MEL B. "The character I play is quite close to the real me. Everyone's
made up of different parts, and the loud, energetic part of me was the bit
that came out in the film. I'm the one who says, 'Don't do that! Let's do
this! Come on!'
We had quite a lot of impact on the script, individually and collectively.
It was important to have that input because we needed to believe in what
we were saying so that we could get into it. A lot of the stories in the
film were translated from events that actually happened to us. We told Kim
all our stories and spent time with him so that he could really get to know
us, and he took bits from all of us and linked it up. He knows what we like
and don't like, so we trusted him to get on with it."
VICTORIA
"The day we filmed our concert at the Albert Hall was the best day
on the film for all of us, I think. It's such a great feeling getting up
on stage and putting a smile on people's faces.
We loved the scenes where we perform, because that's what the Spice Girls
are all about. I liked it when we did "Too Much" because it's
a great song. We all had nice white dresses on, and there's a good dance
to it. It's a real feel-good song. We filmed it at the Top of the Pops studios,
which was nice because we always have a good time when we record there."
MEL C.
"The thing with the Spice Girls is that all our dreams have come true.
We think that if there's anything in the world that you can imagine you
want to do, if you really want to do it, you can. We wanted to be pop stars
and we were, so we thought, all right then, let's be movie stars as well!
If you don't have a go, you never know.
I was very nervous at the start of the film because the only acting I'd
ever done before was in school plays. I was a bit anxious about doing it
professionally, especially with so many fantastic actors, so the first day
was really daunting. But it was great. Richard E. Grant was incredibly helpful
and made us all feel at ease. The crew also made it easy, so once we'd started
it was fine and we just had a laugh.
EMMA
"If I'd been playing someone else, I suppose I would have done loads
of research into how my character would walk or talk, but because I was
playing myself, I just had to go into work and be me. Obviously, I had to
go through my scenes and lines and think to myself, 'How would I say that?'
But that was about it.
A lot of the scenes are true, although perhaps they're shown in a different
way. And some scenes have actually come true since we did the film-like
the scene where we're all at Spice Camp in a big house, going for dance
lessons, which is exactly what we've been doing to prepare for our concerts.
One day I did a wicked stunt where I had to beat up three male karate experts,
throw one of them over my shoulder and another one over my head. I did it
all myself!"
GERI
"I worked very closely with Kim Fuller on the script for about two
months before we started shooting. Even when I was on holiday in Bali I
was spending hours on the phone trying to get it all sorted and make sure
it was right. Okay, everyone changed a couple of words here and there, but
no one felt the situations they were in were wrong. That was the main thing.
I think the film shows that Girl Power is a liberating force. It's all about
equalization of the sexes. A man shouldn't feel intimidated by a strong
woman. It's not domination, it's a celebration.
Making the movie felt like giving birth to a baby. If anyone had asked me
to make another film immediately after we'd finished shooting, I would have
said no. But as time goes on you forget the pain and think, yes, I'd do
it again!"
RICHARD E. GRANT was the first choice for the role of the Girls'
traumatized manager. It took a little explanation from his eight-year-old
daughter (a great Spice fan) and a phone call from Geri ("You are going
to be in this film, aren't you?" she asked), but soon he was eager
to "come along for the ride." Kim Fuller was inspired by Grant's
effortless ability to be "solid, funny and neurotic:" his previous
acting roles proved him to be more than qualified to play the Girls' collapsing
and psychotic emotional punchbag. Dressed in green and purple silk suits
with a pair of serious sideburns and a mountain of gold jewelry, he teeters
around bearing the colossal weight of Girl Power on his shoulders. Clifford
"has very little power," explains Richard. "He gets stomped
all over by them."
Grant is remembered for his role in the cult hit Withnail and I. His diverse
and numerous film roles include Bob Bierman's Serpents Kiss, Trevor Nunn's
Twelfth Night, Jane Campion's The Portrait of a Lady, Robert Altman's Ready
to Wear (PrÍt-ý-Porter) and The Player, Martin Scorsese's
Age of Innocence and Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula. Richard
also has many BBC-TV credits, including Dennis Potter's "Karaoke."
In the theater, he took a leading role in Nicholas Hytner's "The Importance
of Being Earnest." He recently wrote a best-selling book of his film
experiences, With Nails.
CLAIRE RUSHBROOK plays Deborah, the Girls' overworked assistant,
who occasionally ponders the fact that, despite having a "degree in
politics, philosophy and economics," she spends her life placating
the fraught Clifford and "worrying about whether Mel C. is wearing
the right Nike Airmax." She is ever at hand with a smile and a rescue
remedy, and is a welcome antithesis to Clifford.
Rushbrook trained at Rose Bruford and graduated in 1992. She went on to
star in many well-known theater productions, including Uncle Vanya at the
Almeida Theatre and Hated Nightfall at the Royal Court. She was the guest
villain in the popular TV series "Touching Evil" and starred in
the three-part "Turning World" for Channel 4. Claire is best known
for her part as Roxanne in Mike Leigh's BAFTA- and Oscar,-winning Secrets
and Lies. She currently co-stars with Samantha Morton and Rita Tuttingham
in the feature Under the Skin. For Claire, Deborah was very different role
altogether: "I was so pleased when the opportunity came my way to play
a role that was so diverse from my previous roles: from the work of Mike
Leigh to working with the Spice Girls! I had a great laugh playing the part."
ALAN CUMMING plays the arrogant intellectual Piers Cutherton-Smyth,
a character whom Cumming describes as a "posh boy who is trying to
peel back the faÁade of the Spice Girls" with "very little
success." Piers spends his life being virtually mowed down by the Girls
and bobbing hopelessly in their wake.
Alan recently starred in the feature film Buddy following roles in Emma,
GoldenEye and Circle of Friends. He has extensive theater experience, playing
in "As You Like It" for the Royal Shakespeare Company and "Hamlet"
at the Donmar Warehouse. He has also worked in numerous TV and radio productions.
He was thrilled to be working with the Spice Girls: "I was too excited
to think when I got this job. I was in a state of nervous flux for about
two months!" Cumming reveled in the freedom he was given to mold his
character and delighted in the Girls themselves: "I love the phenomena
of them and how they have taken over."
ROGER MOORE plays the Chief, who luxuriates in a Bond-style suite
complete with cocktail bar and longhaired Persian cats. Watching the Girls
with an eagle eye, he offers his rather baffling interpretation of oriental
philosophy to a wide-eyed Clifford: "When the speeding melon hits the
wall," he warns, "it's Christmas for the crows."
Roger Moore starred in his first film in 1937. He went on to become known
the world over as the legendary James Bond of the 1970s and '80s blockbusters.
He is also well known as Simon Templar from the cult 1960s series "The
Saint."
GEORGE WENDT plays Martin Barnfield, the Hollywood producer with
dollar signs dancing in his head.
Wendt is best known to television audiences as Norm Peterson, the suds-sipping
barfly in TV's "Cheers," a role that has earned him six Emmy nominations.
He has guest-starred in the TV series "Taxi," "Hart to Hart,"
"M*A*S*H" and "St. Elsewhere." His feature film credits
include Forever Young, Guilty By Suspicion and Fletch. A regular on the
American stage, he appeared in David Mamet's critically acclaimed "Lakeboat."
MEATLOAF plays the Girls' dedicated driver, Dennis. Ever ready at
the helm of the Spice Bus, he ferries them from destination to destination
with fatherly devotion.
One of the most spectacular rock n' roll legends ever, Meatloaf is known
throughout the world for his great musical talents. He began his career
in Los Angeles, supporting bands such as The Who, and made his chart debut
in 1971. His records have now sold over 45 million copies. The notorious
1977 album "Bat Out of Hell," which sold nearly 24 million copies,
was certified by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest chart album
in British pop music history and the third largest selling album in history.
It continues as one of the best-selling catalogue titles ever. Its sequel,
the quadruple-platinum "Bat Out of Hell II: Back to Hell," achieved
No. 1 status simultaneously in 25 territories.
NAOKO MORI plays Nicola, the Girls' best friend and a welcome, down-to-earth
presence in their life of superstardom. Asked if she is part of the "Spice
Girls phenomenon," she is more content to be "just a nobody-"
especially with the imminent arrival of her baby.
Mori was born in Japan and educated in England. Her theatrical career began
with productions of "The Boyfriend" and "Threepenny Opera"
followed by "Caucasian Chalk Circle" at Sadlers Wells. She then
played the lead role in "Miss Saigon" in London's West End. She
has appeared in the television series "Desmond's," "Casualty"
and "Absolutely Fabulous."
RICHARD O'BRIEN is the omnipresent, evil photographer Damien who
stalks his prey by skillfully concealing himself beneath beds, behind doorways,
and underneath fruit trays.
O'Brien is well known for writing "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"
in 1973 at age 30. After an initial three-week run, with O'Brien in the
role of Riff Raff, the show went on to run in London for seven years. In
1975, the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Richard again as
Riff Raff, was released by 20th Century Fox and became a cult hit. Richard
has since written various screenplays and stage plays, appeared in stage,
TV and film productions and hosted four series of the BAFTA-nominated television
show "The Crystal Maze."
BARRY HUMPHRIES plays the obsessed and spluttering media giant, Kevin
McMaxford, who is bent on destroying Girl Power. With a relentless campaign
of scandalous front-page headlines he very nearly succeeds... but not quite.
The entertainer first came to the attention of audiences in 1966 playing
Dame Edna Everage and her male counterpart, Alexander 'Sandy' Stone. During
the 1960s, he appeared in numerous London productions, including several
musicals. In the early 1970s, he brought the character Barry McKenzie to
the silver screen and created the outrageous Les Patterson. He is now known
worldwide for his many roles in theater and television.
MARK MCKINNEY is Graydon, Barnfield's writer, whose enthusiasm exceeds
his talent.
McKinney is an award-winning actor and writer who recently starred in Paramount's
The Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy. He has written for and starred regularly
in "Saturday Night Live" and the cult Canadian TV show "The
Kids in the Hall."
Copyright 1994-2008 Film Scouts LLC
Created, produced, and published by Film Scouts LLC
Film Scouts® is a registered trademark of Film Scouts LLC
All rights reserved.
