Memory, the next action picture starring Liam Neeson, is now in cinemas. The film, directed by Martin Campbell, stars Liam Neeson, Guy Pearce, Monica Bellucci, Taj Atwal, Ray Fearon, and Harold Torres.
“Memory follows Alex Lewis (Liam Neeson), an experienced assassin known for his stealth. Caught in a moral quandary, Alex refuses to finish a mission that violates his code and must rapidly track down and murder the individuals who hired him before they and FBI agent Vincent Serra (Guy Pearce) locate him first,” according to the official description. “Alex is made for vengeance, but with a failing memory, he is forced to rethink his every deed, blurring the line between right and evil.”
Memory actor Monica Bellucci chatted with ComingSoon’s Jonathan Sim about the film, her interesting role, and working with Martin Campbell.
Sim, Jonathan: Memory, you portray Davana Sealman in this flick. What about this film compelled you to join this project?
Monica Bellucci: I wanted to work with Martin Campbell because I believe he understands how to create enchantment and tension when he walks behind the camera, and I also wanted to work with Liam Neeson because he is an excellent actor and I really liked working with him. You know, a really giving person, not only a terrific actor, but also a lovely human being. To play this character, Davana Sealman, she is the CEO of a hedge fund that invests in a variety of businesses, and she has asked her lawyer to hire a hitman to kill witnesses who can prove that her son is a sexual deviant, and she does not want this information to come out in order to protect not only her son, but also herself and her business.
She’s been characterized as a natural psychopath, yet she’s also incredibly brilliant and seductive, as well as cold and manipulative. In some ways, she’s a monster, but in others, she’s a human person, and I’m interested in portraying this duality. I wanted to shatter the mold in which I’d been cast many times in my life with this part. So I gained some weight, the cosmetics, everything contributed to the creation of a completely new identity for me. Even I have to admit that being older helps to open up new doors.
How has the system affected you as a woman in this profession, and how have you been selective in the parts you chose to play?
Because I’m European, I’ve never gone to Hollywood. All I have to say is that actresses in Europe have the opportunity to have a lengthy career. Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Nathalie Baye, or Charlotte Rampling come to mind. Judi Dench, I mean it. [laughing] So, I believe that in Europe, actresses have excellent prospects for a lengthy career. Of course, all of that was inconceivable 20 years ago, but today things are changing and, you know, women have much more respect for themselves and we are more appreciated, and things are changing even in the film business.
