Net News f’intervista mal-attur Malti Andrei Claude – SPOILER ALERT
“Ma naħsibx li stajt tlabt sabiex inkun f’xena aktar epika minn din – kont eċitat u fl-istess waqt sorpriż li kien ser ikun il-karattru li kont qed ninterpreta jien li kien ser itemm il-ħajja ta’ Bjorn Ironside.”
Sostna dan l-attur Malti Andrei Claude, li interpreta l-parti ta’ Ganbaatar fis-serje popolari Vikings, waqt intervista ma’ Net News.
Huwa stqarr illi minkejja li din hija serje televiżiva, l-eċitament, l-emozzjoni u x-xogħol dedikat f’kull xena huwa wieħed impressjonanti. Andrei qalilna li meta kellu l-iscript f’idejh għall-ewwel darba kien ferm eċitat għax kien konxju tal-importanza ta’ din ix-xena kif ukoll tal-parti li l-irwol tiegħu kien ser ikollu fl-istorja ta’ Vikings.
Mistoqsi kif jipprepara għal karattru bħal dak ta’ Ganbaatar, hu spjega li kull azzjoni li wettaq, partikolarment fis-sekwenza tal-ġlied, waslitu biex daħal aktar f’moħħ il-karattru – azzjonijiet waħħduh mad-diskors ta’ Ganbaatar.
Andrei stqarr ma’ Net News li l-karriera tiegħu fl-industrija bdiet fi zmien meta kien mudell f’Kalifornja, u 10 snin wara beda jinteressa ruħu fir-reċtar. “Dak iż-żmien kont qed ngħix f’New York u kont nattendi diversi klassijiet ta’ drama. Meta ddeċidejt li nieħu dan il-pass, mort noqgħod Londra, għaliex bħala ċittadin Ewropew dak iż-żmien kien inqas kumplikat biex issib xogħol f’dan il-qasam fir-Renju Unit.”
Huwa kompla jispjega li l-ewwel passi tiegħu bhala Malti għamilhom f’films qosra …u beda jifhem aktar it-teknika f’dan il-qasam. Andrei sostna li filwaqt li l-iskejjel ta’ drama jgħinu ħafna lil dak li jkun, li tirnexxi fl-industrija u taħdem bħala attur quddiem il-camera jirrekkjedi ħiliet differenti u kemmxejn fortuna wkoll.
Mistoqsi dwar liem attur kien jispirah, Andrei spjega li r-reċtar tal-attur Mickey Rourke fil-film The Wrestler japprezzah ħafna iżda preċiża jgħid li meta kien għadu iżgħar kien isegwi b’ħerqa l-films ta’ azzjoni ta’ Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenneger, Jean Claude Van Damme u Dolph Lundgren.
L-attur Malti saħaq li kull rwol li jinterpreta huwa ta’ sfida madanakollu l-aktar rwol li ħass li kellu jaħdem fuqu kien ta’ Neanderthal. Huwa spjega li kull filgħodu kien ikollu jpoġġi għal 3 sigħat fuq siġġu sabiex jagħmlulu l-make-up, filwaqt li kellu wkoll jitgħallem lingwa kompletament fittizzja. Huwa saħaq ukoll li dak iż-żmien kienu qed jiffilmjaw fil-muntanji Irlandiżi fix-xhur xitwin… u l-bniedem fil-preistorja ma tantx kienu jilbsu ħwejjeġ.
Mistoqsi liem huwa l-aktar karattru li jixtieq jinterpeta, l-attur sostna li l-ħolma tiegħu huwa li jagħmilha tal-kattiv f’xi film tal-azzjoni u insista li minkejja x-xewqat ħżiena tal-karattru, jħoss li kapaċi jġiegħel lit-telespettaturi jħobbu l-kwalitajiet tiegħu.
Andrei sostna li l-aktar post favorit tiegħu huwa l-Bajja tal-Mixquqa – fejn saħaq li ma jixba qatt jitpaxxa bix-xenarju tal-madwar u bil-baħar.
Intervista sħiħa hawn taħt bil-lingwa Ingliża:
1. How did you feel about killing the mighty Bjorn Ironside – one of the Vikings’ series main characters? What was your initial reaction when you read the script?
A. I don’t think I could have asked to be in a more epic scene, out of the entire sixth season. Although this is just a television show I assure the emotions on set that day were high. Also because we filmed that scene from episode eleven in chronological order, and therefore it was Alexander Ludwig’s actual last day working on Vikings, after four consecutive years. I was surprised when I read that my character would be the one to end Bjorn’s life, but also excited because I knew this was going to be a compelling scene.
2. How did you prepare for the role of Ganbaatar? What is your process in honing a character?A. Well, as captain of the Rus army I knew that Ganbaatar had to be an exemplary character. So together with our stunt team we developed exceptional sword fighting skills and somewhat of a distinctive style. I worked from the outside in with this character. I even changed my gym workouts during the preparation for this role, because I wanted to develop more power and endurance, which would then be apparent in the way I swung my sword and used a shield. All this helped me get inside the mind of the character and provide motive for his actions and words.
3. Tell us about your journey – how do you succeed in this industry?A. I think there are several ways to succeed in this industry, and my approach was perhaps quite unconventional. I began working as a fitness model in California when I was around twenty years old, and it was almost ten years later that I became interested in acting. I was living in New York at the time and there were plenty of good acting classes to attend. When I decided that I wanted to be an actor I relocated to London, because as an EU citizen booking acting jobs was less complicated there. I began attending workshops and acting in short films. This gave me a better understanding of the technical side of filmmaking, and was also beneficial as training on how to perform in front of a camera, since I was only interested in screen acting. Drama schools are good, as they provide a platform for actors to develop their talent. However from what I’ve seen, getting in the business and becoming a working actor requires an entirely different skill. There are a lot of talented actors who never get a break.
4. What or who inspired you to become an actor?A. I always loved watching popular television shows and movies, especially those with lots of action. However, the one that made me really appreciate good acting and inspired me was The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke. When I was in my teens Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenneger, J C Van Damme, and also Dolph Lundgren had a big influence on me in terms of how I wanted to look. Later I realised that there was more to it, and those action sequences I watched were also very influential.
5. What’s the hardest role you played?
A. I find that each role is a challenge, and I embrace that because this is one aspect that makes acting so exciting. A few years ago though, I worked on a very interesting television production in Ireland where I played the role of a Neanderthal, and there was quite a lot of work required. Each morning I spent around three hours in the makeup chair to get all the facial prosthetics, wig and beard fitted. I had to learn a completely fabricated language, and also move and act like these people supposedly did in prehistoric times. All that coupled with the fact that I wore a rather bare costume while shooting around the mountains in Ireland during the winter months.
6. What role would you love to play and what do you think you can bring to it?
A. I would love to play the role of a villain in a contemporary action movie. I understand the mindset of such a character, and in spite of his evil ambitions I feel I could still bring likeable qualities. And of course I live for the action.
7. What is your next project?
A. We’re filming content for a health and fitness related project at the moment. So that’s what I’ll be working on for the next few weeks.
8. Which is your favourite spot when you visit our islands?
A. Golden Bay is my favorite spot on the island. I just can’t get enough of that beautiful rock and clay formation, as well as the crystal clear sea.
9. Which is your favourite Maltese dish and what do you miss most when you’re away from Malta?
A. I’ve always been very particular with the food I choose to eat, and now I’m vegan, so it’s been a long time since I’ve eaten a traditional Maltese dish. However, timpana used to be an absolute favorite.
10. What is your advice for aspiring local actors?
A. Aspiring actors should look into putting together a good demo reel in order to showcase their talent to agents, casting directors, directors and producers, since these are the people in a position to offer them work. I also believe that it’s important to find a niche and only pursue certain roles, rather than going on as many auditions as possible.
