The Meg was nice change of pace for scuba-diving lover Jason Statham
English actor has always loved films about the ocean
Jason Statham looks set to come face to face with what may be his most fearsome on-screen foe to date - a 23m-long prehistoric shark.
In action thriller The Meg, the 51-year-old plays Jonas Taylor, an undersea rescue diver who was at the top of his game before a terrifying brush with the massive titular creature powerful enough to crush the hull of a nuclear submarine sent him into a self-imposed exile.
But the emergence of a megalodon at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean is threatening the lives of a crew from an oceanic research institute off the coast of China, and Jonas could be their last and only hope.
Opening here tomorrow, The Meg features an international ensemble, including Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson, Ruby Rose, Winston Chao, Masi Oka and Cliff Curtis.
What drew you to The Meg?
The first thing I consider when reading a script is whether I can do justice to the role. The Meg played to my fascination with the underwater world and love of scuba diving. So it was very appealing to me - and a nice change of pace. It is probably the first movie I have done in a while where I am not running around with a gun (laugh).
It came with some nice perks. During some time off from production, I went diving in Fiji and hand-fed bull sharks. That was the pinnacle of my scuba experiences over the past 10 years.
I dive recreationally. Whenever I am near open water and have the time, I try to stick on the mask and fins. It is incredibly peaceful, especially when you have reached the point where you can become comfortable underwater. You can get fingertip close to creatures you would never see anywhere else.
As you become more experienced, you begin looking for dangerous elements - like sharks.
The Meg played to my fascination with the underwater world and love of scuba diving.Jason Statham
Scuba diving requires a fair amount of discipline, concentration and confidence. Filming underwater sequences can be tricky, and my experience as a scuba diver continues to be a big help in these situations.
I learnt to scuba dive many years ago, when I filmed (2002 action flick) The Transporter.
My progression towards scuba certification was unorthodox because I learnt to dive in a cave. My instructor back then was a tough military type, who was a bit "off book" - sometimes he would rip my mask off, with no warning. It was an intense few weeks, but it really got me hooked.
I have always been into movies about the water, and fascinated by the world of free diving, which I was introduced to by watching the (1988) film The Big Blue. It was amazing how those divers could travel 600 feet underwater on a single breath.
One of the more challenging water scenes in The Meg must have been when your character Jonas tags the megalodon, which then drags Jonas at high speed. What do you remember about filming that scene?
When I read that scene in the script, my first thought was, how are they going to film this? I knew it would be a big popcorn, audience-pleasing moment. We were out in the ocean all day long and it was very cold. You have to be resilient in doing scenes like that, but I'm always up for the challenge.
What kind of set does director Jon Turteltaub run?
Jon is a real comedian. He is an absolute pleasure to be around because he never takes things too seriously. He has the entire weight of a big movie resting on his shoulders, but he is always about having a good time on set.
We had such a laugh making this movie. A lot of that was due to Jon.
You are part of a big international cast that represents China, the US, Britain, Iceland, New Zealand, Japan and Australia. Did that have any impact on your experience?
I often work with an international cast and crew, and I have always enjoyed it.
It is a proper reflection of society. Working with an international cast, especially with actors from China, is familiar to me. I have made many movies with Jet Li, and a lot of the martial arts choreography teams I worked with throughout my career have been Chinese.
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