Let's start with your favourite vacation spot and why?
My favourite vacation spot? It depends. Most of the travelling that I have done has really had to do with work. Well, obiviously I worked in
Sydney for
Dark City for a long time. I also worked up on the
Gold Coast for another film. I generally tend to ... have something to do for work [when I travel somewhere]. And I also get to stay there for a lot longer [than] three months at a time. I loved being down in
Australia when I was working.
I love going to Paris. I think it is an unbelievably romantic city and just architecturally stunning. I just went to Rome for the very first time and its one of three cities on the planet you can find architecture that dates back 1000 BC. So, I don't have an absolute favourite spot but I'm starting to really enjoy travelling in a different way. I think as I get older I find other things to really enjoy about it.
What's your number one travel tip?
Pack light ... you know, I think there were times when I would go to do a film for three months and I would pack everything I had and it restricted how fast I could move from one area to another if I wanted to get away for a weekend. And generally the fantastic thing about going to all these different places is people wear different things and there's a different style and, you know, [you can] pick up some stuff where you're going.
What was your favourite travel experience inside Australia?
Inside
Australia, I would have to say, I started off working in
Sydney and I went to the
Gold Coast and it was just beautiful ... Ah,
Sydney is a really hustling and bustling city and then all of a sudden we're in this tranquil island kind of setting and beach was so beautiful and just everything got really mellow. And I love the contrast of that.
Is there a place you've always wanted to go you've never been?
I'm actually going to
Hong Kong in a few days and I've never been there. So, I've never been to China and I'm very excited about that. I'm not going to be there as longs as I'd like. I've never been to India, which is somewhere I would like to travel to. And just recently I've gone to Africa and worked in South Africa. And when things calm down a bit I would love to go to Kenya and see the Serengeti and things like that, so there are still a lot of places I would like to go.
And what was the best thing about this Monsters vs Aliens for you?
I loved the story. I've never chosen a film based on a character; I am drawn to a story or I'm not. And I love the idea that they made a film that was telling people, young people, that it was alright to be different and not only was it alright but that thing that might make you feel awkward about being different could be your greatest quality. I don't think there is a more important thing to say to people.
And the character in particular, what did you like about him?
He's over the top, you know? I was making
24 when we were making this so I was living in the kind of reality of that. Then to be able to go do a voice like
that, and you yell as loud as you want and just be silly … Ah, it was a blast.
Interview by: Jenny Cooney, TV Week Hollywood Correspondent.
