One of the many films to world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival was director Glendyn Ivin’s Penguin Bloom. Based on the book Penguin Bloom: The Odd Little Bird Who Saved a Family by Cameron Bloom and Bradley Trevor Greive, the film tells the true story of what happened to an Australian family while vacationing in Thailand in 2013. While there, Sam Bloom (Naomi Watts) fell off a roof due to faulty railing, which left the lower two-thirds of her body paralyzed. As a lifelong surfer, traveler, outdoors-woman, and active mother to three young sons, with her just as active husband Cameron (Andrew Lincoln), she spent many months dealing with depression and trying to figure out who she now was. One day, her children brought home a wounded baby magpie, which they named Penguin, and over time Sam bonded with the bird, which began a process of emotional healing that surprised her husband and sons. Also starring Jacki Weaver, Rachel House, Leeanna Walsman, Lisa Hensley, Griffin Murray-Johnston, Felix Cameron, and Abe Clifford-Barr, Penguin Bloom is an inspiring and heartwarming movie that will remind you how lucky we are to be alive. For more on the film you can read Perri Nemiroff’s review.
Image via TIFF
Shortly after seeing the film I spoke to Andrew Lincoln and Naomi Watts. They each talked about how they got involved in the project, what it was like working with real magpies, why Lincoln picked this project as the first thing after wrapping on The Walking Dead, what it was like filming in the Blooms actual house and having them on set, and so much more. In addition, Watts’ talked about Boss Level, working with Jane Goldman on the Game of Thrones prequel and Lincoln shared an update on the upcoming Walking Dead movie which will bring back his character Rick Grimes.
Check out what they had to say in the player below and further down the page is exactly what we talked about.
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Image via AMC
Andrew Lincoln and Naomi Watts:
- How we screened Watts’ upcoming movie Boss Level in L.A. and it’s great.
- What TV series would they like to guest star on?
- What Penguin Bloom is about.
- Lincoln talks about why he signed on to this film after wrapping on The Walking Dead.
- Was Watts concerned about being able to make the movie because a Magpie plans a huge role in the role?
- How Watts had an interesting first day working with the magpie…
- How they filed in the actual house and how the family was extremely involved in the making of the film.
- What was it like for Lincoln to have the on-set photographer be the person that he’s playing?
- How this film reminds you that life can change in an instant.
- Watts talks about working with Jane Goldman on the Game of Thrones prequel and can she talk about who she would have played and the costumes?
- What can Lincoln say about the upcoming Walking Dead movie?
- Have they enjoyed being able to go outside and be anonymous due to wearing masks?
