Interviewing The Stars Of Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron! ⋆ Brite and Bubbly

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I recently had the amazing opportunity to attend the Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron press conference to interview the cast and Director Joss Whedon and Producer Kevin Feige. In attendance from the case was Scarlett Johanson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Robert Downey Jr. ( Tony Stark/Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), James Spader (Ultron voice), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver), Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch), Paul Bettany (Jarvis/Vision), and Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill). It was the longest table ever at a press conference to say the least. Pardon my pics as the lighting was horrible in the movie theater we were in.

It was so fun to see this fantastic cast live in person. They have such a great dynamic on and off screen. There were lots of laughs through out this press conference.

We had to let the cast get all their joking and playing around out before we got to asking them questions.

We started off by finding out how Paul Bettany feels now that he gets to be more than just a voice in these films.

PAUL:

The main difference is I have to show up now. You know, the great thing is being able to work with all these incredibly creative and talented people. However, I also now have to show up at junkets, so everything’s a double-edged sword, you know?

We then moved on to the ultra talented Joss Whedon who talked about what were the biggest challenges he faced putting together the story and then shooting the film and what were the things that surprised him on his journey.

JOSS:

There’s like 47 of these people. I really didn’t think that through, and I regret very much doing this at all. You know, it’s just making sure that everybody’s, you know, got their moment, that everybody’s got their through-line, that it’s connected to the movie. I have all these people. I love all these people. They’re extraordinary. But making sure that they’re not just all being served, but all within the same narrative structure, that they’re in the same movie, that it’s all connected to the main theme. At some point during the editing process, I could not have told you who they were, who I was, what movie I was making, I got so lost in it. But I think it all came together, and you know, it’s just about making these guys look good, which takes a long time.

We then moved on to the ring leader of these Marvel film Kevin Feige. He talked about what’s it meant to him to see all these Marvel movies from the past decade that he’s been involved in come to fruition. He also chatted about working with filmmakers like Joss and the rest of the cast he’s had through all the movies.

KEVIN:

Well, it’s been great, of course. I mean, it started with the notion of making these movies ourselves, and becoming Marvel Studios, and then it continued with Robert in Iron Man one, with the notion of having Sam Jackson come in at the end and say: you’re part of a bigger universe, you just don’t know it yet, thinking that most people wouldn’t know what that meant, but occasionally somebody would go: what did that mean? I’d go: it means maybe that we’ll introduce all the different characters and put them together. It’d be great. But the minute that happened, the world sort of got it, much more quickly than I anticipated, and it was awesome, and it continues to be. It’s daunting now because the expectations now are high and they didn’t exist before. They thought: what are they doing, let’s go on to the next thing. And now it’s crushingly overwhelming expectations, particularly on this movie. But it’s incredible, and it’s incredible to look down the line and the table keeps getting bigger and bigger. It’s the greatest ensemble ever assembled in cinematic history and it is amazing to be a part of it.

After Kevin, the newest members of the Avengers cast Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson chatted about this being the second time that they’ve worked together and any challenges in making their relationship work so well in the film.

ELIZABETH OLSEN:

I think it’s only a benefit. I mean, Aaron and I had a lot of fun, but we didn’t really work that much on Godzilla together, but it was great to work with Aaron again. I mean, it’s kind of intimidating joining this group, but I got to do it with Aaron, by my side.

AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON:

Yeah, it was comforting to know someone when you’re stepping on set with such a big ensemble cast. It’s great to have had someone I know and that I feel comfortable with, absolutely.

We finally got to Mr. Robert Downey Jr. who chatted about having a more fatherly approach to Tony Stark in this film. He also was deeply upset and offended that he wasn’t the first person to be asked a question. It was hilarious and the entire room broke out into laughter.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR.:

I must be mellowing with age, but I want to say this very clearly. The next time I’m not asked the first question, I’ll f#$!ing walk out. I read Joss’s script, I said, I think this is great. Now, ask Kevin, didn’t I say that? I said that.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR.:

I said: I think this is great. Kevin said, “You never say that. You can’t mean that.” I said, “Yeah, I think it’s great. Let’s go shoot it.” I thought it was a Swiss watch to begin with and Joss really created some great new situations for Tony to be in, so rather than dig in my heels and try to rewrite every scene, to make them even better, if possible, I showed up and it turned out great.

James Spader is perfection as Ultron and he spoke about doing the motion capture and how he was really able to bring life to this killer robot to life.

JAMES SPADER:

I really don’t have any idea what was happening at all. It happened very quickly. I really was just trying to hold on and then stay on the train that was moving very, very quickly. But I will say this, that I arrived in London, and within the first half hour I was there they put in a suit, they put on all this gear, and I’d gone through a range of motion, and then within 15 minutes, I was watching me walk around a big room, moving and doing this and that and everything else, and watching Ultron, or at least a formative stage of Ultron, on a monitor in front of me. And it started right there. And the next day, I was on the set shooting a scene with Scarlett. And so really that pace was what it was, through the entire project. And luckily I’d had some conversations with Joss and one fantastic meal with a whole bunch of wine to figure out who this guy was. And that was it. That really was it. It was just trying to hold on.

For Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans they chatted about who their favorite super hero is.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH:

I mean, Superman was probably the only film they’d made, I think, back when I was growing up. You know, that was the one that sticks out for me. There wasn’t really anything else to see in Australia. Iron Man hadn’t been created yet, or Captain America, or Hulk, or Black Widow or Vision, everyone on this table.

CHRIS EVANS:

So had Captain America been…

CHRIS HEMSWORTH:

He would have been my favorite, that and Captain Australia.

CHRIS EVANS:

Gotcha.

James Spader chimed in even though it wasn’t his question to answer.

JAMES SPADER:

Growing up, I didn’t have any comic books at all, but my friend Will Brottis has a trunk full of them, so comic books were like candy for me. I’d go over to his house for a sleepover and I would be really just devouring everything I could get my hands on. I don’t even know if this question was to me, was it? Anyway, I just devoured whatever I could get my hands on because the sleepover was going to be over and I was going to go back to my house and it was going to be, you know, Kipling.

We finished off the press conference by asking Joss Whedon why is the armor designed to contain the Hulk called Veronica. I my desperately needed to know and I need to talk to Joss Whedon again.

JOSS WHEDON:

You know, I just decided to call it Veronica because I used to be in love with a woman named Betty, and Veronica is the opposite of that.

The perfect answer it was. And Mark Ruffalo was apparently thrilled I asked since he was always wondering the same thing when they were shooting, but was too afraid to ask.

MARK RUFFALO:

I was always wondering that, but I thought I’d be breaking some Marvel taboo by asking it. You know, we have a Marvel app on our iPhones and if you say something wrong, it literally shocks you.

It was such an amazing experience to be in the same room with so many talented individuals. I mean who wouldn’t want to be in a room with Chris Hemsworth. Gosh dang he’s sexy! They all do a great job in the film as usual and you will highly enjoy Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron!

Stay tuned for our review of the film! Yes we’ve seen it twice now because we love it!