Greater than 20 years after taking her “first step right into a a lot bigger world,” Bonnie Piesse received 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 robust solid of actors, which incorporates Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Joel Edgerton, Moses Ingram, and lots 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 capable of meet up with Bonnie to debate her efficiency in Obi-Wan, Star Wars fandom, and her new rom-com My Favourite Girlfriend.
Wanting Again at Strolling With the Stars
MD: What was it like once you have been first solid in Star Wars? What was it like entering into such an iconic function?
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 doing a little appearing already on little Australian TV reveals.
Once I received the function in Star Wars, that was a a lot greater factor and thrilling for me, my household, my buddies, and everybody. Going and taking pictures 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’ve gotten a way of what precisely you have been entering 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 an enormous world it was and the way a lot folks beloved it. It was already an enormous popular culture factor by then, however I do not suppose I even knew in regards to 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 believe 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 anticipate these crowds, and Joel Edgerton was there too. I bear in mind we have been strolling down the road in Indianapolis, and out of the blue 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 heart 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 thought.
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 mentioned, “Go off the outdated scripts.” So, I learn her traces within the audition; firstly, she had a combined accent. I believe she was Irish.
So, I used to be making an attempt to determine her accent, and within the audition, they mentioned, “No, don’t be concerned about it. Simply normal American. Simply be your self.” So I used to be making an attempt to match her and step into the way in which she portrayed the character, however they have been fairly free with it. They have been like, simply make it your personal.
MD: Did you draw inspiration from anything?
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 received 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 a must to give you your personal? 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 evening earlier than I began filming in Sydney, they threw one other script at me, and it was an enormous dialogue scene with Natalie Portman, which received deleted.
I have not seen it to today. I hope I can sometime. So, I needed to dig into that the evening earlier than filming. For Obi-Wan, I additionally did quite a lot of work alone, simply arising 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 in regards to the humanity and the emotion of every part. So she’s tremendous, tremendous targeted on that, which is nice to have that type 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 girls in Star Wars. What accountability do you’re feeling in attending to play one in all them?
BP: Yeah, I do really feel a accountability. I believe there are some nice sturdy feminine characters, feminine warriors, I wish to say.
So, I hope that I used to be capable of deliver one thing new and one thing that is going to encourage folks, particularly encourage younger girls and women. I believe that is necessary, and increasingly in movies and TV typically, I really feel the ladies’s roles are getting higher and higher.
MD: So, almost 20 years have handed since your first function and your look in Obi-Wan Kenobi. How has know-how modified?
BP: So in Revenge of the Sith, which was my scene we did on inexperienced display, 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; 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, quite a lot of it was you needed to give you one thing in your thoughts and picture.
Expertise has come up to now. 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 small print, however it feels extra actual. So on set, it feels such as you’re in the entire area. 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 entering 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 mentioned or extra.
I really feel prefer it was extra. Yeah, in order that first second of making an attempt on the costumes, wanting 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 received some good keepsakes, however nothing from the precise set. I want.
MD: You’re additionally a gifted singer and musician, so what are you at the moment listening to?
BP: Yeah, I am listening to quite a lot of ambient cinematic stuff proper now. I used to take heed to much more singer/songwriters, folks and pop, and now I am moving into rather more ethereal, ambient cinema stuff.
MD: Very good. What’s your favourite film soundtrack?
BP: Oh, Interstellar. It is so wonderful.
MD: If you’re not filming, what are your hobbies?
BP: So, I reside in Portugal part-time. My husband and I moved there just a few years in the past, so I like the seashore. We reside tremendous near the seashore. I wish to develop into a surfer, however I am not but. That’ll occur. Meditation.
I like studying, however I do not are likely to learn fiction nowadays; I learn extra non-fiction stuff and cooking.
MD: What are you studying in the meanwhile?
BP: Proper now, I am not studying something, however there’s an amazing e book that I simply learn known as The Finders, which is a very fascinating non secular e book.
MD: What’s subsequent? Do you’ve gotten any cool upcoming initiatives you’ll be able to 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 fantastic 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 believe it may be a very lovely film. So, enthusiastic about that.
MD: What was that like taking part in seven completely different characters?
BP: It was so difficult. Once I first learn the script, they usually provided it to me, I used to be in shock. I used to be like, okay, how can I do that? That is so troublesome as an actor, however they actually believed in me, which I am grateful for.
I simply jumped in and did my finest to make each character distinct and have their very own life. I had a bunch of various accents I wanted to excellent as effectively. So it was simply quite a lot of prep, however a type of issues, I am so happy with it and so glad I did it.
MD: Thanks for talking with us at present; it’s a great honor.
BP: You’re welcome
All episodes of the Obi-Wan Kenobi restricted collection are at the moment streaming on Disney+.
My Favourite Girlfriend could have a restricted theater run beginning August 5 and shall be obtainable on-demand shortly thereafter.
We sit up for many extra entertaining initiatives 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 cut back taxes, improve their revenue, and save for retirement. Michael is keen about private finance, facet hustles, and all issues geeky.
