Director-producer Mike Newell’s portfolio is filled with important movies such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Mona Lisa Smile, Donnie Brasco, High Fidelity, Traffic, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He is quite hopeful about his upcoming movie Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
Mike Newell says that he liked the script a lot and added “I like real stories. The movie might be a fantastic storyline but it integrates a number of real stories. You present mystical elements one by one then you give the whole picture. That way you obtain a very powerful opening.”
-Prince Dastan’s character is very strong, he is disobedient but also very righteous. He is natural and handsome. Jake Gllenhall fits this character perfectly. Did you have him in mind right from the start?
Mike Newell: I’ve known Jake since he was a little boy. His father is a great director and his mother is a writer and scriptwriter. His sister Maggie Gyllenhaal is also a superb actress. Compared to many young actors, Jake is more sensitive, delicate and natural at the same time.
As I said, I’ve known him since he was a little boy. No one besides Jake Gyllenhall could play the role of Prince of Persia who is very handsome with a street boy image and an anarchist soul. He was the first name that popped in my mind. Nevertheless I still watched 30 or so actors. But Jake Gyllenhall was the only candidate in my mind. He really matched the character very well.
-What about the lead female actress Princess Tamina? How did you decide on Gemma Arterton? The chemistry that Jake and Gemma have on the white screen is impressive.
Mike Newell: Believe it or not, I was going to travel to Middle East and Bolywood to find Princess Tamina. Then they suggested Gemma Arterton. She came and we met. She was a white actress. We would have to use “fake tan” to make her look tan. While I had question marks in my head, she impressed me with the many different accents she could make. I was convinced on the spot. Then we liked each other a lot. She is a brilliant actress with a great future. She is natural and modest like Jake.