I think most of it's in the script. The writing on both projects is very good quality, and John [Crowley] has a great sense of humor and Lone [Scherfig] has a great sense of humor. When you're doing these kinds of like out-and-out comedies - they're like black comedies - you don't sort of think, “Well that's a funny line. Let's try to make that funny.” You don't do that. It's the scene, the situation is sad and funny. People's misery can be hilarious and people's downfall and all that. It's the situation to me that's often quite funny. And then the way people sound, the Irish accents and all that, that speed of talking, all of that is very entertaining to me. I don't think, “Well this is a funny line.” It's the situation.
What do you think of Wilbur's suicide attempts?
I find them very funny, especially the first few. The one I don't find funny is the one where I try and save him. I think that's the turning point, and the first few are silly. Oh yeah, and there's one afterward where he comes in and he's soaking wet. But the one where I pulled him up on the chest of drawers, that was the one time in the film where Lone… We obviously have got Jamie strung up and everything and she just got me into the room and said, "When I turn the camera on I just want you to save him as you would really save him, and I'm not going to tell you how to get him down." And that was horrible. Of course, he'd be dead by the time I actually properly had gotten him down. I actually brought the thing off the ceiling in the end. I actually tore it off the ceiling to try and release him but it couldn't be done, so she just let it run just to see what she could use. My heart was literally pounding and I was absolutely exhausted, because the adrenaline's just going at an incredible rate. You know they're not really strung up but I've got to do it within a certain time. I've got to work how I'm going to get him down, so that's why I think it's a turning point, that scene.
How did you get into this business?
I don't remember striving to get into this business. I didn't even know what the business was. I was brought up with a normal upbringing but I did do singing [on] weekends. I did join drama after school, so I kind of found it myself. I discovered a local college that said you can do drama here, and then they told me about drama school. I didn't know how people went about it, so it was a gradual process for me, of discovering it.
Are you going to be in the sequel to “Bridget Jones's Diary?”
I am. I finished that already.
What was your role in it?
I play Jude, one of her pals.
How about any more “Harry Potter” movies?
The next one, yeah, I start filming the next one soon - [as] Moaning Myrtle.
Is “Harry Potter” just a big special effects machine?
It is, yeah. My stuff is obviously special effects because I'm being a ghost, but I do have to do all this flying through the air, in these awful contraptions. It's rigorous; it's quite hard work.
So you're in the fourth “Harry Potter” movie but not the third?
Myrtle's not in the third, but she pops up in Harry's bath in the fourth one.
Is it a smaller or bigger role?
I don't know because I haven't seen a script yet. I'm waiting on that to arrive.
Is your role in “Bridget Jones” bigger?
Well, I'm not allowed to talk about “Bridget Jones” yet, but we'll see. It's very enjoyable, but I'm not allowed to talk about it.
How important is it to be a part of “Harry Potter” as far as British culture goes?
I don't know how important it is, but I feel very lucky. I feel very privileged. It's surprising to me to be a part of something like that. I can't quite believe it really.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
"Intermission" Photo Gallery
"Intermission" Trailer, Credits and Websites
