Alice in Wonderland: Interview With Tina Majorino (Alice)
Alice in Wonderland: Interview With Tina Majorino (Alice)
Recently Tina Majorino, the actress who played Alice, answered a few questions for me about the film. Here is the unedited interview!
1. First off, how has the 'Alice in Wonderland' experience affected you in the end?
Tina: Alice in Wonderland was probably the best movie I ever worked on. I came away from that feeling so confident. It was hard because I was Alice and you know....ALICE! It was really cool. I was so happy to be apart of the whole crew and cast which were both equally amazing. In the end I felt incredibly blessed to be apart of such an amazing project.
2. I understand the shooting began on 10 August 1998, but so few of us know when it was wrapped up.. could you fill us in?
Tina: Filming ended a week before Halloween. It was a long shoot but sooo much fun!
3. How did the time spent filming interfere with a so-called normal schedule?
Tina: What do you mean? If you mean school and everyday life we really lived a normal EUROPEAN life. Went shopping a lot, walked all over London and did fun stuff on our first trip to Europe. School was no problem. My school cooperated really well and sent me all my work so i could keep up to speed with classes.
4. Were you yourself able to help anyone during filming? For instance, I've heard you were a big help to Gene Wilder on the blue-screen.
Tina: Hehe, well Gene was soo great to work with. I like to do off camera work for my fellow actor people persons, so I always like to be there for them. That's something I would want for me, so I make sure that I'm there for them. ALWAYS
5. Was there anything scripted but not filmed, or filmed but later taken out? Anything you would've liked to see in, but didn't make it?
Tina: Not really Most of the film was put in....some dialogue was cut out...but that was to make it less chit-chattery you know? Nick, the director, was an amazing person to work with and he knows what he wants. He put together an amazing piece.
6. What was the most difficult special effect to work with?
Tina: The blue screen, but I liked it, because it was a challenge. I like challenges.
The most interesting?
Tina:The whole movie was a total challenge that's a reason i took it.
7. How did you feel about your costuming and makeup? From the looks of it it didn't look too comfortable.
Tina: The dress was okay. At my last day I took it off and crumpled it up, becuz I was always told to keep it "crease free" AHHHH! That surely is not TINA! I'm so cashy-comfy-funky
style. That was totally prissy! But it's my job, comes with the territory, so I don't mind.
8. Which scene was took the most takes to finally get right, and why was this?
Tina: I don't think it took so many takes to do any scene, more like set-ups. We had 10 to 14 set-ups a day. The tea party took 2 weeks. that's a long time, but the outcome was incredible. Martin short was great
9. Was it easy for you to memorize so many lines?
Tina: Yeah I guess. Memorizing is something that kinda comes easy to me, but the dialogue was sooo off-topic bouncing from one thing to another that it made it more difficult to fit dialogue blocks together.
10. Finally, who was the most influential fellow cast member during filming?
Tina: I think Gene Wilder and Robbie Coltraine. Gene was so sweet and professional, and it was great because I love Willy Wonka and he's sooo nice and such an amazing person and actor. It was an honor to be in a room with him! Robbie was a blast. he was one
of my fav's. It was like having my best friend there cracking jokes and having a blast playing our characters. It was wonderful! He's so talented as an actor and as a man.