Collider Interview with Shiloh Fernandez

Question: How did you get involved with Red Riding Hood? Did Catherine Hardwicke come to you for this because you had wanted to work together since Twilight?

SHILOH FERNANDEZ: No, not at all. I had auditioned for Hamlet, which she was going to make, and we both agreed that that was a good project and a good thing to do together, but it didn’t happen. And then, I read Red Riding Hood and knew she was directing it, and felt like that was going to be something that would be perfect for us to do together. I felt like it matched both of our energies and, out of all the films – including Hamlet and Twilight – that she’s made, this one suited her and I the best. And so, I actually ran into her at a party and talked to her about it.

There was this British actor that was going around town, saying that he’d been offered this role, and I said, “Catherine, what’s going on?” We’d written letters after the Twilight thing, and she said we’d work together, and I said, “This is perfect. What’s going on? Why did you cast this person?” And she said, “I didn’t cast him. Come audition!” So, after a series of auditions, I got it. One of the things that she’s so great at is casting people that work well together. It was really important for her that Amanda [Seyfried] felt comfortable with who was cast, and she had a big say in that, too.

How was it to work with Amanda Seyfried and develop the relationship between your characters?

FERNANDEZ: Yeah, I spent a lot of time with her before we went to Vancouver, and up there as well. I just found her to be fascinating, as an actress and as a person. In the initial auditions, the way she speaks and her rhythm of speech and her choices are just so interesting and involving that you have no choice, but to hold on and let her steer the scene. That was new for me. I usually want to have control and win, so it was a great challenge to just be with her and see what happened. It’s not hard to fall in love with her, honestly. The hardest part would be to play that role where you can’t be with her and you have to say no, against your best judgment.

I try to create as many circumstances outside of set that help me fall into character when I get onto set. I know that I do have an affinity for Amanda, and I really admire her and think she’s extremely talented. It’s hard not to love her. She’s wild. Amanda and the character are both really strong women, they really know what they want and they’re going after it, and they don’t really take no for an answer. All those things were attractive to me and helped me to really fall into it. I just think she’s cool. She’s easy to love, she’s fun, she’s funky, she’s great. 

Check out the entire interview here.