I had the opportunity to sit down with “Nikita” star Maggie Q to talk about her upcoming action/monster/western movie “Priest” which opens tomorrow. A funny and energetic woman, especially for the dreadful after-lunch time slot I had scheduled with her. I walked in and almost tripped over her german shepherd Caesar who was peacefully dozing on the floor. I guess when you’re a star’s pet you get used to people.
Taking place in a post apocalyptic world, “Priest” follows the quest of a rogue priest (Paul Bettany) who embarks on an odyssey to rescue his niece from the clutches of a horde of vampire monsters. Maggie Q plays a priestess from Bettany’s order who is sent after him by their church with orders to capture and bring him back. The movie has a lot going on, to say the least, but is a fun ride once you’re on board.
We had both seen the film the night before at a screening attended by most of the cast, many of them seeing it for the first time in 3D. Now I got a headache watching the badly transferred “Clash of the Titans” along with everyone else and had my doubts, but seeing what they had done with “Priest” was truly remarkable. There were none of the “flat planes” and no headache inducing shakes or shifts in perspective or focus. It was truly a great job.
The film’s release had been delayed over half a year for the 3D conversion process. According to Q it was less of an afterthought and more due to the fact that the director wanted to shoot on film. “They took their time because they wanted to do it right.” I can’t help but agree.
We also managed to touch on “Nikita” and her thoughts about its possible renewal. “I haven’t heard anything bad” and if she enjoyed developing a character over a longer period of time on a TV series “I’ve heard actors say that, and they’re absolutely right!”
Watch the interview embedded above, and catch “Priest” in theaters when it opens tomorrow, Friday the 13th of May, 2011
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