[Dispatchㅣ Cannes (France) = Reporter Jung Tae-yoon] "It felt like everyone shared one experience together." (Alicia Vikander)

The day after the film 'Hope' (directed by Na Hong-jin) had its world premiere at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, Dispatch met with Hollywood actresses Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell.

Both saw the film for the first time the previous day. Alicia Vikander said, "I was immersed in the relentless action sequences for the first 40 minutes. It was the most extraordinary action sequence I've seen recently."

Taylor Russell nodded in agreement. She said, "The humor was really fun. Especially the Korean actors' performances were remarkable," and marveled, "It was acting where they poured everything they had into it."

'Hope' depicts events that unfold in Hopohang, a fictional village near the demilitarized zone. It is director Na Hong-jin's first creature film. Alicia and Taylor acted in it.

Alicia played the empress 'Jor'. She was a character who became empress despite being of commoner status. She flew toward the emperor, who was at war with the crown prince, and made an emergency landing on Earth.

Taylor played 'Aidobor', Jor's maid. She is a character who must educate in imperial etiquette and is also the crown prince's governess. These characters were completed through motion capture and facial capture.

To create four aliens of different ranks, dozens of designers from around the world developed designs. After approximately seven years of work, the final casting was completed.

Alicia is a longtime fan of director Na Hong-jin. When she received the casting offer, she immediately said "okay". She praised director Na Hong-jin, saying, "The director uses cinematic language richly and is a visionary director."

"In his previous work, he broke existing conventions and showed fresh things. This time, he went a step further and wasn't afraid to mix and explore genres he likes. I think he's the director who most boldly breaks rules and conventions."

Director Na Hong-jin was also a special figure for Taylor. She recalled, "Of all the directors I've worked with, he surprised me the most. Unexpected things blossomed during the preparation process with the director."

The two spent two years in conversation with director Na Hong-jin to complete their characters. It was a time to learn about the vast worldview of this alien existence.

Alicia hinted, "It seemed like the director already had a massive worldview," and added, "What you saw this time might be just the tip of the iceberg of a much larger narrative."

Some voiced regret over the brief screen time of the Hollywood actors. Alicia said, "Regardless of screen time, I believe that if I prepare sufficiently and commit to a role, it naturally conveys to the audience. I approached this role with that mindset."

Motion capture acting was a new challenge for both. Alicia explained, "It's a character with a different body structure from humans. I worked on it while confirming on the monitor that the limbs are longer and must move differently."

"Usually you can gauge whether the camera is wide or close-up. This time the parameters were completely different. I had to act while wearing a bodysuit and as if I couldn't see the camera in front of me. It was difficult, but I enjoyed it because I'm someone who likes difficult challenges."

Aidobor, played by Taylor, had to move her body in an animalistic way. She revealed, "The process of narrowing the gap between the alien who skillfully uses her body and myself who has to move while wearing equipment was difficult."

Still, she explained, "The good thing about creature acting is that there's no right or wrong," adding, "The permitted range was wide. I could enjoy it within that."

How did it feel watching the final result? Taylor said, "The humor was so good. I sat next to the Korean actors and watched it, and as they kept laughing, I thought, 'I guess I can laugh too.'"

"The dialogue I saw in the script was different from seeing it acted out. By enjoying the humor together with them, I understood it anew. It felt like a certain part of my brain opened through this experience."

They also shared their expectations for a sequel. Alicia said, "Over two years of conversation, I felt the director's thoughts continue to evolve. He said the story will eventually go to space. I think the sequel might develop as a story that opens that gateway."

Taylor added, "Director Na Hong-jin surprised me the most among all the directors I've worked with," and said, "If the director does it, I would gladly share that journey with him."

Meanwhile, the awards results for 'Hope' at the Cannes Film Festival are scheduled to be announced on the 24th.

<Photo provided by PLUS M Entertainment>