23 year-old Bryce Howard leapt from stage to screen when director M Night Shyamalan spotted her in a Broadway show and cast her for his new film, The Village. We met the rising star for a chat...
VM: Bryce, your father is the Oscar-winning film director Ron Howard, your mother is a writer, most impressively your godfather is The Fonz (Henry Winkler from classic sitcom Happy Days) - it seems you were destined to be a star!
Bryce Howard: Well actually, because my parents were so creative I rebelled against the natural idea that I would follow a similar path! I was frustrated with all the assumptions, so I said I would be a lawyer or something against the grain. I actually gave a good shot at doing something different, it was only when I was 17 or 18 that I admitted to myself that my imagination and creativity were so important to me. I tried my best but I ended up acting!
VM: Well we're very glad! Your new movie The Village made over $50 million in it's opening weekend in America - you are now one of Hollywood's hottest new stars, at 23 is that a scary feeling?
Bryce Howard: Well, yeah I am scared at the moment because I have no idea what I am going to do next! I've just finished the two most amazing projects - The Village, and Lars von Trier's new movie, it's the second film in his trilogy, the first was Dogville.
VM: You have taken over from Nicole Kidman in her role as Grace?
Bryce Howard: Yes, this one is called Manderlay. I've just finished filming - von Trier was amazing to work with. I guess I honestly feel I am doomed in many ways because I have been so blessed, obviously I had this amazing experience with Night filming The Village, and then an amazing experience with Manderlay and now I don't know how I am going to top that. I am nervous about how I can follow that up, I worry about it every day. It's not just the acting it's the whole film-making experience. Night was truly amazing, to work with a director who is an angel it will be hard to equal that.
