“I told Daniel I was nervous, and he was just like, ‘Enjoy it!
In the end, it all turned out very well.”
Seydoux reveals that she did not know she would be back for a second film when she finished shootingSpectre.
‘No Time to Die’ star Lashana Lynch.Pari Dukovic for EW
“I’m lucky to not die!”
Craig describes Lynch’s character as “having a lot of front,” meaning that Nomi exudes confidence.
“She’s just a general bad arse, kick-assery lady,” says Lynch, 33.
‘No Time to Die’ star Lashana Lynch.Pari Dukovic for EW
Her tone manages to stay serious and emotional and also manages to have jokes.
I was like, we have to have her."
“I can’t tell you anything,” she says.
“You’re going to have to wait.”
Of course, back in 2019, no one had any idea just how long that wait would be.
No Time to Diewas not the first film to be affected by COVID.
‘No Time to Die’ star Léa Seydoux.Pari Dukovic for EW
“We finished in March [2020],” Fukunaga, 44, recalls now.
“Grading, music, sound mixing.
It was done, let go, and then lockdown happened.”
Léa Seydoux and Lashana Lynch.Pari Dukovic for EW
Of course,No Time to Diewas not released in November 2020.
Then, in January 2021,No Time to Diewas delayed yet again to October.
Lynch admits the last year-and-a-half has been a frustrating period.
“And your friends are like, ‘So when are we going to meet them?’
‘I don’t know, but maybe at some point?'”
Lynch still had to audition.
“There were months of tapes and face-to-face meetings,” says the actress.
“Finally, the last meeting was a test at Pinewood with Daniel, Barbara, and Cary present.
Lynch then had to successfully complete the second half of the audition.
It was like an assault course as a test for a movie.”
Oh, why is everyone calling me?
What’s happened?Tenmissed calls?’
That was the indication that maybe I’d got this thing.
And I did!"
Lynch describes the training she undertook for the role as very vigorous.
“They taught me everything from wushu to boxing to armory to everything under the sun, really.
Waller-Bridge came late to the party, starting to work on the screenplay in the spring of 2019.
I really like her mind; I really like the way she thinks about character, and especially scenes.
It’s almost like a science for her.
Waller-Bridge consulted with both de Armas and Lynch about their respective characters.
“I love Phoebe.
I’m very excited that I got to work with her,” says Lynch.
I wanted her to be relatable, but also maybe slightly awkward.
I wanted her to have a life.
“We get to understand her more,” she says.
“She’s not sexualized and objectified.
“She had quite an impact on what I was doing.
Was Waller-Bridge able to get the Oscar-winner cheap tickets?
“Relatively cheap, yeah, you could say that,” he replies with a smile.
Principal photography onNo Time to Diefinally began in Jamaica on April 28, 2019.
“The first day of shooting wasyearsago, that’s what it was!”
It felt like an indie withloadsof money.”
Not that Lynch is jealous of her costar’s slinky look.
“I’d much rather run and jump with boots on,” says the actress.
“Ana did an incredible job of making that really natural and strong and bold.
I couldn’t imagine anything worse for tall me.
I didn’t want to just be one of the dudes or be deemed as one of the dudes.
There would be one more major speed bump before the end of shooting.
Lynch was enduring stresses of a different stripe.
“It’s not personal.
If it was another Black woman, they would have reacted I think in the same way.
But some of the conversations definitely reminded me of the world that we live in today.
In a way, it’s sadly a fantasy.
But, yeah, I took myself out of it.
People send me links and stuff, and it’s none of my business what people are talking about.
It’s all of my business to do a good job on this movie.”
Then, early the following year, came COVID and the film’s initial postponement.
“We need cinema.
Cinema is one of the greatest joys.
It’s an art form we have to stand for.”
TheNo Time to Dieactresses have been busy over the past two years.
“We’ve been filming with 200 kids for the last two months,” she says.
I feel very lucky to be a part of it.”
But it was a serious matter, so I couldn’t travel.”
More recently, Seydoux has been working on David Cronenberg’s new film,Crimes of the Future.
“He is such an iconic director,” she says.
I think that David is unique in this landscape.”
“There’s no one better than him to do a film like this.”
“They definitely are great,” he toldThe Sun.
“Both of them are brilliant in different ways, and both do kick a lot of ass.”
“I am really proud of the franchise for making this step,” says the actress.
I think we achieved something that could really stand in good stead in cinema history and Bond history."
Direction and photography by Pari Dukovic for EW.
