Close-up: An Interview with Justice League actress Tina Balthazar

PRESTRIDGE² spoke to actress Tina Balthazar about her upcoming role in DC’s Justice League, superheroes and Halloween.

Q: Justice League comes out on November 17 in the UK. Can you reveal anything about your role in the movie? And how does it feel to be a part of such a massive project?

A: ALL I can say is that Lex Luthor is my boss and he is going to fire me if I talk too much. [laughs]

I feel privileged being given the opportunity to work with and to observe such an amazing talented cast and crew, who brought this major project to life.

It was strange though to go to work each day and see Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Mera and the Flash lingering around the coffee machine.

Q: Speaking of superheroes, do you have a favourite from the DC or Marvel universes? If you could choose any superhero, who would you be and why?

A:  I ROOT for Baby Groot!

But if I had to be a Superhero in real life I would choose to be Hancock because he does not hide his identity and is in line with his personality no matter how unpleasant it might be. In a way he is a man of integrity and I respect that.

The best part is that he does not have to change outfits 10 times a day.

Q: You have been described as having an incredibly poetic and gracious on-screen presence. From the work I have seen, I would definitely agree. How would you describe yourself as an actress and what kind of projects interest you?

A: THANK you. I am just glad no one has described my off-screen presence yet. [laughs]

I like to think of myself as a character actor. Observing people, studying their motives, fears and mechanisms that form their character, is what I love.

I could not name a certain kind of project that would interest me especially. Sometimes a script can be mind-blowing and the story is the star. Next time, the story might not be as compelling initially but there is a brilliant character that carries the movie into new places. Depending on the point of view, there is always potential.

But to make it a dream project, everybody involved needs to have a vision.

Q: Can you talk about your background and what inspired you to get into acting? Is there anyone you aspire to?

A:  I WAS always drawn to unusual characters – serial killers, for example. That is why I went on studying to become a profiler at first. But I discovered quickly that acting would give me a more versatile and creative approach to character study, which is what I truly craved.

There are many artists I admire – musicians, writers, actors and directors. But I have only one action figure standing on my shelf: Andy Kaufman.

Q: You have done several short films. They showcase your versatility as an actress. Do you like working in this format?

A: ABSOLUTELY.  I find short film just as exciting as any other format. It gives you the opportunity to work with many people within a short time frame. You also get to work on different stories and characters –  as well as learn from different work dynamics.
 
Q: With Halloween coming up, do you enjoy horror films and do you have a costume picked out for this year?

A: I LOVE horror films. When I was a little kid, I watched “The Shining” all on my own and it influenced me more than I would like to admit.

The problem is that since then no movie scares me.  I recently watched “IT” and although I enjoyed it, it was not scary. I am working on a red balloon costume.
 
Q: Lastly, do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

A: I AM lucky enough to get great auditions for international projects through my lovely agent Adam at RKA Talent.  Recently, I have been working on some promising scripts. We are crossing fingers so we soon get another home-run.

What I am proud to announce is that I have finished a project dear to my heart – my dog Funghus has finally learnt not to eat rabbit poop. [laughs]

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