Media: Good afternoon. I'd like to know - did you feel like strangers when you came on the set, where everything was like a young crowd of friends?
(laughter)
KL: Who wants to start?
RP: You can.
KL: Okay. We'd been working very nicely, and everyone had been very, very friendly the first few days, and then it was just everyone in the same boat doing the same movie. So, great!
Conference Leader (CL): Stan?
(laughs)
SI: Well, there's not much to add. We were extremely warmly welcomed. I personally felt it so much from the beginning.
Media: For all of you - can you tell us how the audition process was? I know that some of you were selected among a few thousand people.
KL: Well, my audition process is quite long-winded. My dad saw an advert on the telly, and basically, he just suggested that I should go down and try out for the part. I hadn't done any acting before; I was a bit reluctant. But, I went down anyway, and I stood in the queue for hours and hours. And we went in... I finally got in and they just took a polaroid and said, they'd call you back if they were interested. So, I got a call a few weeks later, and they told me to go down me down for a drama workshop, and that involved a lot of improvisation, and a few scenes from the movie that involved Harry and Cho. And then, they called me back for a screen-test, and that took place at Leavesden Studios, which is where they filmed the movies and from there, I got the part.
Conference Leader (CL): Robert? Stan? Can you tell a little?
RP: Yeah, I don't have a very interesting story. (laughter) I knew the casting director from another movie which I did, and they wanted to see me for this part, but I was doing another movie over the casting period, so I ended up seeing Mike Newell and Mary Selway and Fiona Weir - who were casting at the time - before anyone else was seen for casting. And then, I went to do this other movie, and then the day I came back... I got a call back and basically, that's what happened.
Media: What was the other movie?
RP: It was called Ring of the Nibelungs, which was a German movie.
SI: Well, I've got an interesting story. (All laugh) I was basically spotted in school. It was all by chance, really. I was late for my afternoon registration, which this school has. So you can imagine, I was a bit nervous, rushing through the lines. But the casting director was there at the time with the head of drama for the school. So when she heard me talking, and then turned around and saw me (unintelligible) as an interest? She asked me to go to an audition later on in the school, which I went to dressed up very sporty before going to the gym. So I was there the longest and I was asked to go to two workshops afterwards, which I didn't go to for various reasons. I had an exam, and then one of the times they (unintelligible) laid me off. So, as any normal person would think I thought - well I've lost this chance, they're not going to call me back. But then I did get a call back, and they weren't very happy that I didn't go. So I went again, later on that night and they turned out to like me and I got it.
CL: Clemence?
CP: My audition was much more classical than Stan's. I was working to a French casting director about something else and he said, "I'm doing the Harry Potter casting, would you like to come?" So we had to chat in English in front of the camera, and then Mike was in Paris promoting Mona Lisa so I met him in a hotel. We had a little chat, and I think it was three left and we all came to London to audition a very short scene and that was it.
CL: Was it with Harry?
CP: Not with Harry, no.
Media: Matthew Vines from Veritaserum.com. Could each of you describe a typical day on set?
(All laugh)
RP: Well, go ahead... There wasn't anything of any sort of structure. There would be days where hardly anything would happen, where you'd stand around the whole time because it was such a long shoot. Everything was shooting for about 11 months or something in total, so there were days and weeks where you would do absolutely nothing.
Media: At what time would you start shooting on an average day?
RP: Because most people, I think you, a lot of people got, because of younger people working on it, I think those people worked about from 9 or something, but I generally started about 6:30 in the morning. You sort of end up, generally, starting work at 9, having a leisurely morning. Yeah, but some days were just ridiculously busy while other days, especially when there is stunt work or something like that, they would go on and be ruined one day, but a lot of time waiting around.
CL: I was wondering if you knew about the series' plan, each of you if you could say a little about that. If you had been reading the books, if you were fans of the film. Also, if each of you quickly, and I know one of you can't answer, looked at the next book to see if you were in that one.
KL: I was a fan of the films before I got the part, and I read the first three books. I didn't read the fourth and fifth one until after I got the part, and I read the books which Cho was involved in. She was mentioned briefly and I think Harry gets over her. (All laugh)
CP: I loved the books, I had read the first four ones. I saw the first movie, then I saw the third one on set. I absolutely loved the whole universe, the whole world of Harry Potter.
CL: Stan?
SI: Well, I had never read the books or seen the films. (All laugh) But as soon as I got the part, I read the books up to the fifth one and I've touched the sixth one and I saw the films.
CL: And Robert?
RP: Yeah, I hadn't read any of them either. I read the fourth one just before my audition in a day, and it changed my whole opinion about the whole series.
CL: Okay, I wanted to ask if each of you could discuss your character. What you think of them, and are you all signed for the rest of the series?
SI: Well, Viktor appears in the fourth book. He is the world's David Beckham, I would say. A Quidditch player so he is obviously well based in the magic world of Harry Potter. Well, people describe him as being very physical, although I think he has got two sides, very sporty and very concentrated. He knows what he is doing, but also he has a big heart. He develops feelings for Hermione so yeah, I think he is a great character.
CL: Where is he from and why does he have an accent?
SI: Well, he is from Bulgaria and that is where his accent comes from.
CL: And that is where you are from?
SI: Yeah.
CP: Fleur Delacour is like, she's French, I'm French. She's the kind of girl that would dread in a school. She is perfect, kind of annoying at the end being so perfect. But always well dressed and good at sports, good at school, good at everything. She appears like the kind of image that I guess people have of a French girl and then reacts as normal girls to what's happening. That's it.
CL: Robert?
RP: Cedric is a prefect at Hogwarts. He's in the top year. He's one of those guys who does the right thing but not in an annoying way. It's impossible to hate him. He's good at sports and athletic. He kind of vaguely takes Harry under his wing and they get closer as the film draws to a close.
CL: Have you seen it with (unintelligible) yet?
RP: No, well I've seen it with these guys yesterday.
Media: Katie?
KL: My character Cho basically shows that Harry is developing into a teenager and is starting to go through a hormonal change, becomes interested in girls. Basically, I'm his crush.
Media: Seth Benderson from USA Today. This question is more for Katie and Clemence. As you've been reading the books, this is the first time we've seen Lord Voldemort. How did he compare to what you had thought in you imagination, and how do you think Ralph Fiennes' characterization of character, do you think he... what do you think about how he portrayed the character?
KL: I think he's done a great job. When I watched it yesterday, it was such a dark scene and he's just really terrifying which is what Voldemort is. Yeah, I think he's made a great portrayal of the character and he's exactly like I imagined him to be when I was reading the books.
CP: I can't really remember what I imagined. I'm sure I imagined something, but I've lost any idea I had. But I loved that moment where he becomes real and that costume surrounding him and him becoming a man in a way. Yeah, I thought it was great!
Media: Katie and Stan, you haven't acted before. What has been the impact of this on your life so far?
KL: I don't think, it's not really changed apart from the fact that I know I can act. And also it has really brought a lot of confidence in me by being able to act in front of so many people and for the cameras and getting to meet new people as well, interacting with everyone. Yeah, everything has been positive about the film.
SI: I'm pretty much the same. I've gained lots of experience, a lot of confidence. Especially being in front of a group of people, even a crowd. I couldn't do that before. I was quite a nervous guy. I also found out what I want to do in the future, which is hopefully continue acting.
Media: For each of you, this is probably your biggest film, if not your first film. And I was just wondering, are you guys prepared for the fame that will be entailed with this, because you're going to be known all over the world? And how are you prepared to deal with fans?
(All laugh)
RP: It's strange, somebody asked for my autograph the other day. Because I finished school and I'm not really doing anything at the moment, I was just kind of aimlessly wandering around London and these two guys who were about 30 came up and asked for my autograph. I was really quite proud at the time, and they wanted to take photos and stuff. And then they were sort of wandering around and I was kind of wandering around and I bumped into them about three times, and every single time their respect for me kept growing and growing and growing. (unintelligible) I don't know how that actually happened. (All laugh) So, yeah it's a lot.
CL: Stan?
SI: Well, I don't think you can actually be prepared for what's really going to happen after this film comes out, because the fan base is world-wide, it is absolutely huge. So I guess we'll just have to face it and do our best.
CL: (unintelligible)
SI: Yeah.
CL: Katie?
KL: Like what Stan said, I don't think I'll be able to, no matter how much you try, prepare for it, it's going to be beyond your expectation, what's going to happen. I mean, this morning when I was coming back to the hotel, there were a few photographers and the crazy fan base. It was just terrifying, but at the same time it's a really nice feeling as well that they want your autograph and that you mean something to them. Yeah, I think it'll be a really good experience.
CL: Clemence?
CP: I don't know how you, I've never been recognized so far. But I think, because I live in Paris, shooting other movies in Paris, it might be a bit easier for me than you guys because the tabloids aren't that big in France. But I don't know. I think that when you walk down the street without makeup and in your jeans as always being, or I just hope things will stay the same.
CL: Alright. Clemence, you are fluently bilingual, but you also have an ease with dialect and English, and you can also talk Americanese, so to speak. I was wondering whereabout in the country you learned?
CP: I've been a very lucky girl, because my parents put me in a school where you learn English a lot more than you usually would do in a French school. And I went on an exchange program to Toronto when I was 13, spent like two months there so I had no choice but to learn English. It started from there, and I've been working in England a bit, I've been working with Americans a bit. Each time, it's another step and you actually work on your accent, try to improve it. But it comes from practice.
CL: Okay, we have time for one more question here and then we'll go to the phone questions.
Media: Matthew Vines from Veritaserum.com. What stunts did you most enjoy doing?
SI: Well, I personally enjoyed doing stunts with the water. I had a dive, which we I think won't be seeing. I enjoyed that most because you know it took a lot of courage and a lot of time. And a huge amount of effort. So, I've enjoyed that most.
CP: Well, the only stunt I had to do was the underwater thing. So, I guess that's what I'd like the most.
RP: The maze stuff was really, really fun to do. Because it was all real. And, and no one actually knew where the walls - because it was all hydraulic walls, and ah, you were wondering if it would kill you or not if you actually got trapped. It was quite nice doing sort of enforced method acting...it was quite nice. That was, it was really exciting. And like doing all the stuff with the weeds, it like...It was so enclosed in the maze, you felt like you could really let your imagination go. Even it was just some guy with a rope pulling (unintelligible) It was really fun, quite therapeutic.
KL: Well, I don't take part in all the stunts. The only thing I do is the underwater scene. I had to get diving lessons and that was a great experience. It was a lot of hard work and yeah, it was good.
CL: Ok, so, Operator you there?
Operator: Yes.
CL: Ok, let's go with question 1 please.
Operator: Ok, uhh, first question comes from the line of Michelle Riley, Harry Potter's Page. Please go ahead.
Media: Yes, for those...you...who have...how...this...
CL: Operator, we're getting a lot of feedback. We're hearing every third word.
Operator: Ok, one more time please.
Media: First, I was saying...something before, different was this film...rest...
CL: Ok, Operator, can you say the question please?
Operator: Umm, I'm getting the same sound you are.
CL: Ok, let's jump to the next question, sorry.
Operator: You need to turn your volume down on your mike in the room.
Media: Okay, for those of you who have experience, how different was this film from the rest of your films?
CP: It, ah, I mean it's almost a different job. ... because everything is almost ten times bigger. Filming, you know, the filming time, it's much longer. I mean, I shot for eight months when I usually do two months. The crew is, you know, you don't know half of the crew you're working with. And you're actually not on set as much as you are on a normal movie. I mean you've got doubles, everyone has doubles. When you have to do something, you're not participating as much to the life of the movie as you would do on a smaller budget movie. So, it was a good way to approach that kind of movie, I think.
RP: Yeah, the scale of it is completely different. And also, I think too, with the blue screen effects and stuff... I did some blue screen things in my last film, but, um, there's a difference because you have such a huge budget. I mean it's ... you can ... there's so much. Virtually every scene has a bit of ... some sort of special effect in it which is changed to do, like having to use your imagination somewhat.
CL: Ok, uhh, operator next question.
Operator: One moment...(unintelligible)...please go ahead.
Media: Hi. This question is for Clemence. I see you have a birthday coming up in November. So, I just wondered...this is your first really big film. How do you plan to celebrate?
CP: My birthday isn't actually in November. I don't know. I saw it somewhere. It's not in November. So...
Media: When is your birthday then?
CP: Um, I don't know. I think I'll keep my birthday to myself. And I'm twenty-three now.
Media: Okay.
CL: Operator, the question at this end is how old are each of the actors here in the room? So we'll let them answer that first.
SI: Twenty at the moment.
RP: Nineteen.
KL: Eighteen.
CL: OK, great, so Operator, next question.
Operator: Next comes from the line of Andrew Sims, of Muggle.Net. Please go ahead.
Andrew Sims: Hey guys. I was wondering what kind of practice went into the Yule Ball scenes and how you think you did in the final cut?
RP: Um...um...yeah, it was cool. We practiced for like, um, I think it was a two-week choreography session. And, um, learning the waltz. And, um, yeah it's cut down to nothing in the film. It's like...it is kind of strange. But, um, yeah it was fun doing it. It was really...that was a really fun period. Because I've never really done renaissance... Is it renaissance or a waltz? ...some classical dancing. I really think I learned a lot.
Media: (unintelligible)
RP: Yeah, then the shoot was about two...two or three weeks...
KL: Two weeks.
RP: Yeah, and um, I think the most embarrassing part of that was just the normal dancing. When the rock band comes. I think there was two days where the crew was like, "Just dance, just dance.". So, you can't, in a club or whatever...That was really awkward.
CL: Ok, we have time for one more question, from, uhh, Operator?
Operator: Yes. Ok, next question comes from the line of Melissa Anelli of Leaky Cauldron. Please go ahead.
Melissa Anelli: Hi! I was wondering if you guys could switch roles with anybody else in the film, who would it be and why?
KL: I think I would love to play Ron's part. Because he's like the comical guy and he seems to, like, he's able to make everyone laugh even when it's in the saddest tones. I mean, like when the film's like really tragic and stuff he comes out with is just hilarious. So, I love to make people laugh. Because I can't do that in real life.
CL: Robert?
RP: Probably Harry. I think. Not being arrogant or anything. I just think it's a really intricate and it's an amazing part. I think also when you don't really have the opportunity to be guaranteed seven films when you're growing up during the filming. (laughter) It's really strange ...yeah, I think it's amazing. I think it'd be an absolute...I think Daniel's doing an amazing job. And you can see him progressing and developing as an actor and as a person...
CL: Clemence?
CP: Um, Dumbledore has always been my favorite character. So, I guess, you know, I'll switch to the beard and a weird dress.
SI: I'd probably try out Voldemort. Um, you know, we've only just seen what he's actually like in a humanic way. And I would love to try him. See what it feels like to be the Dark Lord.
CL: Ok, thank you all. Umm, we are going to be bringing in Daniel, Emma and Rupert momentarily, so if you want to switch tape recorders real quickly or anything, thank you very much. And for those on the phone we'll just have...just a moment.
