In the first part, Ana was discovering herself and another world. In the second part, Ana became a mature woman and that was really interesting to show.
How excited were you to be back on set with Jamie Dornan?
– Yeah, it was great. I got to be back with my character and the cast. It was really special. We’re like a family so it was great to see each other again.
Do you have any trouble with sex scenes?
– It’s always a bit difficult at first. It usually goes on for hours and we have to break it down into small chunks. After that it’s just work and we don’t really think about what’s going on.
So you must be familiar with those scenes by now?
– Not really, because it’s different every time. There are a lot of sex scenes in this movie. In some cases, I had to simulate sex for 7 hours. It’s not comfortable at all. It’s really tiring.
Did you find acting easier in part two?
– Yeah, we took a lot of the pressure off. We knew what we were getting into so we decided to be more relaxed. It’s a long road and there’s a lot of work to be done. We’re also more in control than we were the first time around.
You must be very confident with your body?
– I don’t know. I was taught from a young age to be confident, to respect and love myself. I’ve always admired women who never worry about what other people think. I grew up in an environment where being interesting was more important than being beautiful.
So have you ever used a stunt double in nude scenes?
– Never, because if I ask for a stunt double, I feel like I’m avoiding my role. Once I accept this role, I will do 100% and dedicate everything to the role. I want to act as realistically as possible. Moreover, I don’t hesitate to strip. I think it’s very beautiful and so I’m completely comfortable.
Did you discuss this role with your parents?
– No, but both my mother (Melanie Griffith) and my grandmother (Tippi Hedren) are women who have done shocking roles. I find it interesting that my mother has done the same thing. They are completely supportive. They understand that it is acting and that I don’t always do these roles. My father is supportive, even though he doesn’t plan on seeing the film. In fact, neither of them went to see it.
What was it about the character Anastasia that made you want to do this movie?
– I think it’s a great story. It’s very different so I wanted to be a part of it. I like the kind of woman Ana wants to be: strong, sexy and full of self-respect. I think Ana is an extraordinary and very strong woman.
How would you describe the relationship between Ana and Christian?
– Both found each other’s Achilles heel (weakness). They are completely different personalities but gradually discovered and conquered each other’s hearts.
Do you think it’s a love story?
– Yes, 100%. I think it’s the cutest love story of all!
The movie received a lot of criticism, did that make you sad?
– I don’t have Twitter, Instagram or Facebook and I don’t have any friends. I’m not the type of person who reads bad things that people who don’t know me well write. It just goes down the drain. Sometimes it hurts and I don’t like to be associated with what people think of me. But now the movie is really something that people care about. It’s fun to be involved in something controversial.
’50 Shades Darker’ had almost all the hot scenes cut out when released in Vietnamese theaters
After a day of postponement, 50 Shades Darker was released in Vietnamese theaters with a C18 rating (no audience under 18 years old). The film caused a stir because the Film Review Council (Ministry of Sports, Culture and Tourism) cut sensitive scenes.
According to IMDb , the original film is 118 minutes long and is rated R to restrict viewers under 17 years old in North America. The Vietnamese theatrical version is only 111 minutes long, including the length of the end credits.
Each of the six love scenes in the film has been cut by about a quarter of its length. The first love scene shows 10 seconds of the two characters cuddling with their clothes on, then the scene changes. The scene of the two main characters being intimate in the bathroom has been cut to only fleeting images like in the trailer. There are no explicit sex scenes. The scene simulating sex is shown for 10 seconds, then the scene changes. In the most intimate scenes, the male lead is mostly shown with his clothes on. The most anticipated scene in the film – the physical play in the Red Room – is cut the most violently. The scene only shows the female lead entering the room, curiously asking about the purpose of the sex toys such as whips and clamps. When the two of them are about to approach each other and hug and kiss, the scene suddenly changes.
Many viewers expressed their disappointment at the scene being cut. Ms. Hoang Khanh, a viewer in Hanoi, said: “The movie was cut all over. The most innovative thing about the 18+ rating for the movie is that we got to see Jamie Dornan’s butt (the Irish actor who plays the main character in the movie)”. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Nam (24 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) said: “It made my mood drop. Every time it reached the climax, it was cut. Scenes that were expected to be exciting were cut out. Some of the most 18+ details were just the female lead character baring her chest and walking around the room, while the male lead revealed his backside.”
Screenwriter Trinh Thu Thuy commented: “Basically, the cuts in the film do not affect the plot content but make the film’s rhythm stumble, destroy the romantic and affectionate atmosphere of the story, and make the viewer’s emotions fall. Some love scenes become fake because there is not enough time needed to describe the affectionate actions between the two characters.”
Director Vu Xuan Hung, Chairman of the Film Appraisal Council (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), affirmed: “It is not true that when films are classified by age, violent or sexual scenes are more widely disseminated than before. The new circular is only to classify works and audiences more reasonably. The classification of films by age is still subject to the influence of the prohibitions in cinematographic activities (Article 11 of the Cinema Law and Decree 54 detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Cinema Law and the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Cinema Law).”
Fifty Shades Darker is not the first 18+ film to have its length cut since Vietnam implemented a new circular on labeling films released in Vietnamese theaters on January 1. However, this is the work that has been cut the most in Vietnamese theaters since the beginning of 2017. On February 10, the violent film John Wick: Chapter 2 had three minutes of violence cut, but it did not affect the flow of the film or the emotions of the audience.
