Bryce Dallas Howard semi-risked her life to do this interview about Jurassic World with me

By Rachel paige

June 19, 2018

By Rachel paige

June 19, 2018

Every so often, someone so precious and pure comes into your life that you just want to protect them at all costs, no matter what. For me, I’m pretty sure that person is Bryce Dallas Howard, even though I’ve never actually met her in person, but I have talked to her on the phone twice. So basically, what I’m trying to say is that in my mind Bryce (or, BDH, as I lovingly refer to her) and I are good friends, and chatting with her is like catching up with a sister.

So when I hopped on the phone to talk to BDH ahead of the release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom I was pretty excited, to say the least. And then all the fire alarms went off in the junket hotel, and since I was on the phone with BDH, I could hear them in the background. However, instead of cutting the interview short, sweet Bryce Dallas Howard kept on talking to me as she navigated though flames (jk, not really) and made it outside to safety. What a wonderful lady!

HelloGiggles: I talked to you two years ago for Pete’s Dragon, and for the last two years I’ve said, “Bryce Dallas Howard is just the nicest person in the world,” and everyone I’ve talked to who has also interviewed you has agreed. I just need to know, like, how are you so nice?

Bryce Dallas Howard (BDH): Oh, man, that’s a really lovely question. You know what? I’m lying right now in bed, doing these phoners, and I look to my left and there’s an ocean. Like, I’m in Hawaii. I’m in a really happy state that is, like, life is good. But…you know, because everyone’s been super nice to me, honestly, that’s the truth of it. That is the truth. Everyone’s been really, really, really kind to me. I have felt that.

HelloGiggles: I love dinosaurs, I love the Jurassic World franchise, I love Claire, and I couldn’t help but notice that in the movie there were a lot of shots of just your shoes. Was that intentional, following the high heels fiasco from the first movie?

BDH: Totally, it totally was. When I first read the script, [Claire’s first scene] had the that callback moment of Claire in the elevator in, and it’s, like, panning up from her shoes when she says, “Welcome to Jurassic World,” and steps out of an elevator. And so, we have that moment in [Fallen Kingdom], but it was written that I was wearing sneakers, and I instantly circled that, and I was like, No! No! No way! The takeaway from Jurassic World is not, at all times, be ready to run from a dinosaur. The takeaway is that she could outrun a T-Rex in high heels, how badass is she? And so of course she’s going to wear heels to the office, and that was something that kind of felt, I don’t know, I was like, “There was no other choice.” Like, I felt really self righteous about [wearing heels], that’s what it was.

HelloGiggles: I love the shot when you first step foot back on the island and we can clearly see you’re wearing heavy duty shoes.

BDH: I know, I love those boots. I was like, more is more, guys, more is more.

HelloGiggles: And now I need to double check those shoes were comfortable. I think everyone is just very concerned about how comfortable your feet are, going forward.

BDH: [The new shoes] were terrific. I know, I can say that I really appreciate everyone’s concern for my ankles’ wellbeing, and I can report back that we are good.

HelloGiggles: The movie also features a lot of intense stunts. How many of those did you do, and how fun were they?

BDH: A movie like this is great because we knew what the stunts were going to be, and Chris [Pratt] and I both have a similar approach [to them]. We were super into athletics in high school and we were [kids] that like running around, for lack of a better way of describing it, and the challenge of these kinds of stunts.

Early on I knew what [stunts] to prepare for, and ultimately, the goal is that I’m able to do every stunt, which was the case [for Fallen Kingdom]. But in order to get there, it’s working with a stunt team so that I’m trained, and so my stunt double — who’s incredible, like, she does all the trial and error, and figuring out [the blocking]. And, you know, that’s a huge, huge, huge part of pulling off these kinds of stunts.

HelloGiggles: Claire really has a huge badass moment at the very end, and not to spoil it, but how empowering and exciting was that for you?

BDH: I think any moment of heroism feels great, because as an actor you’re feeling what the character is feeling, and it’s a good reminder of that human beings like to step up, like, it is within our DNA to step up for others. You get endorphins from that experience, you do. That sequence was really fun to shoot, and felt great.

HelloGiggles: You’ve not been playing this character for two movies, was there anything you wanted to change about Claire this time, since you now know her so well?

BDH: The thing that was important to me was that [we explored] the origin story of her activism, the before and the after. Claire had this life where she was a C-level executive, and she didn’t have any kind of a personal life, and was totally myopic, and lost track of her values, and a lot of people died. Now it’s Claire’s mission in life to do whatever I can to do the right thing.

I think the thing that was important to me was that that was expressed, but that we also didn’t lose her humor, you know, that she still got a personality that rubs up against Owen in the wrong way, you know? And his rubs up against her in the wrong way. Making sure to keep that personality present even though she’s really, hugely shifted her way that she goes through life. I mean, that was something that I was keeping track of.

HelloGiggles: Do you think at the end of the movie, Claire and Owen are once again sticking together for survival?

BDH: I hope so. It seems that they are. They are definitely connected on a very deep level — and, you know [there’s this] Blue, Claire, Owen love triangle. I just want to open it up to Doctor Ian Malcolm.

HelloGiggles: I was going to ask, for Jurassic World Three, can we hope for scenes with you and Jeff Goldblum?

BDH: Oh, my gosh, one could only hope. Yeah, that’s what I want. That’s what I want. Hold on just one second. Sorry, breakfast was running an hour late today, so I had to [order something else]. Hold on just one moment, sorry.

Suddenly, there are alarms in the distance.

Bryce’s publicist, also on the phone: Oh, my God, now there’s a fire. Oh my God. Hey Bryce, just so you know-

BDH: Yeah?

Bryce’s publicist: There’s a fire alarm going off in the hotel, so after this question we’re going to have to hang up. Run through this question, Rachel.

HelloGiggles: Uh, if you need to get out of the hotel, that is fine.

BDH: That’s like a very dedicated publicist, huh?

Bryce’s publicist: Yeah [we have to] go to the stairwell, so, go ahead.

?Alarms alarms alarms. ?

HelloGiggles: I’ll make this a fun last question. Bryce, I love watching you and your dad Ron Howard interact on social media, and I need to know, when are the two of you really going to team up and make the best, nicest movie together?

BDH: Oh, thank you. I don’t know. You know what, he keeps saying to me, he’s like, “I think you’re going to put me in a movie,” and I’m like, oh my gosh, that’s what you’re waiting for! So, the reverse might actually happen first.

?ALARMS ?

It’s truly, like, such a funny thing, because I love this business in large part because I love being around my dad on a movie set, and so much of my motivation in life was [on set]. A significant amount of it is that I want to earn the right to work with my dad, and like, here I am. It’s almost 20 years into my career [and we still haven’t collaborated]. I’m still holding on to that dream.

Lots of alarms. Everything Bryce says is echoing since she’s now in a stairwell.