47 Meters Down Interview with Claire Holt and Mandy Moore
47 Meters Down has an incredible backstory and I am hoping it has a strong box office return this weekend. I have been a supporter of the film since it was originally titled In the Deep and was slated for a DVD release back in August of 2016. The DVDs were sent out to critics and a few big box stores but then Byron Allen stepped in and purchased the film before it was officially put on store shelves. I was one of the few people to see the film before it was pulled but after watching it, I knew the film deserved a much bigger release.
Flash forward to 9 months later, 47 Meters Down is set to open in theaters throughout the United States this Friday, June 16, 2017. I was lucky enough to sit down with Mandy Moore and Claire Holt to discuss their career as well as their journey with the film throughout the past two years.
Scott Menzel: Can you talk a little bit about the journey of being a part of this film. To my knowledge, the film was supposed to come out at one point in 2016 but then it was turned out that it was going to directly to DVD. Since you two are the stars of the film, what was that journey like for you going from, “Oh, I guess it’s just going straight to DVD” and then learning that it was purchase and getting a pretty sizable summer theatrical release?
Mandy Moore: I mean you never really know. You can’t have expectations with projects sometimes unless you’re doing some gigantic superhero studio movie and you know is definitely coming out. It’s always a bit of a gamble, and for me, I wanted to be a part of this film because I’m not often thought of when it comes to this particular genre.
And it was a physical, emotional challenge that I knew was unlike anything I’d ever had the opportunity to do before. Where it went from there was totally out of my control, so as long as I could participate and do my part and do my job, that’s all I was sort of counting on. So it’s extremely gratifying to see at the last minute, Byron came in and bought the movie and now it’s coming out, and it’s being released very soon.
Claire Holt: And people seem to be excited by it which is something that I am excited about.
Scott Menzel: I don’t know if you ever saw it but here is the DVD with the original title. (Hands Mandy the DVD titled “In the Deep”)
Claire Holt: That’s the old one. That’s the old title. That’s so funny.
Mandy Moore: Yes, I’ve Never Seen This Before.
Claire Holt: Thanks so much for showing us that.
Scott Menzel: No problem. It’s like a collector’s item now
Claire Holt: That’s crazy. Yeah, I think we were just so pleased that Byron saw potential in the film, and that he saw what we saw, which is a really compelling original story that people hopefully respond to. A real tale of survival.
Scott Menzel: The film relies very heavily on you two, obviously. How did you develop that remarkable sister chemistry that you two displayed in the film?
Mandy Moore: Thanks.
Claire Holt: It’s really easy.
Truly, I think Mandy and I bonded straight away and we just really connected, and you are not often fortunate enough to find someone that you genuinely care about.
Mandy Moore: Yeah.
Claire Holt: And get to work with in such close quarters for such a long time and really rely on them, and I think it was natural and I hope that that came across on screen because I can’t imagine doing this with anyone else.
Mandy Moore: Yeah, me too. It was pretty instant and, yeah, you’re not always fortunate enough, and I was hoping, when we first met, we want on this to work. We were doing this dive training together and I just immediately was like, “Oh, thank God.” Because I’m going to be underwater with you for eight weeks and you’re the only person that’s going to have my back and I’m going to have your back and thank goodness that worked out.
Claire Holt: We got so lucky. Lucky enough to build a lifelong friendship out of it.
Mandy Moore: Yeah. You spend that much time with someone underwater, we’re friends for life now.
Claire Holt: That’s it. I know too much about her.
Mandy Moore: Exactly. Oh, my God. Oh, isn’t that the truth.
Scott Menzel: You both do television and movies, obviously, Claire you have “The Originals” and Mandy, you have ”This is Us,” which everyone including myself absolutely loves. What’s the challenge going back and forth between movies and television?
Claire Holt: Just getting people to hire you.
Mandy Moore: Yeah, it’s true.
Claire Holt: I don’t know that there’s necessarily a challenge. I think it’s just wonderful to be able to play different characters and in television, as much as you love the character, you do it for a long time. So it’s nice to be able to step out of that world and take a little hiatus and spend time exploring something else and then go back to the characters that you know and love. But, it’s just a nice change of pace, I think.
Mandy Moore: Yeah. I totally agree.
47 Meters Down opens nationwide on Friday, June 16, 2017
