By Gill Pringle
The film looks very gritty, like you’re really getting down and dirty. How was it?
Harry Styles: Yeah, it was definitely hard and physically draining. But I think everyone on set was aware that – obviously in comparison to what the real soldiers went through it was nothing – so there wasn’t really enough room for complaining. Chris [Nolan] creates this environment that is so infectious with him being so passionate about the project that everyone wants to work harder for him, and the sole focus of the whole thing is just to make the film as good as it can possibly be, so I don’t think it leaves too much room for any kind of personal discomfort to take over your mind.
Did you audition?
HS: yeah, I think I went through four or five auditions.
Fionn Whitehead: Originally, we were given scenes to tape that were not from the script at all – it was this super-secretive audition process so we didn’t have a script and we didn’t know what roles we were going for. It was quite secretive at the beginning but as we got further down the line, we were given a scene and, even then, no one knew whether or not it was from the script.
Did you feel like you had to go the extra mile, being the pop star on set?
HS: I didn’t want to try and over compensate too much. I kinda just wanted to go and do what Chris wanted me to do, and that was it really. I went in with no idea of what it was going to be like. I just wanted to do what I was told, really!
FW: I can vouch for the fact that there were no egos involved in the making of the film, everyone was really there because they wanted to be there – Harry included.
Was there any point Fionn when you realised you were the emotional core of this film and you were carrying this on your shoulders?
FW: There was definitely a lot of pressure but I think there was a lot of pressure for everyone, stepping onto Chris’ set. You really have to bring it. That’s a very American phrase, isn’t it?! But you really have to bring something to the set which requires a lot of work, a lot of research and a lot of prep, and just being ready as soon as you arrive. But I think that goes for everyone to be honest. But the way he works on his set is that he puts you at ease very quickly and he does that in order to get the best out of everyone, so I think the more comfortable you are with your surroundings and the people you are working with, the work will always be better.
Harry, lots of teens who wouldn’t normally be interested in such themes will now go and see the movie. How do you feel about that?
HS: I think when it comes out, people will realise that it’s not just for people who are interested in history. It’s such an emotional, character-driven story that obviously happens to be set within this incredibly important piece of history, which kind of makes it all the more meaningful and emotional. I think anyone going to watch it is going to realise it’s not just a guns-blazing typical war film so I think if you like movies, you’ll enjoy it.
FW: I think Chris transcends those barriers anyway. His films are so amazing that everyone wants to see them. It’s one of the best things about them is that whether you’re a movie buff or you know nothing and just enjoy going to the cinema; whether you’re old or young, everyone loves going to see his films because they are such a thing to behold and such a spectacle.
What was the reaction of your families? Do you have any ancestors who were in WWII?
FW: My granddad is ex-military, he was in Korea and Burma. I think he was quite proud that I was part of talking about such an amazing event and such an integral event of history in general, particularly British history. If it had gone a different way, there’s a lot of historians that argue the outcome of the waw could have been very different; it shaped the world and especially the UK, in a very significant way, particularly in terms of the spirit of Dunkirk, it set the tone for the UK in the war and how they would respond to the situation. It was a real coming together of communities and support to help each other get through this time of crisis.
HS: I have a lot of friends who had parents who were a part of it. My granddad wasn’t at Dunkirk but he was in the RAF so he’s very excited to watch this and is proud that I am part of telling this piece of the story.
Harry, once you decided you wanted to get into acting, did you leave it wide open in terms of any projects that came your way or did you have something specific in mind?
HS: I think the first thing I sort of heard was that Chris was going to do this film and that was the first thing that made me go: “I’d love to be involved in it.” I’m a massive fan of his films and I think him doing this is really interesting and what he’s done is incredible. If you’re into films at all, it’s hard to not be like: “Oh yeah, I’d love to be involved in that.”
Is there a thrill about acting that you can’t get from being on stage?
HS: Yeah, it’s totally different. I think on stage, you’re obviously putting so much of yourself into it and with film I think it’s the total opposite; you’re trying to completely remove yourself from your character and play that and not put any part of you in it at all, so it’s totally different really.
How do you see your future in acting? Would you like to do something every few years?
HS: I don’t really know. I think with this one, I just loved the idea of the project and it was something that – had I not been involved at all – I would have been really excited to watch it. I haven’t really thought too much about it, other than that. I’m just really proud of this.
Did you work with an acting coach for this?
HS: It was kind of a last-minute thing going for the audition so I just got the sides and went and read. But I think me being nervous, I guess probably helped a little; really put me on edge as they obviously would have been.
Fionn, how do you see your future?
FW: I just want to keep acting. It’s my only ambition really. I don’t have any career aspirations in general. I just want to keep doing stuff that I’m proud of and that I enjoy doing; things that challenge me…just keep going.
You have a very enigmatic look on your face while you are reading aloud Winston Churchill’s speech. What is going on in your head during that scene?
FW: I think during the whole time I was imagining putting myself in the shoes of one of these young guys and reading this speech – and as patriotic as they all were – imagine you’d just come back from such a traumatic ordeal and you’re reading something about your Prime Minister saying: “You will go on, you will fight” … and you’d just returned, and I think the thing in a lot of these young guys’ heads reading that was: “Oh, I’ve got to go back.” So, that was one of the overriding things that I found. On top of that of course was the amazing way in which Winston Churchill did speak and write; that he did manage to rally people, but I think, for those individuals, it must have been quite a hard thing to read: that they were going to go back.
Dunkirk also makes you feel about the present times and the tough moments we are going through right now. Do you see a connection between the spirit that was there then and not necessarily right now?
FW: Yeah, I think Dunkirk is an amazing story and a really important part of history and something that we should never stop talking about and looking back to.
HS: I think the link is that it shows, as we did back then, and as we do now, the strength of people and how people can come together in hard times.
How did making this movie impact your feelings about war?
HS: I think what the movie does, which I think is important, is that I definitely don’t feel like it’s glorifying war in any way. I think that it’s an emotional look into how scary it can be. I don’t think it inspires people to say: “Let’s go blow shit up and let’s go shooting people.” It obviously wasn’t what Operation Dynamo was in any way.
FW: I think one of the best things about the way that Chris has handled this film is that he hasn’t chosen to take a political stance on it and he hasn’t chosen to be preachy about it any way and I think that allows the audience to be drawn into the action and the personal intimate experience of the whole movie rather than telling you to feel something or think something which is where films can often go awry in that sense.
HS: I think the film is an experience and you decide for yourself. It’s not telling you how to feel about anything.
Dunkirk is in cinemas July 20, 2017
