Transformers - Megan Fox interview

MEGAN Fox talks about landing her first big film role in Michael Bay’s Transformers, performing her own stunts and becoming objectified for the sake of her art… She was speaking at a Saturday morning round table of European journalists. I was the only UK journalist in attendance.

Q. How did your friends and family react when you got this movie?
Megan Fox: I don’t think my friends and family – especially my family – really knew what Transformers is. They didn’t know what it was going to be about or how big it was going to be. They recognised the name Michael Bay and they definitely recognised Steven Spielberg, so there was excitement there. But my mum is incredibly proud of me.

Q. Did you ever take any notice of the fans once you were cast or visit any of the forums?
Megan Fox: I didn’t interact with fans and I generally don’t go on the internet for that sort of thing. But I did look at some of the blogs about the movie and they were saying shit like: “What the fuck are Shia LaBoeuf and Megan Fox doing in this movie? We want to see robots!” They were also freaking out that Bumblebee wasn’t a VW but a Camaro and stuff like that. But you have to understand this is a $140 million movie and you have to make it for other people as well. And I think Michael Bay did a great job of appealing to both fans and wider audiences.

Q. There are a lot of body shots of you in the movie? How do you feel about teenage boys dreaming about you?
Megan Fox: Oh great, what are you doing to me! Well, he’s very stylised. He was the first to be incredibly glossy in that way, so I kind of expected a certain amount of it. But if you’re asking whether I like being objectified, then no! But will I do it to work with Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg? Yes I will [laughs]! I wasn’t sacrificing my integrity for this film and I wasn’t naked in the movie. It wasn’t gratuitous. It was a cute shot. Teenage boys have those moments with teenage girls. It’s real – except it’s not real because in order to do it I was oiled up by a team of people!

Q. What was your experience of working with Michael Bay?
Megan Fox: He was a perfectionist and he’s very good at what he does. Nobody can put on screen visually what he does. He’s insane that way. Aesthetically, his films are amazing. And he knows everyone’s job on set and sometimes does it for you them if he has to. He’s a workaholic. He has the most incredible work ethic I’ve ever seen in a human being. And that is insane.

Q. Is it true that you had to get used to improvising a lot with Shia?
Megan Fox: He improvs constantly and improv is not something I was very familiar with. But he and I had a special kind of chemistry; we were able to listen to each other in a scene. That’s something a lot of actors don’t do. They’re not capable of really listening to the person they’re in a scene with because they already know their lines and it’s been rehearsed. We had the ability to listen to each other and to adapt and change it up. And that’s rare for a movie like this, with a budget this size. A lot of it was spare of the moment for Shia and myself but for the type of movie this is, that makes it special.

Q. How did you enjoy the physical challenge of the movie?
Megan Fox: I’m very lazy. I hire a personal trainer who is supposed to come three times a week. He comes to me – I don’t even have to leave the house. But if I get to one of those sessions I’m lucky. He’ll come to my house and I’ll be lying in the exact same spot he left me in. I’ll be like: “Not today! Not today!” So, for me to do these scenes was hard but fun.

Q. Did you enjoy doing your own stunts and did you ever find yourself competing with Shia?
Megan Fox: We did our own stunts not by choice but because Michael wanted us to. My stunt double was taller than me, so it was harder for him to use her and get her into the shots. But there was no competition to beat each other. I’m not interested in getting hurt. I’m a sissy!

Q. What was the scariest stunt you did?
Megan Fox: The scene on the freeway. That’s all real, except for the robot. We were in the Camaro and it had no mirrors anywhere on it. Our stunt guy, who is the best in the business, had to wear a mask so he couldn’t see in front of him and was down below the steering wheel. He couldn’t see what was going on around him and was being told where to go on a walkie-talkie. We were literally driving at 120mph with 300 other cars on the freeway, all being driven by stunt drivers, and they’re telling him where to weave in and out of the traffic. Shia and I were sitting in the car together with no seatbelts and no airbags just screaming because we were scared we could die. If anything was to go wrong, if one person dropped the ball for a moment, we all could have been dead. I was so scared.

Q. What kind of affect has Transformers had on your career?
Megan Fox: It’s not a lifestyle change. It’s opened many, many more doors because the industry is aware of me now that I’ve been in a big movie like this – just as they’re aware of everyone. It’s a lot easier to get into a room, basically. But they’re not sending me Oscar nominated scripts because I was in Transformers. I’m doing a movie now that I had to go in and read for. But I don’t have a problem doing that – and why would I? This is my first movie!

Q. Would you be interested in doing a sequel?
Megan Fox: Yes, I’d be crazy to turn down a sequel. I’m proud of this movie. This is my first movie. What do I have to complain about? Nothing!

Q. What are your hobbies?
Megan Fox: I draw and sketch a lot. I have a lot of visual art on my computer. Other than that I read, I’m very boring. I play backgammon and I also like bowling and pottery!

Q. What kind of books do you read?
Megan Fox: I was very into the metaphysical books for a long time. But right now I’m reading Michael Caine’s book on acting in films. I like reading books that provide you with knowledge that you previously didn’t have. And books you have a chance to grow as a human being after reading them.