I was pleased to attend a round table interview with the incredibly talented young actress Jojo Regina who plays the young Kya in the film Where the Crawdads Sing. This was Jojo’s first major movie role and as you will see when you watch, I think she is headed for an amazing career.
Did you get to meet animals at the marsh?
Yes, I did. I got to pet a skunk, I got to feed it. Surprisingly, skunks like biscuits. I also got to pet a lot of snakes, really big snakes. I also got to see alligators and there was this huge, huge alligator. That it was probably like, big adult alligator and then there were some small alligators so I got to pet a lot of animals.
How did you prepare yourself mentally for the heavy scenes in the film?
So most of it I used my imagination and I thought about what Kya was going through and how she would feel during those scenes. I don’t like when people argue or get hurt, so I think about what has happened to me before and how I felt when some people in my life passed away. So I just used that.
How did you tap into the emotional scenes and did you have people to coach you?
I had the director and my dad who was my coach. But for those scenes, there is one specific memory I think about, it was about when my puppy passed away. It passed away I think maybe a year before and I was super upset about it. So I thought about that.
What was your biggest challenge while filming this movie?
Well, the biggest challenge had to be the heat. It was so hot all the time of onset. But yes, I did get to drive a boat, which was a lot of fun. I learned two ways to dock, I learned how to T dock and finger dock. The challenge was definitely the heat.
Did Reese Witherspoon, who produced the film, or any of the actors give you any advice since this was your first film?
She said that I was doing good and that she had been watching the dailies and I made her cry in a good way. Daisy also said I was doing good and to do what I’m doing and you know, just be me, but also be Kya.
What was the most surprising thing for you on set and while filming this movie and what are some parts last set of lessons that you learned?
I think I mostly knew that it was going to be based outside. I learned that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. There’s a little Kya seed of hope in all of us.
Can you share with us what you have coming up next?
Oh, yes, I actually can. I can tell you a little bit about it. It’s a movie where I’m going to be playing a lead role opposite another amazing actress. I’m gonna have so much fun doing this.
Who inspires you?
I think Reese inspires me because she started off as an actress like me, and now she has a company that’s turning books into amazing movies and TV shows. So she’s really amazing.
What did you learn from your character in this movie?
I learned how to drive a boat. I learned to be very strong because Kya is a very strong girl. She’s very adventurous and hopeful, kind of like me. That is some of the things I learned from her.
Watch the full interview below:
Where the Crawdads Sing will be available on digital on September 6th and on Blu-ray and DVD on September 13th.
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