Cholë Moretz Hugo Interview

Question: Hi Chloe. Thanks so much for spending some time with me. I was looking at the schedule of films you have coming out and you are super busy. I'm glad you can fit me in.

• Chloe: Yes, it's true (laughs). I'm, busy, but that's great, right?

Q: It is and talking about great … Hugo is such an amazing film. The sets looked amazing. Were they as amazing in real life as what they appeared to be for the audience watching the movie.

• Chloe: Definitely. The sets were huge. Absolutely gigantic. They are bigger than the Harry Potter sets. It was two stages and they built an entire train station on the two stages. I can't tell you how beautiful it was. There was just so much detail.

Q: Martin Scorsese is one of the great directors. Was it intimidating for you when your first met him and, I guess, every day when you were on the set working with him?

• Chloe: I remember when I was in the waiting room before I went in to audition for the role. I was really scared. Not only because I was auditioning for Martin Scorsese, but because I was trying not to mess up an accent in front of Martin Scorsese. I was intimidated until I walked in and said 'Nice to meet you Mr Scorsese' and he said 'Oh, call me Marty, kid'. Never again are you intimated by him. He's like a father. He is the best friend and director you can have. He makes the set so relaxed and natural.

Q: That's great.

• Chloe: Yeah, he's such a sweetheart. He makes you feel so close.

Q: Do you sometimes pinch yourself just to check your experiences are real? You're 14-years-old. You're working with Martin Scorsese and other great filmmakers.

• Chloe: Yeah. Ever since Kick-Ass I have been pinching myself trying to make sure I remember where I came from. It is a really special experience to work with Martin Scorsese and then go and work with Tim Burton (Dark Shadows).

Q: Your character in Kick-Ass was hilarious. Of course, she swears like a sailor. When fans of the movie see you out in public do they ask you to swear? They shouldn't because you are just 14.

• Chloe: Yeah. That's the thing. They forget I'm only 14. I tell them I'm 14 but they say 'Come on! Say the word!' I'm like, that's my character. That's not me. How old do you think I am? 20? No.

Q: You mentioned earlier about your accent in Hugo. You are from Atlanta, but in Hugo you play Isabelle who has an English accent. Was it hard to pull off the accent?

• Chloe: I worked really hard with my brother on that. It was just me and my brother.

Q: You have actually spent a lot of time in England.

• Chloe: I shot Kick-Ass, Hugo and Dark Shadows there.

Q: So, you are basically an Englishwoman now.

• Chloe: Yeah, I've lived there for about two years. I have a huge friend group out there. They are the most amazing people. I love them.

Q: You are really active on Twitter. Why is that?

• Chloe: I think Twitter is a very important tool because it not only allows you to be close to your fans, but it is also good for your movies. You can put the name of the movie out there. When I'm nominated for something like a People's Choice Award it's good to let people know that I'm thankful that they voted for me.

Q: What was the best part about playing Isabelle in Hugo?

• Chloe: The best part was the British accent. Also, it allowed me to cut my hair off. That made it special because I wasn't Chloe. I was Isabelle when I cut my hair.

Q: In the movie Hugo is amazed when he sees his first film. What was your the first  movie you can remember watching?

• Chloe: My mother is obsessed with Audrey Hepburn as much as I am so the first movie I saw was Breakfast at Tiffanys. I was probably five or six so didn't understand it that much, but I do remember seeing this magnificent woman on the screen. I just fell in love with her. I thought 'Oh my gosh. I don't know what that is, but that's what I want to do'. That's why I love the character of Isabelle so much. The character is a lot like an Audrey Hepburn character.

Q: In what way?

• Chloe: She's sweet and young, but at the same time she is full of adventure. She wants to go out and live life with Hugo. I think the movie is special because it is about these two kids who come together, grow and need each other. I think everyone in the movie fits together like the clocks, like Emily and Sacha's characters. We all need each other.

Q: Hugo also gave you the opportunity to work with Sir Ben Kingsley. What is he like?

• Chloe: Working with Sir Ben was absolutely phenomenal. Our characters had an interesting relationship. We had a conversation about their relationship and how she really looks up to him. She doesn't have a father or mother and she has to have her rock. Acting is reacting and Sir Ben gives you so much to react to. His eyes said so much to me.

Q: One of the great scenes in Hugo is when Isabelle sees Sir Ben's character, Georges, break down.

• Chloe: Yeah. She realizes the man she always looked up to and relied on was a human too. Kids look at their parents as if they are on a pedestal, but to see them cry it makes you realize they are people.

Hugo is now available on Blu-ray and DVD!