
• Getting Brian Cox to swear a lot is more fun.
• Interviewing a pair rather than one person is easier for everyone.
• Like all writing, read your questions again and again. Read them aloud. There’s always something that sounds shit when you’re face to face with the person you’re going to interview.
• Mute all notifications, and turn off all devices (Hey Google, I’m looking at you).
• It's harder to meet someone you fangirled over as a teenager than who you fangirl over now (they're in the list above ??).?
• There will be egos. Where aren't there? But also plenty of people who aren't dicks.?
• You can make a lot of good content out of a 3-minute interview with the right questions (and answers).?
• There should be more women in film.?
• If you get the chance, meet your heroes. If nothing else, you might learn something about yourself.?