Molly Moriarty was wonderful. This has been a long delayed interview, but since we’re in Thor: Love and Thunder release week…synergy. Let’s kick of the 4th of July with an interview!
The Molly Moriarty interview begins now!
ANDERSONVISION: What was it like to make Cowboy Bebop?
MOLLY MORIARTY: It was so much fun and such an amazing experience. Cowboy Bebop was the first big project I had worked on, so I really didn’t know what to expect. Everything was new, fun, and so exciting. It was quite a long process though but for me that made it even more exciting.Molly Moriarty: It was so much fun and such an amazing experience. Cowboy Bebop was the first big project I had worked on, so I really didn’t know what to expect. Everything was new, fun, and so exciting. It was quite a long process though but for me that made it even more exciting.
I was only 7 when I auditioned for the role of Kimmie Black but just before I was going to head over to New Zealand to start filming, production was put on hold for about a year because of an injury on set and then Covid. So, by the time things started back up I was 8 and ½ and it felt like forever to me.
My first day on set was great as I was able to work with some other kids as we were shooting a scene that was set at my school. After that, I was pretty much the only kid on set, but it was still so much fun. All the adults I worked with were super kind and made me feel like part of the Bebop family.
Seeing all the different sets was like nothing I’d ever seen before. The spaceship ‘The bebop’ was so lifelike I had to ask my mum if it could take off. I couldn’t believe people were able to make things like that inside a studio. It looked so real.
My absolute favourite part of the whole experience was when we filmed the gun fight scene in the cathedral. It was so exciting to be amongst all the action. They had organised a stunt double for me for some of the explosions as they were worried I’d be a bit scared by it all.
But it was the total opposite. I really wanted to do those scenes myself, so the Director checked with my mum who said yes, so off I went. I remember the first take when all the guns and explosions were happening. I forgot to be scared and I was looking around at all the action going on, but I quickly remembered ‘Kimmie’ had to be scared and crying, so I secretly loved it all on the inside.
Being a part of Cowboy Bebop is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I am grateful for having that opportunity and I don’t think I will ever forget it.
I was only 7 when I auditioned for the role of Kimmie Black but just before I was going to head over to New Zealand to start filming, production was put on hold for about a year because of an injury on set and then COVID. So, by the time things started back up I was 8 and ½ and it felt like forever to me.
My first day on set was great as I was able to work with some other kids as we were shooting a scene that was set at my school. After that, I was pretty much the only kid on set, but it was still so much fun. All the adults I worked with were super kind and made me feel like part of the Bebop family.Seeing all the different sets was like nothing I’d ever seen before. The spaceship ‘The bebop’ was so lifelike I had to ask my mum if it could take off. I couldn’t believe people were able to make things like that inside a studio. It looked so real.My absolute favorite part of the whole experience was when we filmed the gun fight scene in the cathedral. It was so exciting to be amongst all the action. They had organized a stunt double for me for some of the explosions as they were worried I’d be a bit scared by it all. But it was the total opposite. I really wanted to do those scenes myself, so the Director checked with my mum who said yes, so off I went.I remember the first take when all the guns and explosions were happening. I forgot to be scared and I was looking around at all the action going on, but I quickly remembered ‘Kimmie’ had to be scared and crying, so I secretly loved it all on the inside.
Being a part of Cowboy Bebop is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. I am grateful for having that opportunity and I don’t think I will ever forget it.AV: Is shooting in Australia different than the United States?
Molly Moriarty: Well, although Cowboy Bebop and a few other projects I’ve since worked on have been US Productions, I haven’t actually shot in the United States, yet! Cowboy Bebop was filmed in New Zealand and the other US projects have been shot here in Australia. Shooting in New Zealand was so amazing as my mum and I got to live in Auckland for 4 months.
I’ve never lived anywhere else for that long before and it was the best. I love New Zealand and everything about it. The crew on that set were from all over the world. There were people from the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and even Japan. I’m guessing because they were US Productions, it would have been run the same way as if it was shot in the US.
So, if I compare that to jobs I’ve shot here in Australia, then it’s not that different. The only real difference to me is that if it’s shot here in Sydney, I have to go to school on my days off. When I was in New Zealand, I had a Tutor and she came to me so I was able to do school each day at the dining table. That was so cool. I think a few of my classmates back home were wishing that’s how all schools worked.
AV: What’s it like moving from Netflix to bigger movie projects?
Molly Moriarty: There are lots of things that are the same, such as working with blue/green screens and being on amazing sets that are out of this world. But the biggest difference I found, is working on a bigger movie project is like working on a top-secret mission. It’s exciting and you know it’s going to be something huge when it’s finished but you can’t tell anyone about it while it’s all happening.
Big movies have a lot more people working behind the scenes as well. Every day I would see someone new and then I wouldn’t see them again. I also saw so many famous people walking around on the movie set which at first was weird because I was like “that person is so much taller in real life” or “did that really just happen?”. But after a few days, I got used to being around them and just enjoyed every single second.
AV: Who has been the biggest celebrity you have met/worked with?
Molly Moriarty: Well, if I told you that now, my top-secret mission would be blown.
I have been very lucky to have worked with so many Hollywood superstars in all the big projects I’ve worked on. Some have been famous actors that most people in the world have heard of. Some have been famous Directors that have made movies I’ve watched even before I knew I’d one day work with them. I have a favourite Director now but I can’t say who that is just yet, but my dream is to one day work with them again.
AV: Who has been the nicest to you?
Molly Moriarty: Everyone I’ve worked with has been so nice to me. John Cho was super nice and we had heaps of fun playing Thumb Wars in between takes. Mustafa Shakir was my on-set dad and he made me feel so calm and relaxed, I would forget that there were cameras all around me. The Director of Cowboy Bebop, Michael Katleman was amazing to me as well and I was really sad when I had to say goodbye to him. I hope I get the chance to see them all again one day.
Everyone on the big movie set was also nice. I remember one day when my mum and I were walking to get some breakfast, the Director called out “Good morning Molly” as they drove past in their golf buggy. That made me feel special, because not only did they know my name with so many others to remember, but they took the time to say hi to me when I knew how busy they were.
AV: Is there anything you want to work on that you haven’t tried yet? Commercials, voice acting, video games, etc?
Molly Moriarty: I’d love to have a lead role in a project whether it’s a TV series or Movie. That’s my goal and I’m working really hard to get there. I’ve seen how much work goes into being a lead actor and I think it would be such an amazing experience. I love learning lines and making characters come to life so acting a lead role is definitely something I want to do.
I’ve done quite a few Commercials and really enjoy them. I’m just about to be flown over to South Africa to film a new Commercial which should be great fun.
I love watching Kids Animated movies, so I’d absolutely love to get the opportunity to do voice acting in that type of project. I’ve done ADR before and that was so fun, so creating an animated movie or tv series in that way would be another thing I’d love to try.
AV: What are you working on next? I have a feeling it’s something in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I’ll understand if you can’t answer.
Molly Moriarty: In 2 days’ time I’m being flown down to Melbourne for a week to shoot a Co-Star role in a US TV Series. I’m really excited about this as I’ve watched this show on TV and really enjoyed it. So now to be a part of that show is really exciting. Then after that as I just mentioned, mum and I head straight to South Africa for a new Commercial. It’s a busy month but that’s just they way I like it.
Molly Moriarty appears in Thor: Love & Thunder opening only in theaters on July 8th!
