Exclusive Interview Madison Wolfe Star of I Kill Giants

By: Lynn Barker

15-year-old actress Madison Wolfe, who stars in the fantasy/drama I Kill Giants, costarred with Jennifer Lawrence in the movie Joy and was the lead possessed girl in the scary thriller The Conjuring 2. Now she takes on another intense role as Barbara, a smart, misfit teen who wears bunny ears (representing her spirit animal) and swears that she sees and kills giants thus protecting her town. She has no friends until a new girl from the U.K. moves into town and Barbara doesn’t make it easy for the new student to befriend her.

Underneath all the blustery and seemingly nutty exterior lies a teen with some heavy duty family trauma to overcome. Madison had to really give her all to play the complicated role and running into a freezing Irish sea pretending to fight a giant wasn’t easy either.

Kidzworld: In I Kill Giants you are on camera in almost every scene. I think you were on camera a lot in Conjuring 2 as well. How stressful was that?

• Madison: It can definitely be very stressful but I love it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love a good challenge.

Kidzworld: How did you get into acting in the first place? Were you in school plays?

• Madison: I was but I was at our local zoo and an acting school had a little promoting booth and my aunt was like ‘Oh my gosh, baby, you should be an actress’. I went and found out that I was actually pretty good so that’s what started it all. At first I took a lot of classes then went to the industry network so I got an agent and eventually, a manager and got a lot of auditions through them. I went out to L.A. for (T.V.) pilot season one time but it’s all been through my agent and manager.

Kidzworld: Your character Barbara avoids facing a family tragedy by using her huge imagination. Did you ever escape something negative in your life by using imagination?

• Madison: Not really. It’s always kind of been the opposite for me. I feel like I have a great normal life. I’m still in regular school and acting was always a way for me to fill other people’s shoes and be a creative outlet.

Kidzworld: What was the most difficult physical scene for you and why? That stuff in the rain looked brutal.

• Madison: Probably the most difficult scene for me was right before Barbara goes into the ocean to fight the big Titan because that’s a really, really intense scene. We had the wind, the rain, it was absolutely freezing there on the coast. They did a good job of keeping us warm and getting us wet suits (for under her costume). Part was filmed in Ireland and part on a stage in a water tank.

Kidzworld: What about an emotional scene. Which one was really hard?

• Madison: I think the scene where she goes and finally sees her mom was a hard scene for me to film. I have a mom too. It’s an intense scene but beautiful in its own way.

Kidzworld: Had you read the “I Kill Giants” graphic novel either before or after filming?

• Madison: I hadn’t read it but I had heard of it and I’d heard the hype around it then I got the script so once I’d auditioned, then I read it.

Kidzworld: How was the audition process for you? Send in a video or what?  

• Madison: I sent in a tape and I Kill Giants was probably the hardest taped audition I’ve ever done because it took me and my acting instructor four hours to feel comfortable with the performance. Then, afterwards, there were callbacks and Skype interviews and such.

Kidzworld: Where did you shoot and did the kids and teens in the movie get together to do anything in the area when not filming? Did anyone become besties?

• Madison: Yes! We shot in Ireland and Belgium. And the other girls my age, Rory Jackson and Sydney Wade became really, really close. It was so fun filming with them. Pretty much for the whole time we were in the same hotel. Before we started shooting we had about a week of table reads and time to bond and hang out. We bonded really fast.

Kidzworld: Barbara is so angry and basically nasty to everyone but, you were able to also act her vulnerability. Was it hard to yell at Sydney after you became buddies?

• Madison: Kind of but, if it was intense and I had to yell at her then we would cut and start cracking up.

Kidzworld: Who was the jokester or prankster on set and what did they pull?

• Madison: I think me and Sydney were definitely the jokesters. We’d feed off each other. We would make our director sing and dance and do different accents for us.

Kidzworld: Did you ever go anywhere dressed as Barbara, bunny ears and all, just for a laugh and did you keep anything from her costumes or gadgetry?

• Madison: No I didn’t but at the end of the shoot they gave me a few pieces. I have a pair of her bunny ears and a pair of her shoes so maybe I will one day. I got to keep Kovalesky which is the name of the little purse she carries around.

Kidzworld: Have you ever been bullied my mean girls at school like Barbara is? If so what did you do about it?

• Madison: No but I get the snarky comments. It doesn’t really bother me because I’m really happy with my friend group in school and my family (in New Orleans) so when anyone tries to say something, it doesn’t bother me. I’ve been acting since I was really young but a lot of my friends, I’ve been friends with since pre-Kindergarten. They help in keeping me humble. I’ll be off acting for a couple of months and come back and everything is normal.

Kidzworld: Overall, so teens and tweens can get to know you, what is your fave music artist or group right now?

• Madison: The music that I listen to changes depending on what mood I’m in. I love pop, whatever’s on the radio but I also like this band called “Pretty Reckless”. They’re a rock band. They’re really good.

Kidzworld: If anyone wants to date you, what must he never do or he won’t get a second date? Pet dating peeve?

• Madison: I really hate it when they’re on their phone in the middle of the date. If they ask me a question and I’m answering them and they’re just not paying attention.

Kidzworld: That’s the worst! Do you have pets…? Names?

• Madison: I have two dogs. The oldest one is Molly and the younger one is Maggie. Molly is a boxer mix and Maggie is a lab. I miss them when I go shoot.

Kidzworld: What would you be doing if you weren’t an actor?

• Madison: I really like music. I play a lot of guitar so maybe playing music but I also like science and math.

 

Kidzworld: If you have time to read for fun, what type of books do you like to read?

• Madison: I really like mysteries, Agatha Christie.

Kidzworld: What is coming up for you and what is coming out that you have already made?

• Madison: I can’t really say too much about (the new project) right now. A movie called Trafficked is ready to come out but I filmed it a while ago. (Note: This is an intense adult movie about three girls kidnapped to be sex slaves and their escape).

See I Kill Giants in theaters starting March 23^rd

Have Your Say

Have you used imagination or creativity to escape bad times in your life? Do you want to be an actor? Lay down comments below!