The Lego Movie 2 is such a fun film. There is a great cast of so many talented people and I love playing Harley Quinn [the character I reprise from Suicide Squad], so [I was excited] to get back into character.
As it’s animation, you obviously don’t have the power of expressing yourself physically – only with your voice. It [was challenging, but it] was a lot of fun.
One of the most difficult things to discover when I first knew I had the role of Harley Quinn was to find endearing qualities in a character who does some pretty horrible things. I read the comics, researched online and ultimately I think it’s her soft spot for The Joker that people will empathise with and which makes her real.
I have been so fortunate with the people I have worked with. Not only have I gotten to work with legends like Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese, but they have all been great people as well who I count as friends.
The industry is gravitating towards female leads and women are getting a real voice. I think it is finally realising that as many women go and see movies as men – tickets sales are the same for both genders, so you have to appeal to the female movie fan as well. The superhero genre has given women a platform over the last few years, and that can only be a good thing.
Initially I was quite sceptical about producing, but if anything I found that it actually complemented my acting. It gives you a real emotional investment in the film as well, and I actually looked at I, Tonya [which I both acted in and produced] like it was my baby.
It’s not so much playing the [archetypal role of the] girlfriend that I have an issue with – I want the main interest to be in the character [I am playing] and not the relationship she might have with a male character. Take Harley Quinn. She might have had a relationship with The Joker – but at the same time she is cool, a badass and an interesting character.
The roles I am getting are just so exciting and so complex that they can’t fail to keep me wanting more. I am loving producing, of course, and in a few years I would even like to try directing.
I lived in London and just fell in love with the place. But I moved to Los Angeles because I was getting fed up with living out of hotels and it made sense work-wise. I have family in Australia and good friends in London, but in this era it’s so much easier to stay in touch.
I love going back to visit London and it feels like home in so many ways. The Gold Coast is [truly] home, though, so I want to go back soon and see friends and family. From a purely vacation point of view, my next spot would be Tahiti.
You could spend so long in Australia – it’s so big and there is so much to see. You have Melbourne and Sydney, which for me are two of the best cities in the world. The Gold Coast is beautiful, and I love diving so [I recommend visiting] the Great Barrier Reef.
I never wear makeup on the plane, and I always pack a little skincare routine I have that is ideal for travel. The complexion pads by Peter Thomas Roth are great for when you’re on the go – you wipe them over your face and you feel so refreshed. Face masks are great as well, especially on long-haul flights.
SEE ALSO: James McAvoy: “You can only ever… be as good as the people you work with”
This article was originally published in the February 2019 issue of SilverKris magazine
