Talking about TOMORROWLAND with Britt Robertson #TomorrowlandEvent

Disclosure: This event and trip to LA was an all expense paid journey sponsored by Disney.  All thoughts, experiences, opinions and character crushes are 100% my own!

Talking about TOMORROWLAND with Britt Robertson

Last week, I travelled to LA to attend a press junket with 24 other bloggers for the film TOMORROWLAND. This included a press screening of the film, and a sit down interview with the darling Britt Robertson who plays Casey Newton, a bright teen with boundless scientific curiosity.

 

In TOMORROWLAND, young Casey teams up with Frank Walker (George Clooney), former boy-genius who has grown up jaded by disillusionment and has, quite frankly, become somewhat of a grouchy, bitter, middle aged man. Together they embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as “Tomorrowland.” What they must do there changes the world—and them—forever.

The interview. 

From the moment that she walked into the room, Britt was very poised and adorable. All smiles, she was warm and confident and very easy to talk to. I am so excited to see where her career goes, and I predict great things for this young star.

As you will see from her response to the interview questions, she is witty and very enthusiastic about her role as Casey in TOMORROWLAND:

Tell us about your reaction to finding out that you got this part?

Britt: To be honest with you, it was an overwhelming moment. It’s something that I still remember in my mind as being like the most euphoric feeling that I’ve ever had. I was happy and I was elated and I was crying and I was just so excited. It was such a cool movie to be a part of and I loved the story so much and also the people attached to it. I just knew that it was going to be a changing point for me in terms of career.

“I just knew that it was going to be a changing point for me in terms of career“~Britt Robertson

 

What was it about the movie that you liked?

Britt: When you read the script and the story, the story itself is really sweet, it’s an original idea and it’s something that I had never thought about. It covers the future and how we look at our future and how, as a society, we can actually influence our future and make it the world that we want to live in, and I thought that that was a really powerful message. Especially for a young woman to be the lead in a movie like this was really cool for me.

“…as a society, we can actually influence our future and make it the world that we want to live in, and I thought that that was a really powerful message. ” ~Britt Robertson

 

How much of you is there in Casey?  Similarities, differences?

Britt: I think her mindset is very different from mine.  Not so much anymore because I’ve adopted a lot of her. Her traits and characteristics. I like her and I think she’s a cool chick, but before, prior to this movie, I always looked at the future and being this ominous thing, and it was kind of daunting in this day and age to be so young in this world knowing what the future could bring.

What was it like for you to work with George Clooney?

Britt: Working with George, you know, going into it, you have all the expectations of a person like that. A movie star and what that means and, and for me, you know, if I was George Clooney, I don’t know that I would be able to handle it as well as he has. What was so surprising to me was how he’s just completely himself. Like, he hasn’t been lost in, in the process of becoming George Clooney.

He’s still the person that he wants to be and working with him, it made me realize you can still be who you want to be in this industry.  You don’t have to be tainted by the process or the people. He’s so professional and I learned a lot from him.

What was your favorite scene to shoot?

Britt: I loved all the pin experience scenes. There’s one in particular where I end up out in a lake. It was like a swamp really, and in Florida. But what was so cool about it was that in Florida in the swamps, there’s like crocodiles or alligators. Alligators.  That’s’ what it is.  Crocodiles.  That would be even scarier. I was on the hunt for an alligator the entire time I was there and we were actually out in the water and they had spotted some. So that and just being in the water and having to also create these little pin experiences, it was just a lot of fun.

What about like the, the baseball bat scene. How did that feel?

Britt: That was so much fun. What was so funny about it is they actually gave me baseball bat training lessons beforehand.  They were like, you know, practice with the bat.  Get used to, you know, hitting someone. They gave me like a dummy to practice on and I was like,” guys, I don’t need to practice for this. All I gotta do is just attack this man like he’s about to kill me and attack him with as much power as I have”, and I remember after that scene just going for it and George’s reaction is very real because they actually let me hit a stuntman for a lot of it, so George’s reactions were like “okay, that’s enough”. I think he was very real in trying to protect the guy.

How was it working with Tim McGraw?

Britt: So cool. It was, I mean, I love Tim McGraw like nobody’s business. I’m a huge country fan. In fact, when I first met him, I attacked him.  I was like, “you have no idea how much I love you!  I love your music, I love your wife, I think you’re the coolest!” But he was such a sweet man and he’s a family man. He has three daughters and just hearing his stories about his daughters was really sweet and I got to pretend I was his daughter for a second, so that was nice. 

What about working with Hugh Laurie?

Britt: Hugh Laurie is just such a gem. I remember being in the makeup trailer with him because I was often there when he was going through hair and makeup and wardrobe. He would be there and every day it was just like a new fun fact about life, but not even a fun fact.  He would give you like stories and and theories on life. He’s really informed of everything that’s going on, so I sort of looked at him like a book of knowledge, and he’s also really talented.  I would love playing music in the trailer and just like hearing him, appreciating it so much.

He played the piano at a bar when we were in Vancouver at one point. He’s very talented, musically, and I remember asking him, “when can I go?  Can I go?  Can I see you? I want to see you perform!” and the one day that I could have seen him we were shooting, so I ended up having to stay for stunt training or something, but I will get to see him one day.  I’ve got to go to one of his shows. And I would encourage you all to go to one of his shows if you can.  He’s incredible.

What did you learn from working with Raffey Cassidy (plays Athena)?

Britt: I’ll tell you the main thing that I learned from Raffey.  I remember early in the process working with Brad because he’s so involved and he has so much direction. As an actor, you’re used to taking the direction and kind of making it your own and I remember trying to do that a lot of times and he’d be asking very specific things and I would sort of have a conversation with him about it and then I would watch him give Raffey direction and all she would say is “Okay!”

After every single time. I was like, that’s how you take direction.  You just say okay and you do it and you’re professional and you just say okay. I like made a pact with myself from that point forward. I was like, I’m going to do what Raffey does and I’m just going to say okay and I’m going to give it my best shot.  Whatever he asks me to do, I’m just going to do it. It actually really worked out for me by the end of it because I just completely trusted Brad and I knew that his vision is the vision that we’re going to bring to life.

Her professionalism and her spirit throughout the entire film no matter how long the scene was, no matter what they were asking of her, physically, emotionally, she just did it.  She did it to the best of her ability and I think that’s a huge lesson for me.

Stay tuned for even more TOMORROWLAND excitement, as I will be sharing even more with you from my cast interviews and the screening of the movie itself! Check out my post about the TOMORROWLAND props and sneak peek to get a fun look at even more TOMORROWLAND excitement.

And … in case you missed it, Make sure to read my interview with George Clooney!

Remember the Future!

TOMORROWLAND is rated PG and hits theaters May 22nd, 2015!!

 

Check out this exclusive TOMORROWLAND sneak peek that will bring you into the world of TOMORROWLAND and tease you with the futuristic possibilities:

Follow all of the excitement in social media:

Like TOMORROWLAND on Facebook
Follow Disney Pictures on Twitter
Visit the official TOMORROWLAND website

Photo credits to Disney and Louise Bishop of MomStart.com

AND …  a very, very special thank you to the folks at Disney for this wonderful and once in a life time opportunity that I will NEVER forget!