The lovely and kick-ass (check out her stunt reel below!) Elena Sanchez plays Cecelia in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and Desde Hollywood sat down with her to discuss the movie and her career as a stunt woman and actress.
From DesdeHollywood:
What attracted you to the risky business of performing stunts?
Doing stunts is basically like being a professional athlete. When I stopped competing gymnastics after college I was looking to fill the hole that left in my life. I started acting and going to drama school. Stunts then gave me a reason to keep training, stay in shape, and continue performing!
What was your reaction when you found out that you had been cast in Catching Fire?
To be honest, I didn’t really believe it until my first day on set. When I got the call, after about five minutes of hyperventilating, I told myself not to get too excited. In this business there are a lot of disappointments. I kept thinking they had made some kind of mistake and were going to find someone else!
In what ways can you relate to ‘Cecelia’, your character?
Since Cecelia is only mentioned a few times in the book, the love she has for her children that are taken away from her as she is chosen for The Hunger Games kind of becomes a defining characteristic. I have never had to make that kind of sacrifice, but love for people, the world, and life is one of the most important philosophies I live by. I tried to relate to her by thinking about what it would be like to give up some of the most important things in my life, but knowing that it was for a greater cause.
How did the established actors welcome a newcomer like yourself?
On every movie I’ve been on I’ve had the honor of working with people who are extremely talented and have been in the business for years, if not decades. Every day on set is like being in a classroom, I learn so much from them. Not once have I come across someone who was not welcoming! I have been very blessed.
How well would Elena Sanchez do in a “Hunger Games-like” event?
Well, it would all depend on my competition. But beware! I can climb on things, swing from trees, and flip around… AND I have been working on my Ninja skills!
Many thanks to Elena Sanchez for this exclusive interview (in Spanish here)!
See what Elena is up to and follow her at twitter.com/TheElenaSanchez andfacebook.com/TheElenaSanchez and check out her website elenasanchez.com.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is out in theaters November 22.
See the entire article HERE. Many thanks to our friends at RealOrNotRealNews for the tip!