With the premiere of
Bumblebee this last Sunday at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, fans and critics alike are buzzing over the film. The festivities weren’t only for the onlookers; several members of the film’s cast and crew were in attendance, and they joined together that night at Ohm’s Nightclub for a triumphant after-party. There lead actress Hailee Steinfeld, who plays Charlie Watson in the film proper, was surprised when her compatriots presented her with a cake in a surprise celebration for her upcoming 22nd birthday.
Amidst the hectic activity of the night, Steinfeld and several others on the crew were interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter to give their thoughts on the film’s production. In regards to the film’s rewrite, Steinfeld shared that, “Christina Hodson wrote an amazing script, which drew [Steinfeld] into this world… Kelly Fremon Craig, who wrote and directed [her] in Edge of Seventeen, did the rewrite, and [Steinfeld and Craig] had wonderful conversations about developing Charlie’s voice into what you see now.”
In addition to acting, astute readers may know that Hailee Steinfeld has written a song for the film’s soundtrack. A self-admitted ‘bucket list’ item, she described the process as follows: “I wanted the song to ring true to the 1980s, while being able to fit into [her] body of work as an artist.”
She also comments on the filming itself, and the bizarre circumstances under which she performed due to her main acting partner, Bumblebee himself, being wholly computer-generated. In her own words, “When you’re reading the script, you’re kind of taking it all in as if it’s real… When you show up to set and they tell you you’re working with a tennis ball and a stick for four months, you realize it’s not going to be easy.”
For more of the interview, and a taste of Director Travis Knight, fellow actors Pamella Adlon and John Cena, writer Christina Hodson, and voice actors Justin Theroux and Angela Bassett’s experiences please refer The Hollywood Reporter’s full article, posted on their website.
