| Rachel Bilson Jumps onto the Big Screen |
|
|
| Written by Jillian Gordon | |
| Thursday, February 21 2008 | |
While most of us know bright-eyed and beautiful Rachel Bilson as Summer Roberts from the hit Fox series The O.C., my memories of Ms. Bilson are a little different. As children, we grew up together. Our fathers, both in the entertainment industry, worked together and we became fast friends. Back then, I could have never suspected that the girl with which I played elaborate games of Barbie, who fashioned me a paper towel evening gown at my big sister’s sleepover party and who knew all the words to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack might some day be gracing both the big and small screens as one of Hollywood’s most promising starlets. But this is precisely what makes Bilson so charming. Mere minutes into our interview, it’s clear. Though she may be starring in big budget films like Fox’s Jumper, Bilson remains the same fun-loving, down-to-earth girl I remember – a true breath of fresh air in one of the world’s toughest industries.  With so much to talk about, we jump (pardon the pun) into a conversation about Bilson’s latest project Jumper, based on the popular sci-fi book series. Jumper is an action thriller that explores the idea of teleporting and also stars Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson. Interestingly, Bilson was not originally cast in the female lead as Millie. The part was first given to actress Teresa Palmer, but after two months of filming and increasing budget costs, the leads were recast and Bilson won the role. “ It’s kind of weird how it happened. I didn’t know I was going to be doing the movie. They were already filming, but they decided to change the characters up so I was a recast. So I came in a little bit late in the game,” Bilson recalls. As luck would have it, Bilson found she had more in common with her character than she first realized. “She’s pretty cool. She’s so not afraid to speak up for herself and she’s very witty,” says Bilson. “She’s a strong, intelligent woman, which I think is important because there aren’t many in films today. She was fun to play. She was basically the closest character I’ve played to myself.” Not to say that playing one of TV’s most memorable vamps didn’t have its perks. Still, Bilson enjoyed moving beyond her comfort zone and exploring the wonderful world of stunt sequences and special effects. “I did as many of the stunts that I could so I could say that I did them,” Bilson laughs, remembering one instance where filming took place in large tanks filled with water – the same tanks used in the epic film Titanic. Holding her breath and doing her best to stay in character, Bilson got a crash course in underwater filming, an experience she now laughs off as “a bit of a challenge.”  While most of the film was shot in Toronto, the cast did get a chance to do some traveling. “We shot at the Colosseum in Rome which was amazing. We had it to ourselves a few hours before it opened and a few hours after it closed,” says Bilson. “We were in the Colosseum watching the sun come up. It was the most surreal experience.” When asked how she might use the ability to teleport herself anywhere she wanted at any given time, Bilson replies that the ability to travel all over the world sounds most appealing. “If you want to travel the world, there’s nothing better than not sitting on an airplane. I think it would be cool to travel and have it be that easy.” Given the increased speculation regarding the nature of Bilson’s relationship with co-star Hayden Christensen, I would have guessed she would have used the gift of teleporting to avoid those relentless paparazzi. It’s striking how removed Bilson seems from the chaos and fanaticism that often surrounds today’s young starlets. “I’m such a private person. Even when I was younger, I would be like, ‘I don’t want to go to the mall. I might run into someone from high school that I don’t want to see right now,’” she confesses. “So to be in this world it’s a bit odd, but I don’t have it as bad as some people.” Still, Bilson does her best to keep her cool when less than ideal circumstances arise. “It’s totally weird to have people follow you. I could be like getting gas and someone pops up and wants to take a picture. I try to ignore it and not let affect me.”  Having successfully made the leap from television to films, chances are that Bilson will have to try even harder to avoid the shutterbugs. But taking on Hollywood as a film star is still something new for The O.C. alum. “It’s definitely weird if you are on a show for four years and you are around the same people. It was really weird at first to know that you’re not going to go back to it,” she says adding, “It’s a family and you’re so close to everyone. It was cool to have that experience and now to move on to the next chapter. I’m just really grateful for it all.” Since wrapping the series back in ’07, Bilson has yet to have a chance to reminisce with her former cast mates but hopes to find a break in her jam-packed schedule to do so soon. “I haven’t really spoken to anyone since we wrapped. I hear from people, find out how people are doing. I need to give Melinda (Clark) a call. We need to get together!” Right now, Bilson is focusing on finding character-driven film roles she can sink her teeth into, confessing she has a long list of actors and directors she hopes to work with in the future. Big-budget or indie, Bilson is open to it all and ready to tackle it like a pro. “I’m open to whatever. I just want to work with directors and actors I respect.” While she may be a long way from Barbie and sleepover parties, little else has changed about the Rachel I knew way back when… except, of course, she’s a movie star. By Jillian Gordon Photos by Mark Hanauer Comments
(1)
Rachel Bilson's necklace
written by Katia , March 17, 2008
Does anyone know where the necklace worn by Rachel Bilson on this month's cover is from? It is three-layered with white doves/birds.
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
.jpg)