Cara Delevingne first made waves in the fashion industry before transitioning into the acting realm with a small role in Anna Karenina. She became known worldwide for her role as the Enchantress in last year’s Suicide Squad and is now tackling the role of Lauraline in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
Dane DeHaan gained recognition when the camcorder film drama Chronicle unexpectedly became a financial success. He acquired worldwide acclaim a year later with his role in Kill Your Darlings. The sci-fi and comic book realm are nothing new to him, having portrayed Harry Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Now he’s stepping into the shoes of Valerian in this month’s Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
Screen Rant got a chance to talk to Cara and Dane on press day, where we discussed what they expected working on a Luc Besson film, what it was like to learn fight sequence choreography, and how they were able to foster the chemistry between their characters.
Guys, this movie was so much fun. It was like candy for my eyeballs.
Cara Delevingne: That’s a very good way of putting it. Sugar high constantly.
Exactly. Exactly. When you know you are working on a Luc Besson film in a sci-fi genre film, what do you go in expecting? Because there is so much that I remember from the Fifth Element and now it’s this, so what did you guys expect?
Cara Delevingne: I mean, I don’t know if I went in expecting anything other than the fact that I was just ready. Like, I was just going to go in open and ready to learn because it’s Luc Besson, for god’s sake! Like, you know, his movies are legendary! And as well with this, I didn’t even really realize the magnitude of the whole thing in terms of the studio, the space, the amount of work. And, you know, this is again a movie he’s wanted to make his whole life so, his knowledge behind it, his love and passion. It just, it’s impossible not to feel it. It’s infectious.
Another question I have for you guys is that there is even a small scene with you guys kind of on the beach and just the amount of choreography in that alone is quite amazing. Dane, can you talk to me about some of the experience you had throughout this whole film doing stuff like that?
Cara Delevingne: I actually forgot how hard that was.
Dane DeHaan: Yeah. There was a lot of choreography.
Cara Delevingne: It was like that was our little dance that we had to do.
Dane DeHaan: Yeah. I mean, one of the biggest challenges of the movie was the physical challenge. We both had to train really hard just to be physically capable of being able to do it. There were days where it felt like running a marathon, so it was all about making sure we were in peak physical condition so we could deliver every day and not pass out.
Cara Delevingne: But, even at the time though, because of our characters and because of how disciplined they were, it didn’t feel like more than they would have to do if that makes any sense. Like, for the character, like, to be honest, I never felt so good and strong in my life. It really actually inspired me later.
That is amazing.
Dane DeHaan: Well, you know, if you don’t work out for at least 2 hours in outer space a day, your muscles start to deteriorate.
Cara Delevingne: Yeah. Deteriorate.
Really?
Dane DeHaan: Yeah. It’s true. Astronauts work out for 2 hours a day in outer space.
Wow. I didn’t know that. That’s crazy. I love the chemistry between Valerian and Laureline. Is there anything you may brought to the scene that wasn’t exactly on the page with you guys as actors?
Dane DeHaan: I just feel like chemistry is something that you have to make happen.
Cara Delevingne: Because it isn’t necessarily on the page, I guess.
Dane DeHaan: It’s not like we were, I don’t feel like we were improving that much or anything, but...
Cara Delevingne: I mean we did a little bit but, especially I think more when we were together I feel like when it was written, because even the script was written a number of years ago, I actually don’t feel that our relationship in the way we treated each other may have changed slightly. Because I think even in the script, it was more of he was definitely the Major and I was the Sergeant whereas I feel like now that the movie has come out, they are definitely more equal. You know what I mean? They both have their strengths and weaknesses, but they both, you know, they are a team even though he doesn’t maybe realize it as much.
