"Beast" Sharlto Copley What's the secret behind the 7 minute long scene with the lion? [Actor's Interview Vol.23]

The lion, the king of beasts, harbors a grudge against humans and attacks like a monster... "Beast" is set in the vast South African savannah, and a doctor played by Idris Elba and his two daughters are forced to survive in the extreme. Martin, an old friend of the doctor and a wildlife biologist who manages a protected area where hunting is prohibited, is a key player in the film, as he also has direct contact with wild lions. He is played by Sharlto Copley. The South African-born actor is a unique actor who has been active in Hollywood productions ever since starring in Neill Blomkamp's ` `District 9 '' (2009), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. We asked him about his thoughts on filming in South Africa, his hometown, and the struggle he had with the scenes with the lions, which were all drawn with CG.

Index

• The joy of being photographed by a local South African
• The actual performance will be held for a limited time during magic hour.
• Project with Blomkamp continues

The joy of being photographed by a local South African

Q: You are from South Africa. Was that the reason you decided to appear in “Beast”?

Copley: Originally, ``Beast'' was apparently set in Namibia, and the character I played, Martin, was supposed to be British. Around the time we were about to decide on South Africa as the filming location, I got an offer, and the producer and director said, ``Wait a minute. Then we'll make Sharlto Copley, and we'll make Martin a South African.'' I think it's a very wise decision.

Q: So you accepted the offer without hesitation?

Copley: The anti-poaching elements of the story were of personal interest to me as well. We can show this using the wonderful locations of South Africa. `` District 9 '' depicted South Africa in an ``unbeautiful'' way, so maybe I'm subconsciously trying to compensate for that damage (lol). Furthermore, I was deeply moved by watching Bolt's (director Baltasar Kormaukur's nickname) ` `Everest 3D '' (2015), and I was excited to be able to work with Idris (Elba). It was that kind of comprehensive combination that made me want to be involved in this work.

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Q: You mentioned `` District 9 '', but since they were both shot in South Africa, did ``Beast'' and `` District 9 '' have anything in common on set?

Copley: There wasn't much in common in terms of filming style, but both films required acting in response to something that was added to the footage later. In `` District 9 ,'' he played the Alien in gray bodysuits, and this time the characters wearing lion heads and two legs were also in gray bodysuits. Also, there were several staff members who were also involved in `` District 9 '' on set, and they were doing their work at a high level. It was very encouraging to see that happening from the side. Another thing that the two films have in common is the director. Both of them were special additions to the project and a real pleasure to work with.

Q: It's true that in both films, you co-star with characters who are composited using CG.

Copley: In " District 9 ," your opponent was an Alien with a hard shell like a shrimp. But this time, because it's a long-haired lion, the CG was incredibly innovative and photorealistic. I admire the work of the visual effects staff. I'd be surprised if they don't win this year's film award.

The actual performance will be held for a limited time during magic hour.