It’s a glamorous $150 million heist at Cartier, orchestrated by Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock), Danny’s (George Clooney) sister, that brings you all together. It was a challenge to continue this saga…
Sandra Bullock: This concept was proposed to me at least three years ago. Honestly, I didn’t think it would come to fruition, even though it was a pretty fun idea.
Cate Blanchett: It seemed almost impossible. When such a view comes into your hands, you will already have an idea of what it might be like given the cultural heritage it represents. It was also a risk worth taking.
Sandra, to prepare for the role of Debbie, did you talk to George Clooney?
Sandra: Yes, we discussed a lot on the phone. George and I almost grew up together!
Behind the scenes, what is it like to shoot with so many actresses?
Sandra: We worked a lot. I would have loved if we could all go out to a bar in the evening, but we were exhausted by midnight! We had a lot of goodwill from the beginning. For actresses, there are roughly five roles to land in Hollywood each year. We quickly find ourselves isolated on our little island! But there, all together, our island was as big as Hawaii!
The film takes place during the Met Gala, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the culmination of a glamorous evening. Did you make a statement in your outfits?
Sandra: We all had a clear idea of what we wanted to wear. We worked with tailors. My dress was designed by Italian fashion designer Alberta Ferretti, but I knew what I wanted. Like sleeves of a certain length, because I hide jewelry there in the film. I also wanted it black to blend in with the crowd…
A film by eight women in the middle of the #MeToo movement, is this symbolic for you?
Kate: What we are experiencing today is a human problem that affects men as well. It is a change for them too. To avoid going in circles we must move the discussion forward. We don’t want to find ourselves at the same point in twenty years, talking about the same problem!
Sandra: In the film, we see women caring for each other, not afraid to step into the shadows to let others shine. We don’t worry so much about this robbery, but more about the way we trust each other, the way we treat each other with respect. This bond exists between women.
Kate: We were lucky enough to be directed by Gary Ross (Hunger Games), a filmmaker who loves women and wants to make a film about them. Despite everything, we all want to see more women directors at the helm. I have just returned from Cannes where only three of the twenty-one films selected were directed by women.
Oceans 8, Tuesday March 19 at 9:05 pm on TFX
Interviewed in 2018 by Frank Ragain
