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THE INSIDER: JENA MALONE
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Thanks to her sharp performances in Saved!, Into the Wild, and The Messenger, Jena Malone has become an indie cinema fixture – and she’s also got a rock band, called The Bloodstains.
While we wait for Jena’s next movie, Sucker Punch, to come out (directed by Zac Snyder, it also stars Vanessa Hudgens), we can snack on "Electric Love," the new music video by Dirty Vegas that stars Jena herself.
You’ve got your own band, but this video is for another one. How did it happen? James Gooding is an old friend of mine. We met on a photo shoot. We really hit it off creatively. We got to collaborate together where I did a typewriter text for the interview, and he did this really beautiful collage of my text and his images, and he stained it with coffee and we made these interesting pictures together. So we became friends; he’s shot my band when we play live. And he called me up, said “I’m directing.” I was stoked because he has a really interesting eye and a really unique vision. So I said yes before I knew what it even was!
Anything surprising? Well then he said, “Do you know how to pole dance?!” But Sucker Punch trained me well. I have a little experience.
What can you say about Sucker Punch without getting in trouble with the studio? I haven’t seen it yet, actually, so I can’t tell you anything! But literally it’s the most amazing film I’ve ever had the chance to work on. I’ve never been asked to do so much before. Not only do I get to play a deep character, but also multiple different characters.
Vanessa Hudgens told us it’s a very physical movie. I mean, I had to learn pole dancing and train with Navy Seals for eight months. Nobody in the world had ever taken a look at me and said, “I believe Jena can fight forty men and win.” But they instilled this belief in me!
You had a really big cast of young actresses; some famous, some new. They’re awesome. All of them. We were in the trenches together. I’d take a bullet for them. We’re sisters now.
Do you keep up with them online? I don’t tweet or anything, but Facebook is hilarious. My family pressured me into it and now I’m addicted.