SimplyAbuDhabi XLIX

to immerse yourself in the world that’s been created. And there’s so much attention to detail and thoughtfulness and everything that you, you see. And it’s so tactile. Like it’s all there. There’s nothing I need to imagine. It’s all in front of me. And I get to do it with like the most incredible people that I’m massive fans of and have appreciated their work for so long. So there’s definitely a sense of anxiety that comes with that. What is it like the night or two before the first day of filming where you’re like, how much are you in your head? like i’m about to work with chris nolan on one of the biggest movies he’s ever made? Zendaya: I was kind of grateful that the day before I was shooting, I was literally on ‘Euphoria’ doing a night shoot. I didn’t have enough time at that moment to freak out too hard until like I was there. So I was like, ‘Let me just compartmentalise as much as I could.’ And I was grateful that I didn’t freak out just yet. So I could, yeah, try to sleep. You and tom are in this movie but don’t have any scenes together. it’s great he showed up for your first day, it’s so lovely to hear the care and responsibility you have to one another and how well you work together on the same project? Zendaya: Well, no, that’s really how it felt. I’ve never seen sets like this before. But it’s gorgeous. And the attention to detail, all these craftspeople, people who have put so much into every single detail of the set, the costumes. Ellen [Mirojnick], who I got to do ‘Greatest Showman’ with, who I also got to see on this, which is very special. Stunts as well. George Cottle, who was our stunt coordinator for all of the previous ‘Spider- Man’ movies, who is a dear friend of ours, who’s so talented. And took care of people; people were safe as well. But this is the scale; I’m looking around, and there are about 40 different fights going on at once. And we’re also shooting this on IMAX with Hoyte, who’s a master in his craft. And not wanting to waste a moment of this very precious film. And knowing that you’re just kind of dropping into this, you know? It’s like first day. So, you value so much that experience, but you value that team, and you value their time and the effort that they’ve already given. And you don’t want to be a hindrance to this forward- moving thing. You show up ready, you show up prepared, you try to push all that anxiety and whatever to the side, or you use it, and you just give all you can because everyone else is doing that. Everyone. What was the hardest thing about working in imax? Zendaya: The preciousness of the film. You know, it’s like, ‘I don’t want to waste any of it.’ It’s like, ‘Let me not be the reason that this take doesn’t work out,’ you know? In digital you just keep going. So that was definitely intimidating for sure. I remember I flubbed a line once and I was mortified. Cause I was like, ‘This is IMAX!’ You, you didn’t want to let Chris down. And he was so cool about it. He was like, ‘That’s fine.’ How did chris build the time machine that took you guys back to ancient greece to film on location? Zendaya: Honestly, it’s a secret that I’m probably never going to tell. You know, no, he’s incredible. And I think what he also inspires, I think, in the people that he works with is such a determined work ethic and people really that are such masters of their craft. And I just, you know, really being present in those moments and looking around and trying to be as much of a sponge as possible, because you just genuinely can’t believe the places that you’re in and what you’re looking at; I think so much is being done practically. And even I got like a peek behind the curtain. I got to see things being made that I was like, ‘How did you. Howwas this? How?’And even watching it back, I still am blown away. The magic is not lost at all having seen it be made in real life and knowing how it was done; it’s really extraordinary.And I think to try to do something like The Odyssey’ is like, I mean, I don’t really think there’s one guy who could do it. Finally, tell us about zendaya’s personal odyssey - what people, movies, experiences have shaped you as an actress? Zendaya: Oh man, I think every character that I have the privilege of playing teaches me something new about the world, about myself, opens my heart up a little bit more. But I also think the people you get to work with as well, and that’s across the board, not just the directors, but the different crews, become so much like family to you when you’re on a film like this. And I’m lucky to be able to reconnect with those people in other places. Many people that I’ve worked on other things I’ve been able to see on this again, which has been so special. But yeah, I don’t know, to the question you’re asking in the beginning is like, what is similar to all of them is a true love for what they do. They just really love what they do, and they are fans of the filmmaking process, and I feel like I’m lucky to be around other people who just really love what they do. Zendaya and Quinta Brunson