A special thank you goes out to Disney for providing me with travel, accommodations, and this exclusive interview with Raffey Cassidy of Tomorrowland. Opinions expressed are that of my own.
“The future isn’t a place we’re going, it’s something we’re making.” Raffey Cassidy and her message to young people.
Myself and group of bloggers recently interviewed Raffey Cassidy about her performance and experience in the Disney Film TOMORROWLAND. During our time with her I witnessed a gifted, considerate, and motivated actress.
Ms. Cassidy is a young lady who has already had a successful career in TV and movies, playing in such roles as young Snow White in Snow White and the Huntsman and young Angelique in Dark Shadows.* George Clooney was quoted saying, “Raffey is spectacular and way too talented for her age…” and after speaking with her in person and seeing her in the role of Athena, I have to concur.
Thank you to Louise Bishop of MomStart.com for providing the exclusive interview photos of Raffey Cassidy.
We first started off our questions with how Raffey arrived in this career and film.
What got you into acting at such a young age?
She shared, “My brother went for an audition, and then they asked me if I wanted to have a go at it. So I had a go and then it started from there.”
This then lead into, How did you get involved in this movie?
She explained, “I went up for an audition, but first it was a self-tape at home and then I went to London to do another screen test. Then I went to America to do another, and after I found out that I got the part.”
How did you prepare to play the role of Athena?
She explained, “Athena has so many different qualities. She’s optimistic. She’s intelligent. She’s wise, and I put all of those together, and I always had an image in my head for a scene. It was never just go in cold into it and trying to create one in my head. I always had an image that would just help me.”
We then inquired, What did you take away from this movie and playing Athena?
Raffey told us,”Everybody should be very optimistic and feel that there’s a way around, if they’re in a bad situation. There’s always a bright side. I love how wise she is, like an old soul inside of a young body.”
This then lead into a group of questions about her role, Did you have to train for your Martial Arts Scenes?
She elaborated, “I trained for two months in gymnastics and martial arts, and then I went to Canada and did another month of martial arts and a bit of gymnastics. Then throughout six months of filming, I did another couple of days every week.”
This continued with, What were your feelings on driving the truck and learning to do that?
Raffey shared, “I really enjoyed it. It was so fun because I worked with an Amazing Stunt Team and they actually taught me how to drive. There was a scene where I had to go down a ramp and then stop. I started to get a little too confident, and I got too close. Britt just went “STOP!”. (She laughed, we all laughed).
Next, we asked What was your hardest scene to film in the movie?
She told us, “My hardest scene would probably be my end scene. It was a lot of lines, but once I learned them, it just flowed. George had a lot of eye contact with me, so it was easy to perform and it would have been hard if George wasn’t so good. He was just so professional and kept eye contact the whole time.”
We then asked a line of questions about working with him, we started with How was it working with George Clooney?
Raffey said, “I’d seen the Descendants and I really liked it. George is so down to Earth and I learned so much from him. He’s professional but really fun at the same time.”
We mentioned later in the conversation, George seems like a big kid, was he like that a lot on set?
She explained, “He played some funny jokes. One time towards the start of the shoot, we pulled upon a black monorail and the doors would open, and the camera would be there watching us. George thought I would be funny if we all ran to the side of the monorail and the doors would open and nobody would be there. So we did it, and everybody went wait, where’d they all gone?”She laughed recalling the moment.
See what George had to say about working with both Raffey and Britt Robertson in George Clooney’s Favorite Scenes from TOMORROWLAND.
It was then onto more questions about acting, Who were your role models, the people that you look up to and inspire your acting career?
She shared with us, “Britt Robertson, she’s somebody to look up to and admire because she’s a normal person and down to earth. She done so much and is kind and I really like Britt.” To learn more about Britt visit Britt Robertson Recalls What It Was Like Being A Hero In TOMORROWLAND.
Do you see yourself staying with acting, or do you want to pursue something else?
She gave us some insight,”At the moment, I’m so grateful for what I’ve had the chance to do. Maybe I’ll carry on doing this. I might change my mind when I’m older.”
We then asked about the future and her thoughts, What’s the message that you would tell girls your age about the future?
She gave us an excellent answer, “I’d say the future isn’t a place we’re going, it’s something we’re making. So it can be anything that they want it to be.”
Do you feel like the movie changed how you view the world now and the future? Did it make you more optimistic?
Raffey explained,”It made me so much more optimistic. It now makes me think about the future and how optimistic we can all be and how we can make it what we want.”
Do you consider yourself a part of the Dreamers?
She said, “I hope I’m a Dreamer”.
TOMORROWLAND is a riveting mystery adventure starring Academy Award® winner George Clooney. It tells the story of former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, who are bound by a shared destiny and 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.
Featuring a screenplay by “Lost” writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird, from a story by Lindelof & Bird & Jeff Jensen, “Tomorrowland” promises to take audiences on a thrill ride of nonstop adventures through new dimensions that have only been dreamed of.
The film also stars Hugh Laurie as brilliant scientist David Nix, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key and Thomas Robinson.
TOMORROWLAND is in theaters NOW! For more information visit the official website at Disney.com/Tomorrowland.
Are you excited about this new film? Who in your family will you be taking to the movie?
For additional details be sure to follow myself and other bloggers during the event via the Hashtag #TomorrowlandEvent. Plus, check out the film on Facebook at facebook.com/DisneyTomorrowland and Twitter at @DisneyPictures.
This was such a neat interview with Raffey, I loved her optimism, her love of acting, and her ideas about the future. To see what I thought of her performance and the film, visit TOMORROWLAND Review, A Disney Film With George Clooney and Britt Robertson.
FFM
* Source: IMDB Raffey Cassidy
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