Interview with Phoebe Waller-Bridge: “The hard work never stops”

The fifth Indy part and yet a premiere: The London actress, director, producer and author makes her debut in “Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Destiny” as Indy’s goddaughter Helena Shaw. While Harrison Ford as Indy has to try to get used to his new-old role in this part of the adventure work, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character is already in the middle of the world in which the strongest or smartest person wins and at the same time all against them have to fight time.

MUSIKEXPRESS got ten minutes of speed talk time with the all-rounder (“Fleabag”, “Crashing”) and used the time for a conversation about the magic of the film, pulling self-confidence out of calm, mobile phone games and James Bond .

Conclusion: Phoebe Waller-Bridge is not available for superficial conversations and so even an interview in less than a quarter of an hour is the best deep talk.

ME: You grew up with the Indy movies. But more than that: Up to four, you believed Indiana Jones was a real person. How did that happen?

Phoebe Waller Bridge: Indiana Jones was so anchored in the culture at the time that I thought: It just has to be real. I was also so young that I didn’t know how films were made. This early childhood is a very special phase anyway – when you see the world without all this background information. Then you perceive things without a double bottom. And I just believed that everything I saw in the Indiana Jones movies actually happened and existed… Come to think of it, to a certain extent, it still is. I’m definitely not alone in that. Adults just don’t like to admit it anymore.

What moments on film felt more like magic than actual hustle?

I don’t want to spoil it, but there’s that moment towards the end when we walk into a very specific cave and you can see cobwebs, sculptures and all in all so much detail amidst the scene that you don’t even know where to look first . And I’ve always wanted to be an actress walking into a cave with that awe-inspiring gaze. Because these are the scenes in a movie that I used to love most, even sitting in front of the television, simply because the characters seemed so completely overwhelmed by what they were seeing. That got me excited. And thanks to the detail-obsessed set design, I could now walk around with this amazed all-round view – without having to think about acting. I looked in awe because it felt so real to me at that moment. Everything looked incredibly beautiful and that made me particularly emotional that day. From the start, it was like my 10-year-old self walking with me on set and saying to me right on the scene, “You finally did something cool!”

So for you, cool means magic?

Well yes. There was also something magical about it, that it felt like we were seeing something together as a film crew for the first time. And it was easy to believe, too, just because there was such a unique vibe on set. Add to that the really wonderful light design and a Harrison that looks like it does. And when you’re asked to climb through real rocks, it doesn’t get any more real than that.

And how do you create the right mood if the surroundings don’t allow it?

That’s what people like me get paid for, right? That the magic just seems to fly to me when I’m in front of the camera – no matter what the surroundings are like. If it were really that easy, you would probably be the happiest person in the world. Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy. But actually, I’m trying to keep my imagination alive by keeping that kid alive inside of me that thinks an Indiana Jones like that can really exist. But a good script also does a lot of work for you. It just doesn’t help to go all the way. To do this, you have to create a switch or a portal for yourself so that you can travel somewhere else really quickly. And I got myself a switch like that, I can do it. But I didn’t have to flip it for Indiana Jones because I was catapulted straight into this new reality—both filming and reading. Seriously, I had tears in my eyes when we shot the ending. It was so imaginative and full of ideas that I didn’t need to do any creative work myself.

Before I get creative, I play Sudoku on my phone. That always helps me.

Real? Sudoku? So you’re more of a numbers person. I, on the other hand, a words girl. I always play in moments like this waffles on the phone. I’ll show you that…

I didn’t know that and now I have to try it! I definitely like all kinds of games that have some kind of structure to follow. Your structure for playing Helena Shaw in Indy was that you rather messy should tackle. Does that mean you also had room for improvisation?

There wasn’t a lot of room for improvisation, which was a huge relief for me as an actress. I could hold onto the script so clearly. And yes, for the action scenes I had a brief not to perform too slick or cool. Which is also relaxing for me. Anything else would have meant a lot of work for me. (laughs) But I think it also makes viewers feel more like they’re dealing with a real human being with the on-screen Helena – who, while she brings an unusual level of courage and fearlessness when spoken to by a moving vehicle at a moving plane – but she only does that because it seems to be the only way to the goal. And you can tell that she has no plan as to whether the situation will go well for her or whether she cannot master it so ideally – but she has to get through it. I felt the same way about the shoot. I liked that.

What makes you feel confident?

Oh god, this is hard. Because strangely enough, just this kind of press work and promoting a film in general makes you feel more vulnerable than usual. You’d think this is a phase where actors in particular are feeling more confident than ever – but in the end, the film hasn’t been seen by the whole world and opinions can go in any direction. And for me, so much time has passed since the shoot… I worked hard on it and I’m very vulnerable at the moment. I tend to feel more self-confident during quiet times, when I can also get to know and understand myself better. So when I’m reading, walking, and taking time out from everything, I don’t necessarily feel the most confident, but I do feel the most confident. Because these are the moments when I can actively feed my brain and be outside a lot. It’s less confusing than these press tours.

I thought that interviews can help to better reflect on one’s own work and to find oneself super.

In moments like this, it’s hard for me to be completely in the moment. I tend to zoom out and later look back and think, “Oh, that was actually pretty good.” And just because you feel like you’ve done something good doesn’t necessarily leave you feeling confident next good thing grow.

That is depressing.

Well or exciting – depending on how you look at it. So I don’t rest on my laurels and tick something off as easy because I’ve done it before. Because then I would underestimate the work that was necessary to get to where I am now. In fact, I’ve noticed quite often that people say to themselves, “I just did this good thing, so I have to be brilliant.” But that’s a fallacy and it doesn’t stop that you have to work hard for something. And as long as I keep that in mind, I keep my discipline and work just as hard for the next goal.

Are your Indy colleagues similarly tough? What did you get out of your time with them?

That they are such professionals, that they approach their work with both fun and a good deal of seriousness, and yet never lose their lightness. They’re all just titans. And I’ve never seen titans of this size at work. If you watch a Harrison Ford on set day in and day out, you’ll find that he never complains. He always makes sure to get the job done efficiently while treating everyone with respect. I want to learn that from him.

One last important question: could you imagine becoming the next James Bond?

But that’s a man!

A very diplomatic answer. Please wink once if you feel like it.

(laughs)

“Indiana Jones and the Wheel of Destiny” (director: James Mangold) has been in cinemas since June 29, 2023.