Transcript of Zoey Deutch's Interview with Josh Horowitz (August 24)

You've wrapped up the film, so congratulations! This is a big deal for fans, give me a sense of what you're feeling post shooting the actual film.

I was super excited. It was sad to end something like that, you know? 'Cause I had been training for so long and it's such a big part of my life already. And it hasn't even come out, and edited nonetheless. So yeah, I'm just really happy.

So, talk to me a little bit about your first interest in the material. Were you a fan going in?

Yeah, absolutely. I had previously done a movie called Beautiful Creatures. So, I kinda was aware of the young adult kind of world. I had read Vampire Academy, so I was definitely interested. You know, it's very rare that this kind of part comes along, so it was an opportunity of a lifetime. 

So, what was interesting about Rose to you? What was fascinating about that character that made you say, 'Yeah, out of all these kinds of heroines in these books, this is a cool one.'

I love that Rose kind of uses humor as a kind of means of survival almost. And she's fervent in her opinions, and she's passionate, and she's rambunctious, and doesn't take no for an answer.

So, what was the audition process like? Are you generally chill about auditions, or do you get really tense? What was the environment like?

(Jokes) I'm super Jewish and neurotic, and I have all these things that have to happen. I have to turn off my phone, and I have to not be wearing certain bracelets on. Like really obscene. So, I did all that. Maybe that's why I got it. Maybe that's what happened.

+ Read more from the interview underneath!

Was there one particular scene they had you do?

There were two. They were my least favorite ones to shoot 'cause I had the trauma of auditioning with them.

What were the regimens before the little things you had to get in order, in terms of specific things you had to wear? Specific rituals?

If I drive badly, every time something weird happens to my car I think, 'Oh, this is gonna be a great audition.' Like if someone's about to hit me, I'm like, 'Oh my God, I'm gonna get this part.' There's really bizarre, little things that I shouldn't tell people 'cause they make me look "special."

So, let's talk a little bit about hearing the news. When you heard you got the part, what was that like?

The director and producers took us out for lunch, and so they told us there. I was in the middle of doing like press and stuff, and I kinda don't really...You know when the kinda most pivotal parts of your life that you don't really remember them almost, like graduating high school, sometimes you don't even remember them 'cause it all just happens so quickly. It was very exciting. I remember the best part was being able to tell my family, so that was really fun. That was nice.

A lot of the stuff that goes with parts like this and franchises like this is that the fans go crazy in terms of every casting move. It can kinda go into your head. No one's ever happy. People love it, people hate it. Do you go online to see what people are saying?

The inter web is a scary machine, you know? I don't necessarily look like your average badass. I understand why people would be kind of skeptical initially, but I think that people kind of saw that I worked really hard and hopefully they're happy with how it turned out. I feel very close to Rose. Hopefully it was good.

I feel like you have to feel good also about the reactions, especially since the trailer has come out. What's that been like to see? First, for yourself to see the trailer. And see you kicking ass is gonna awesome. 

The reactions has been amazing actually. Yeah, it was really cool. I'm a nerd, it was really cool. I wasn't allowed to see the dailies, but I would watch everything and in between things. So, I have an idea of what everything looks like. And on that note, aesthetically speaking, the movie is beautiful. It really is. It is very, very beautiful. So, it was really interesting to see the trailer, to see what route they were going to, in terms of marketing it and stuff.

Key Moments from the Trailer

This is in the beginning of the film when I first meet Dimitri. Actually, that's when he's first coming towards me. That's the first time I see him, so it's a pivotal point in the story. It's love at first sight.

This is us training. (Jokes) This is me in real life. Sorry, awkward. Sorry, I'm really famous. People follow me, it's paparazzi. 

I think what pops out at me first is Sarah's boobs. Look at how hot she is! She kills this part, she slays it. She takes it to a nice Italian dinner and never calls it back. She is awesome in this movie. People are gonna be like, 'What? Sarah Hyland? You're not like the person in Modern Family.' (Jokes) I hate her. No, I love her. She's awesome. I'm seeing her tonight. 

This is towards the beginning of the film where you first see Lissa feeding on Rose, which is quite controversial in the vampire world, and many vampire worlds.

(Sarcasm) Look at how cute that face I'm making! I'm gonna get so many boyfriends! Millions of boyfriends! Wow. Yeah, that was really fun. That was one of my favorite scenes to shoot. That was in the end sequence, the fight sequence. That was emotionally and physically exhausting and probably one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to do. 'Cause I worked about three weeks in pre-production for stunt choreography for the fights and this was the hardest one. It was really, it was really cool.

We asked the fans online what the scene they were most excited for was and this was it. 

But that's because he's so hot and steamy. Uh, you know. It...yeah... What do I say?! I'm naked.

Was that an awkward day to shoot?

No, not at all. I can't express to you... Danila, who plays Dimitri, the naked one there on his back. Everyone should be like him. He is one of the greatest people I've ever met. He's worked on a lot of films where he's had to do much more intimate things than that. He's very, very giving...that sounds wrong. He was very respectful of me in the process. It was fine. 'Cause we're such close friends, it was really fine. 

Had you guys screen-tested together? 

No, actually. No. Which was weird. And luckily we had a lot of chemistry. I mean, he could have chemistry with this, lovely carpet by the way, with this carpet. He's just awesome. I love him.

That must be a big relief, like the first days on set. Since that's such a key relationship. Give me a sense of what that was like to sorta see where that relationship was gonna go the first couple of days.
Of course you're nervous because it's a very, very vital aspect of the movie. You know, that the romance has that connection, has the chemistry. We met at a lunch in L.A., and then we trained together in L.A. and then also in London. I felt like he was my best friend from day one. He's a really, really interesting person and an amazing actor.

You mentioned the training a little bit, are these skills that you can apply in real life now? Like what have you soaked in from training? 
All of a sudden I have all this testosterone from training, like I'm with my friends now and when they say something I'm like (makes an intimidating face), 'Don't you do that!' I was about to say an F word there and thank God I didn't.

So if I said some horrible question that you hated, what would be your method of dispatching me? Of killing me? 
Well, did you know that I know how to rip a man's balls off?

What was your favorite scene to shoot? Did you have one?
Funnily enough, there's a little scene of Dimitri and I walking back from training that ended up being my favorite scene. And I think it had something to do with the fact that it was a scene where the camera was very far away and it was very weird. It just felt very natural and very real and it was towards the end. And it was also during the day when we were mostly shooting at night, so it was like, light! Sunlight!

Was that odd, too? You shot in London. You're there for a couple of months, you're shooting mostly at night. It's gotta feel like, almost like you're in a dream. This is an alternate, weird environment, right?
Yeah, absolutely. What's even weirder is that I felt totally happy and content and fine with adjusting to night shoots and being away from home for four months and everything. It was like a joy. And I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I became so close to everyone in the cast, including Lucy who's my best friend now. Truly. I talk to her everyday. And Mark Waters, who's the director. He's wonderful. He really made me feel at home.

So, for people that don't know Mark Waters: director of Mean Girls and Daniel Waters, his brother, also did Heathers, they're channeling it into awesomeness on the big screen so it leads me to ask how much is the comedic content in attitude? Is there a lot of comedy in the film?
Yeah absolutely. Absolutely. Dan Waters, he's a weirdo. I don't know why he can capture a 13 year- I'm sorry - 17 year old girl's way of speaking but he really can! Really well! And that's one of the things that initially struck me about the script was that it was able to capture the hilarity being of a teenager so vividly - and I know that because I'm a teenager. And so, like, totally.....what?

Did you feel any pressure? I mean this is a big moment for you in your career to get this kind of an opportunity to be "the girl"
This is where I feel pressure because I'm in love with you! You don't understand!

What about my balls that you threatened to rip off?
Weird. We didn't bring that up. Ok? I thought we were passed that. I thought we moved on.

No! You made me uncomfortable (laughs)
This is the internet! They told me I'm allowed to say whatever I want. I asked them about it. Well I told them, I'm in love with you and I also have the capability of knowing, or telling people that I can [rip a man's balls off].

Wait so what was I asking? Oh! The pressure. So no pressure day-to-day? You're like number one on the call sheet! You're the lady!
Yeah I definitely felt pressured but I also felt.....I don't know. I feel more pressured towards the fans and wanting them to be happy with everything and at the same time you kind of have to just let go and almost have like a spiritual sense of it and let things happen the way they're suppose to.

Do you look to friends and family or your parents, obviously both in the business, before you embark in an adventure like this?
My mom. My poor mother. Her text messages....I mean the bill, like what does it mean? Like I am the most annoying daughter. I talk to her 24/7. I love you too dad!

Just not a big a texter?
No....yeah. But also my mother, yeah, she's my everything. So I look to her for advice for everything.

What kind of stuff do you ask her like if you are stressed on the set?
What's interesting about being on a movie set in my opinion, especially when it's like night shoots and you're two months in and everyone is exhausted, everyone is stressed and freaking out, there can be a lot of little bad things that happen on set - like in life - a lot of little thing that happen that starts to build up and can just wear you down. That's something that she's really helped me with is to just deal with one thing at a time and to let myself feel it as suppose to letting it just build up. She's a wonderful friend and mother and I don't know what I would do without her. In terms with this experience, I was on the phone with her a lot.

Alright I got some fan questions. They wanted to know a lot of things. 
Cool! Hi guys! You're the best! I love you!

Can you describe your relationship with Danila in one word?.....that's tough.
That is tough.

You can get three words. I'll give you two bonus words.
Can I do four? I. Am. In. Love.

What do you think about Rose's style? How would you describe it?
Badass! Really cool! I loved everything I wore! My costume designer did an awesome job. It was a lot of leather jackets, black pants and not too many of them. Rose doesn't have a lot of items. She doesn't have a lot of things because she doesn't come from a wealthy background. Basically everything she has is either given to her from the school or Lissa as a Christmas present or something.

Did you keep anything from set? Wardrobe or...
They didn't let me keep it! They didn't let me keep any of it except for some sweatpants that I think I stole. Sorry!

If you were a dhampir (a real dhampir) who would you want to protect and be bonded with?
You! But no in real life, probably my sister.

What was your favorite set?
My favorite set was the security center. Beautiful.

How was meeting Richelle?
I was so nervous. I was....maybe I'm doing it now where I just talk a lot and I humiliate myself a little bit. But I think I did that in front of her. I was really nervous. But she's so sweet and so lovely. So yeah it was a really cool experience and really surreal especially since we were working at the time.

So have you read the other books in the series?
I have read one and two and I'm reading three right now which I don't think I'm suppose to...

Why aren't you suppose to?
Mark and I talked about it and we discussed that perhaps it was better at the moment to just focus on one and really, really break it down and understand the story as best as we could. But I cheated.

Would you say the first one [the first film] is pretty faithful to the book?
Absolutely! Absolutely. I mean Richelle said that herself so...

Now that you've read the second one, what are you most looking forward to if you get to do this again?
I adore with all my heart, Cameron Monaghan, who plays Mason. There's a lot with Mason so I think that would be really, really cool to do.

We have a little quiz with you, a little game, don't worry its easy! We want to see if you can recognize other vampires throughout pop culture.
Do I have to hold this microphone and do the quiz? *laughs* No, no, no this isn't fair! We can't play this! I'm really not good at this! If there's Sarah Michelle Geller and Buffy I can do that one.

*Watch the video interview of the vampire guessing game they played*

Alright VMA's tomorrow. Who are you looking forward to seeing?
Honestly, it's a really cool line. I'm really excited. Well, I'm very excited to see Kanye. I'm very excited to see Miley Cyrus. Sarah Hyland and I have watched one too many twerk tutorial videos to not be excited for an event like tomorrow. Miley Cyrus if you don't twerk.....tears.

Have you twerked?
No. I can't. And Lady Gaga! It's her first performance in awhile. She's a really good performer.

Do you get starstruck around musicians as suppose to actors because it's just not their field so that's like their version of "celebrity" in a way?
I would agree with that. And also with someone like Lady Gaga, she's such an other worldy type of a human with the way she dresses. I would certainly be starstruck. Absolutely.

And we got Timberlake. You've heard of the rumors right? (About the *NSYNC reunion)
Yeah I would spontaneously combust if they're true....

You're an *NSYNC fan?
Yeah. I think more so I'm just excited because of the idea of it, like if the Spice Girls were performing then I couldn't come. That would be too much for me. It's the Spice Girls I'm still obsessed with. I still have posters.

Who did you have posters of in your room growing up?
(Makes a Spice Girls gesture) I dressed up as Ginger Spice three Halloweens in a row. I still have the costume.

Why was it Ginger?
Because she was cool and she wore the awesome American flag dress that I love. I had a barbie of her!

Do you know what you're going to wear [tomorrow]?
I do. I'm really excited. It's a very bold choice but I'm excited.

I'm sad to say we're wrapping up our time with you today. Are you sad? Are you happy?
I'm just embarrassed about the whole quiz...

The good news is that Vampire Academy is coming February 14 right?
February. Yes next year! Very excited!

We've seen our first bit of footage, we'll see more, we're gonna talk a lot more in the next few months, it's great to finally have you here and have an awesome time at the VMAs tomorrow!
Thank you! I hope to see you tomorrow!