Gemma Arterton Comments On 'Quantum of Solace'

In a new interview with IGN, Gemma Arterton took some time to discuss how she landed the role of MI6 Agent Fields in Quantum of Solace, screentesting with Daniel Craig, the stereotypes of being a “Bond girl” and much more.

‘I went to two auditions,’ said Arterton, when asked how she secured the role. ‘I was in a play at the Globe in London and the casting directors came to see me in it. I was playing a very Bond girly type of role, but Shakespeare. It was Rosaline in Love’s Labour’s Lost, and she’s very haughty and sharp. They asked me in for an audition, which I never thought I’d get. Then I got a second audition where I met the director and everyone, then I had a screen test which was petrifying, then I got the part.’

‘You grow up watching them and they’re so glamorous. It’s such a huge part of British filmmaking–it’s just a privilege. And more than anything, it’s so that my grandkids can say their gran was a Bond girl. They’ll be like, “Look at her now, you’d never know!”‘ – Gemma Arterton on being a Bond girl

Arterton also confirmed that she did get to screentest with Daniel Craig: ‘I had to do a scene from this Bond. I hadn’t read the script so I didn’t know anything about anything, which was quite nice actually, and it was such a bizarre day. You go in and have all your hair and make-up done, and I was so scared. They make you look as great as they can and then you go on set and there were literally about 60 people looking at you and thinking, “Could she be a Bond girl?” Everyone’s eyes are on you and everyone’s whispering and looking. It’s so uncomfortable, but you have to do it because the producers have to see what you look like.’

‘I acted a scene with Daniel and it was very brief. He said, “Hello, how are you?” And I said, “I’m really scared.” And he said, “Don’t worry.” We did the scene and he said, “Well done.” And that was it. Then the director Marc Forster said, “OK… good luck.” And I thought, “No, I’ve lost it.” But I didn’t, so that was great.’

When asked what her character in Quantum of Solace was like, she said: ‘I’m actually an agent and I work with him, though I think I’ll automatically be called a Bond girl. But in that way I suppose you could call M a Bond girl. She’s very typically Fleming because in the last Bond, and this Bond with Olga [Kurylenko’s] character Camille, they’re very independent and strong women out there for themselves.’

‘My character’s very, very cute. It’s nice because these Bond’s are so different–there’s something much more edgy about them, and my character’s like an homage to the ’60s Bond girls [Arterton cites Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg as two of her favourite Bond leading ladies], which I love.’

‘I have a little bit of a fight, but Olga’s character is the fighting Bond girl.’ – Gemma Arterton

She then confirmed that the Quantum of Solace cast and crew would next be heading out to Panama, while also stating that she would only be involved in the London and Panama location shoots for the film.

Arterton also dismissed the fears of being stereotyped, saying: ‘Even though she’s got this Fleming thing going on, there’s something very different about my character–she’s not a femme fatale and there’s lots of facets to her.’

There’s much more. Visit IGN for the entire interview.

Keep your eyes on the CommanderBond.net main page for all the latest news and complete coverage of Quantum of Solace.