The Oscar-nominated actress discusses tech and games in this exclusive interview.
Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis stars in Lionsgate’s Ender’s Game. The $100 million movie, which was shot in New Orleans, brings Orson Scott Card’s bestselling novel to life on the big screen. Davis plays Major Anderson in the new movie, which features cutting-edge technology to bring the video game battles to life in the Battle School sequences. The actress talks about gaming and the new movie in this exclusive interview.
Why do you think the book Ender’s Game that has been able to stand the test of time and stay relevant?
Because I think that it poses a human question that is timeless, which is: How do you train someone for war and violence without there being repercussions. I think that’s a story for the ages.
What were the challenges of bringing your character, Major Anderson, to the big screen from the book?
Well, the male-female thing wasn’t so much of a challenge. There’s just nothing about her that says, “Oh, dude.” But the challenge for me is presenting the other side of the argument, because really understand Grafts’ point of view too. If you are going to train someone for war, they have to have an understanding in strategy and even turning yourself off emotionally, compartmentalizing. But at the same time, presenting this other argument and trying to get through to this age old notion of a soldier being someone who is not even a human being. That was a challenge because I didn’t want it to seem strident, or just overwrought. I just wanted to be a person who literally just didn’t believe what she believed.
