Vanessa Hudgens, Kiersey Clemons, and Alexandra Shipp lead a no-mercy all-femme gang in writer and director Eamon O’Rourke's Asking For It, an intense and edgy new thriller. After a small-town waitress (Clemons) is sexually assaulted on a date, she meets Regina (Shipp) and Beatrice (Hudgens) and is recruited into their vigilante group of badass women. Together they strive to take down a society overpowered by corrupt men and seek the ultimate revenge while getting their own version of justice.
Earlier this week, we spoke to Shipp about her role in the movie - which is now playing in theaters and available on Digital and On Demand - and what it was like getting to play a woman who takes the fight to men who deserve to be taken down. The Flash star Ezra Miller plays Asking For It's villain, and Shipp breaks down what it was like working with them as a co-star and executive producer.
Shipp also discusses the unique bond between the movie's characters, establishing a backstory for her character, how real-life trauma shaped her performance, and what she most enjoyed about this project.
We also hear from the actress on her time as Storm in Fox's X-Men Universe, and you can find out more about that - and watch the trailer for Asking For It - by checking out our full conversation below!
This is a movie that hits on a lot of - unfortunately - timely, relevant themes, but what did you enjoy most about playing a character like this who takes the fight to these men who can, I think, only really be described as despicable?
I loved playing Regina. I think that there’s just such a strength in her and in her message, and what she was trying to achieve. She is just a stronger, powerful, and more determined woman than I am. I’d love to think that if I saw some stuff going down, I’d whip out a switchblade [Laughs]. I think, in all actuality, this heightened, very strong and powerful woman is rare and far few to come by. I loved the idea of being able to portray someone who is just like, ‘[frick] the patriarchy. I’m going to take care of women.’ That’s inspiring and is something I can get behind.
We meet Regina as a fully formed character in this film, so did you talk to Eamon O’Rourke about events in her life not necessarily covered by the script that may have led her to where we find her in this story or did you come up with your own backstory?
It was a mixture of both. Whenever I’m playing a role, I like to come up with a timeline for who they are. Then, when I get with the director closer to filming, I can go over it. Oftentimes, the director has their own specific ideas, but when it comes to chemistry, a lot of our ideas often match up. So, what isn’t in the script is my job to create, right? I came up with a lot of little moments, and the nooks and crannies of who Regina was and then went over it with Eamon to confirm a lot of things. I think a lot of the moments and these traumas and triggers - especially when you see them in the car and they’re talking about their stories - you really do see who Regina is and where she came from. For me, it was just trying to build on that.
The bond between the characters in this film is so compelling, particularly between Regina and Joey and Regina and Beatrice, but which of the relationships in this film did you find most interesting to explore?
I love what’s unwritten, so the weird love triangle, for me, with Beatrice, Joey, and Regina was one of my favourite things to dive into. The three of us would get together and be like, ‘So, what happened?’ [Laughs] I think that all of the unwritten, unspoken things between Regina and Beatrice - and all those yummy moments - where we’d be filming coverage and she’d give me a look that was forlorn or full of belonging. I would turn to Eamon and say, ‘I know you were watching my coverage, but I need you to turn that f***ing camera around and look at Vanessa because that’s what is worth filming.’ There are so many moments in the movie where there is that. You see this budding relationship with Joey and Regina, and then you see Beatrice having to be a bystander just as much as the audience and how heartbreaking that is. That was one of my favourite moments. I loved diving into that love triangle.
This film deals with trauma in such a powerful and meaningful way, but were you able to talk to anyone who has been through the sort of situations the women have in this story, particularly when it came to getting into Regina’s mindset?
I was definitely able to actually talk to a young woman who Eamon actually based Regina after. To meet her and spend time with her and learn about her was so valuable. Also, I have experience with crime and people I’ve spoken with just in my life who have experienced similar trauma. Obviously not the trauma of ‘I killed my dad when I was eight years old,’ but people who have definitely experienced some real trauma. I was able to kind of pull from those conversations or experiences and really bring that to the fold.
Many of our readers might know Ezra Miller best for playing The Flash or starring in Fantastic Beasts, but this is such a different role for them and a project that they’ve produced; what was your experience like with Ezra, particularly with this being a project he was clearly passionate about?
Yeah, they’re one of the most loving and artistic people. The way that they approach script and project is so fantastic. They are such a creative creature. I loved working with them. I loved the choices that they made, especially as the role they were playing was very, very opposite of who they are. To see them dive into that in a way was just really fun. To see how they took this horrible, horrible person and made them into a human being was just really great to see. Plus, as a producer, they’re a very kind and loving person, so it felt like a set where everyone was taken care of.
On another note, a lot of comic book fans would obviously love to see you as Storm again, but how do you look back on that time in your career now, especially as there were once talks of doing so much for her? Do you hope to return to the role one day?
I loved the experience. I think it was so definitive of my 20s to be part of that. I’d never worked on anything so big and to also be able to play not only one of my favourite superheroes growing up, but also reprising a role Halle Berry played was a huge honour. In future, I think I’d like to see a woman of darker complexion play Storm. I think it’s about time that we see that representation, and I’m more than happy to see that. I think it would be really great. The little girl in me would really like to see that.