Greater than 20 years after taking her “first step right into a a lot bigger world,” Bonnie Piesse bought the chance to return to the Star Wars universe in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Piesse performs Beru Whitesun Lars, a Tatooinian girl who’s the guardian and Aunt of Luke Skywalker.
She joins a powerful solid of actors, which incorporates Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Joel Edgerton, Moses Ingram, and plenty of extra. Obi-Wan Kenobi, the collection, picks up ten years after the dramatic occasions of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.
Lately Wealth of Geeks was in a position to meet up with Bonnie to debate her efficiency in Obi-Wan, Star Wars fandom, and her new rom-com My Favourite Girlfriend.
Trying Again at Strolling With the Stars
MD: What was it like while you have been first solid in Star Wars? What was it like moving into such an iconic position?
BP: It was tremendous thrilling. I used to be 16 once I was solid in Assault of the Clones, so I used to be nonetheless at school in Australia, and I had been performing some appearing already on little Australian TV reveals.
Once I bought the position in Star Wars, that was a a lot larger factor and thrilling for me, my household, my buddies, and everybody. Going and capturing in Tunisia and hanging out with George Lucas, Natalie Portman, and Hayden Christensen was fairly wonderful.
MD: Have been you a Star Wars fan on the time? Did you have got a way of what precisely you have been moving into?
BP: So, I hadn’t seen the originals. I might seen Episode I, The Phantom Menace, and I used to be conscious of what a giant world it was and the way a lot folks cherished it. It was already an enormous popular culture factor by then, however I do not assume I even knew concerning the fan base, what that meant, and all of the conventions and that entire tradition.
So, that was a shock. After I wrapped Episode II, I went to Celebration 2 in Indianapolis, and I feel there have been about 40,000 Star Wars followers. That was my first expertise of the entire fan world.
MD: What was that like? Was it overwhelming? Was it what you anticipated?
BP: I do not know what I anticipated. I actually did not count on these crowds, and Joel Edgerton was there too. I keep in mind we have been strolling down the road in Indianapolis, and all of a sudden somebody says, “Oh, it is Owen. It is Beru.”
They only began chasing us. It was a complete bunch of stormtroopers, and it was pleasant. We weren’t scared or something, however that was fairly an expertise, and we needed to sneak at the back of the conference middle door. Then, yeah, simply speaking to all of the followers and seeing how excited they have been about it, that was such a incredible expertise to see that entire a part of it, which, yeah, I had no concept.
MD: Cool! Aunt Beru wasn’t a large presence in A New Hope, however she was memorable. Did you draw something from her authentic look?
BP: Yeah, completely. For the audition, they did not give me any scripts or something. They only stated, “Go off the previous scripts.” So, I learn her strains within the audition; firstly, she had a blended accent. I feel she was Irish.
So, I used to be making an attempt to determine her accent, and within the audition, they stated, “No, don’t fret about it. Simply normal American. Simply be your self.” So I used to be making an attempt to match her and step into the best way she portrayed the character, however they have been fairly free with it. They have been like, simply make it your individual.
MD: Did you draw inspiration from the rest?
BP: I simply watched the originals, clearly, earlier than I auditioned, simply to get into the entire world and perceive all of it. So by the point I bought to the audition, I used to be impressed by all of it, and I used to be simply making an attempt to step into that.
MD: Have been you given any backstory, or did it’s important to give you your individual? How a lot did you get to work together with the writers and director?
BP: I wasn’t given any backstory, so I needed to do my work on that. The night time earlier than I began filming in Sydney, they threw one other script at me, and it was a giant dialogue scene with Natalie Portman, which bought deleted.
I have not seen it to at the present time. I hope I can sometime. So, I needed to dig into that the night time earlier than filming. For Obi-Wan, I additionally did a whole lot of work by myself, simply developing with the place has Beru been? What’s she been via? The place’s she coming from? All of that. Deborah was fairly wonderful with that too.
MD: What was it like working with Deborah Chow?
BP: Yeah. Deborah, she’s so character-based. It is fantastic. She cares a lot concerning the humanity and the emotion of all the pieces. So she’s tremendous, tremendous targeted on that, which is nice to have that sort of director as an actor. She’s actually getting in there with you and feeling all of it. It is nice.
MD: There is a scarcity of ladies in Star Wars. What accountability do you are feeling in attending to play one among them?
BP: Yeah, I do really feel a accountability. I feel there are some nice robust feminine characters, feminine warriors, I wish to say.
So, I hope that I used to be in a position to deliver one thing new and one thing that is going to encourage folks, particularly encourage younger ladies and ladies. I feel that is necessary, and an increasing number of in movies and TV generally, I really feel the ladies’s roles are getting higher and higher.
MD: So, almost 20 years have handed since your first position and your look in Obi-Wan Kenobi. How has expertise modified?
BP: So in Revenge of the Sith, which was my scene we did on inexperienced display screen, and I do know Ewan’s talked about that as effectively. That was a humorous expertise the place we’re standing, surrounded by a inexperienced display screen; George comes over, and he is like, “Okay, see that broomstick over there? That is probably the most lovely sundown that you’ve got ever seen.” So, a whole lot of it was you needed to give you one thing in your thoughts and picture.
Know-how has come to this point. I do not perceive the way it all works. My husband is extra of a geek with that, so he was enthusiastic about all the main points, however it feels extra actual. So on set, it feels such as you’re in the entire house. You are within the scene, which makes it so a lot better as an actor.
MD: What’s your favourite reminiscence from the set?
BP: That first second of moving into Beru’s costume once more was very, very memorable. Not having placed on a Beru costume, I assume it was 20 years such as you stated or extra.
I really feel prefer it was extra. Yeah, in order that first second of making an attempt on the costumes, trying within the mirror, and seeing, wow, okay. I am in Star Wars once more. That is surreal.
MD: Did you get to maintain a memento or something from the set?
BP: I did not get a memento from the set. I did get a cap from Ewan McGregor that claims Obi on it, in order that was thrilling. Then Deborah gave me a cap, a jacket, and some issues too. So, I’ve bought some good keepsakes, however nothing from the precise set. I want.
MD: You might be additionally a proficient singer and musician, so what are you at present listening to?
BP: Yeah, I am listening to a whole lot of ambient cinematic stuff proper now. I used to hearken to much more singer/songwriters, folks and pop, and now I am moving into way more ethereal, ambient cinema stuff.
MD: Very good. What’s your favourite film soundtrack?
BP: Oh, Interstellar. It is so wonderful.
MD: While you’re not filming, what are your hobbies?
BP: So, I stay in Portugal part-time. My husband and I moved there just a few years in the past, so I really like the seashore. We stay tremendous near the seashore. I wish to turn into a surfer, however I am not but. That’ll occur. Meditation.
I really like studying, however I do not are inclined to learn fiction nowadays; I learn extra non-fiction stuff and cooking.
MD: What are you studying in the mean time?
BP: Proper now, I am not studying something, however there’s an important ebook that I simply learn known as The Finders, which is a very fascinating religious ebook.
MD: What’s subsequent? Do you have got any cool upcoming tasks you may inform us about?
BP: Yeah. I simply did a film known as My Favourite Girlfriend final yr, which I am so happy with. It is written and directed by Amanda Raymond. It is a wonderful love story, and I play a personality who has a dissociative identification dysfunction (DID).
I performed seven characters. I have not seen the entire thing, however I used to be so proud of what I noticed. I feel it’ll be a very lovely film. So, enthusiastic about that.
MD: What was that like enjoying seven completely different characters?
BP: It was so difficult. Once I first learn the script, they usually supplied it to me, I used to be in shock. I used to be like, okay, how can I do that? That is so tough as an actor, however they actually believed in me, which I am grateful for.
I simply jumped in and did my greatest to make each character distinct and have their very own life. I had a bunch of various accents I wanted to good as effectively. So it was simply a whole lot of prep, however a kind of issues, I am so happy with it and so glad I did it.
MD: Thanks for talking with us at this time; it’s a large honor.
BP: You might be welcome
All episodes of the Obi-Wan Kenobi restricted collection are at present streaming on Disney+.
My Favourite Girlfriend could have a restricted theater run beginning August 5 and will likely be accessible on-demand shortly thereafter.
We look ahead to many extra entertaining tasks from Bonnie Piesse sooner or later.
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This text was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Featured Picture Courtesy of Bonnie Piesse.
Michael launched Wealth of Geeks to make private finance enjoyable. He has labored in private finance for over 20 years, serving to households scale back taxes, improve their earnings, and save for retirement. Michael is enthusiastic about private finance, aspect hustles, and all issues geeky.
