In a recent interview with Fandango correspondent Erik Davis, Jenna joined Beetlejuice Beetlejuice alums Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice), Willem Dafoe (Wolf Jackson), Monica Bellucci (Delores) and Justin Theroux (Rory), to talk of the behind-the-scenes filming process and character growth as well as the close bond that developed between the actors.
When asked about her character Astrid, Jenna responded, “I don’t know the story behind the name. I think that the writers were just thinking of a unique name. I hadn’t known any ‘Astrid’ and then about a week ago I actually met an ‘Astrid’ and my brain did a back flip because I didn’t know that it was a real used name.”
“It’s hard to say anything without giving too much of the movie away but I feel like she’s a very passionate, headstrong kind of knows-what-she-likes and knows-what-she-doesn’t-like kind of teenager. And I guess that’s kind of how she relates to young Lydia. And I think that’s probably the most similarity that they have. Otherwise I think they have very different interests.”
Jenna’s character finds herself frequently at odds with her famous mother.
“Astrid is a very strong environmentalist and actually doesn’t really get along with her mother, which I think is absurd because obviously Lydia is one of the coolest characters of all time. So maybe that was a bit of a challenge – acting like I don’t respect the woman. But, yeah I think she has a hard time with her mom because she doesn’t like the fame that her mom has and the attention that she gets, and doesn’t like that she’s split with her father who’s now deceased, so I think there’s kind of pent-up teenage angst and that, but also just confusion and, you know, oftentimes I feel like she’s the smartest in the room, kind of the one that’s looking at everyone like they’re idiots. So that was also a fun thing to play in.”
Jenna admits to being unsure about her place in such an established cast.
“Joining a sequel to something and it being so long since the original, I think I just kind of wanted to put my head down and do the work and show up and be respectful and kind and read my little book off to the side. But I think Winona was so warm and so welcoming, as was Catherine (O’Hara), as was everybody else, that you almost didn’t have a choice but to become a part of the family.”
Jenna provided a tongue-in-cheek nod to certain otherworldly co-stars.
“It was a dream to work with the sand worms. It was arguably my favorite part. I mean they’re such sweet guys and I love them to bits.”
Given the thirty-six year gap between the first two films, when Jenna was asked about the possibility of a third project, she joked, “I feel like the world might explode before the movie gets made.”
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