Interview: Ving Rhames & Maggie Q

Actors Ving Rhames and Maggie Q recently talked about their involvement in the latest installment of the popular spy thriller franchise, "Mission Impossible 3." The film, co-written and directed by J.J. Abrams, features the latest adventures of super-spy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his Impossible Mission Force team.

Producer Paula Wagner explains, "What sets ‘M:i:III" apart from the first two is that we show more interpersonal relationships within the IMF. Ethan Hunt and Luther Stickell have been working together now for a number of years. They have a relationship that is based on a solid friendship that is explored in this movie. Tom and Ving as actors and J.J. as a director handle that relationship all with a wonderful irony, humor, and finesse." Ving Rhames, who reprises his role as computer expert Luther Strickell, agrees. In this film, says Rhames, it’s rewarding to see Luther’s relationship with Ethan explored in more depth than ever before. "In the first two movies, they never talked about their private lives," says Rhames. "These two guys are co-workers and friends; this time, they talk about the things that friends talk about. That’s what J.J. has done – he’s made these people humans apart from what they do for a living."

Rhames notes that Abrams’s directing style is, in some ways, like that of another director he’s worked with. "He reminds me of Quentin Tarantino and the youthful energy he brings to the set," says the actor. "I think that’s contagious with actors." Maggie Q comes to "Mission: Impossible III" as one of Asia’s most popular actors after starring in such motion pictures as Hong Kong’s box office smash "Gen-Y Cops" and "Naked Weapon." Born in Hawaii, Maggie was busy working in Hong Kong when the "M:i:III" call came. "I’ve been living in Hong Kong for eight years and wasn’t planning to do an American film," she says. "Now, my first American starring role is in a huge Tom Cruise movie. The scale of everything is so much bigger than in Hong Kong. Coming back to America has been a real culture shock."

"Zhen is a very tough, hard woman – a doer, not a talker," Maggie says of her character. "She works behind-the-scenes. Ethan is the front man of the operation, and Zhen is part of the team that helps make everything work."

To prepare for her role, Maggie underwent a rigorous training regime. In addition to cardio and toning, she underwent some strength training to gain muscle. She also went through martial arts training and boxed. "In movie fighting, you have to be a jack-of-all-trades," she says. "You can’t specialize – you’re often called upon to chameleon into different kinds of fighting."

After witnessing Jackie Chan and other Asian martial-arts stars willing to put their bodies on the line for their films, Maggie Q was impressed with Cruise’s willingness to perform his own stunts. "I’ve worked with Jackie Chan, and watching Jackie, you know he grew up in a Kung Fu school, he was in the circus – he had a tough upbringing and he’s a tough guy. There’s no doubt he can handle it. When I see Tom do the same things, that, I think, is amazing. Tom earns a lot of respect from the action director and the stunt people who know just how difficult everything is. Tom has an undying energy – when he’s acting, of course, but really, all the time."

Here’s what Ving Rhames and Maggie Q had to say about their roles in Mission Impossible 3:

Q. If we could begin, first of all, by individually, if you could tell us your respective characters and what particular roles they play in the IMF team?

VR. Luther, computer expert.

MQ. Zhen, Asian fighter chick, front line girl. (laughing)

Q. Beginning with Luther, because obviously he’s the only character who’s been in Mission I, II and now III. How good is it to be back in the Mission Impossible fold and even more so your character has been fleshed out a little more in this one?

VR. The beauty of this one for me in coming back is the script, J.J. Abrams and the other writers, the new cast members, the energy that they bring to the piece, the authenticity they bring, and the fact that we all had an extremely good chemistry with one other. So it was a chance to have some fun and make a good deal of money.

MQ. (laughs)

Q. Maggie, you’re new to the Mission team. Obviously, (to Ving) like you said, she’s very much kind of sort of the kick ass girl, always kind of no nonsense. How enjoyable was it to a) do the stuff that you did and b) work alongside the likes of Ving, Tom, J.J., and the rest of the cast? Although they’re very individual, it does seem as though there’s a very good chemistry between the whole team.

MQ. Absolutely. And you know, it happened really naturally which is always really nice. You never want to force anything and you never want to try to include something that you don’t feel. It was great that we felt that and then were able to incorporate that into what it was that we were doing for the film. Like Ving said, it was really well written. We had an incredible director who understood that the chemistry also was very important.

 

There can be directors who can work with actors individually and not understand what the whole of the group needs. And JJ is so good with actors’ needs, and he’s so good with seeing the big picture. I mean, there were times when he saw the big picture before any of us did. I don’t know about Ving but….even myself, I’d talk to the camera department guys and they’d say, ‘Oh my god, this is crazy.’ And then we’d do it, and they’d go, ‘My god. This guy is a genius. He really knows what he wants.’ And that clarity helps us as actors.

Q. Can you also tell us just how like minded, both of you, Tom and J.J. are? You worked with them. They’re both extremely energetic characters, very personable, and by the sound of it, very giving. How much does that help you and also how much can you take from them as well?

VR. What I love about Tom as an Executive Producer and even with J.J. To me, we work as actors in what I call a structured freedom. We have freedom to do things and move within certain parameters, and I think part of that is because J.J. as a director and Tom as executive producer/actor understand that sometimes actors do things, you know, – action and reaction -- Maggie may do something that I have to just react to. So having that kind of freedom I think just adds fluidity with the piece.

MQ. It’s a respect for what we can all bring to the picture because obviously we’re there for a reason. And J.J…. (to Ving) that’s a good way you put it. J.J. had an idea in his mind and then also respected us enough to give us the freedom to say, ‘Look. This is my idea. Whatever you want as well. Let’s just make this work. And let’s do it well.’

Q. Maggie, just tell me a little about the physical aspects of your character and how much training you did undergo for a role like this.

MQ. I did loads of training. I trained for several weeks before the film, and then I trained throughout the duration of the film. Only because you can’t just do some action, learn something, stop, and then start acting. It’s a process. It’s an ongoing process so whenever I wasn’t on set, I was back in the training room with the boys because you kind of have to keep your skills up. It is so much more complicated than you think it is because you have the action director behind the camera and the director. And all these different people saying, ‘OK. That was great. We loved the acting, but your footwork was wrong. Or the gun guy going, ‘OK. Now the gun’s not like that.’ There are so many elements, and it is really important to train for that because it’s not, not something that comes naturally at all. The technical stuff? No. Definitely not.

Q. Let me just sum it up. Ving, you’ve been in all three movies now. What do you think makes this mission different from movies I and II. What are people going to get that they perhaps didn’t get in the first two movies?

VR. More similar to the television series. You have the Mission Impossible team. And the importance of each team member. I also think because you have Tom and you have a love interest with his character, I think the scenes where he is in danger, also his loved one is in danger. His family is in danger. If something happens to him, what happens to them? So I think adding those elements with all of the high octane action puts this a level or two above Missions I and II.

Nicely put. Thank you very much for your time, both of you.