Rita Ora spoke to The Hits Radio Breakfast Show’s Fleur East yesterday about her role in the new film ‘Twist’ - a modern day take on Charles Dickens' novel, `Oliver Twist'. In the quotes below, she speaks about doing her own stunts and working with Sir Michael Caine.
On the pressures of interpreting a classic “I think that this would be what Charles Dickens would have probably done if -- it was, what, 1839 when Oliver Twist came out for the first time. It was his interpretation of street slang and life on the streets. For us now, shooting it in this time, it's our interpretation of life on the street. So, I really love that I was a part of that progression.
“Artful Dodger was originally a guy so, to be able to do something so modern and put a flip on it, was something that, knowing me, I love a challenge. I was like, "Let's do it." I'm really happy we did.”
Rita spoke about the possibility of playing other male roles in the future “I mean, who knows? I think what's so cool about our day and age, and us growing up in this society now, is that things are progressing, you know. It's better late than never, and I feel like not just with movies, just in life in general. And, and for women and men and the gender roles, I don't really think that's as much of a priority as I think it used to be. And I really love that about the time that we live in, and I'm always gonna champion that. So, I think it's fantastic.”
On relating to the Artful Dodger “He was almost like my alter ego, my inner ego. You know, I grew up in, West London. I grew up in a Council estate, it was definitely something that I was familiar with in that sense. It was just actually fun because I got to be, kind of, more like, gangster with it all. And it was really cool to be able to, like, boss people around a little bit.”
She revealed she did some of her own stunts “Yeah, there were stunts on set, professionals. But to be fair, I tried to do my own as much as possible. But to be honest, Raff Law did a lot of his own stunts. And I was so impressed. If I could learn, I would definitely do it, you know. I definitely would love to learn.”
On how she’s loving working in film “I think why I love doing film now so much, as much as music, is that I genuinely can get absorbed into the character and not have to explain why I look the way I look. I always have been like that with fashion. I've never really explained why I dress how I dress.”
On working with Sir Michael Caine “I, obviously, had a million things to ask him, because he's just the best, and I'm such a fan of his, so there was everything about "Blowing the bloody doors off" how did that actually happen?…You know, there were so many things. I think at one point, he was like, "Okay now, can you just stop." No, he never did that. He was super supportive and helpful. I mean, he's just so iconic. I was really obsessed actually.”
On putting out some new music this year “Definitely. Of course. You know, that never stops flowing, you know. That ball will always keep rolling.”
Listen to Fleur East on The Hits Radio Breakfast Show every weekday morning from 6am - hitsradio.co.uk
