"The last one was with Daniel [Craig] and in the studio in London with makeup with the set, everything, like a little piece of movie," recalled Kurylenko. "That was very nerve-wracking because I had just met Daniel and I had to do the scene with him so it was very exciting but I tried to stay calm and look like I'm not worried at all. Marc [Forster] told me, 'You're so calm.' I said, 'Are you kidding me?' I was so calm outside but inside I was like, 'Oh!' But we did it and I'm here today."
A New Type of Bond Girl
Kurylenko saw the last few Bond movies in theaters and also checked out older Bond films on DVD before tackling the part of Camille. "A few. I didn't count, but a few. Those that seemed more interesting," said Kurylenko. "Dr. No was pretty, as an old Bond, well, first it's like the first one and suddenly it's just this girl, this beautiful girl. I'm very happy to play the part of Camille though. I think the part is more interesting but it's just somehow this iconic film with Sean Connery."And Kurylenko doesn't mind being labeled a Bond Girl."That's what it's called. It's been like this in the history. That's what it is except, luckily, the concept is changing so it's not about the name. It's about what exactly it represents," said Kurylenko.
So what does it represent to Kurylenko? "Well, I don't know if all the parts are going to be, I don't know how the next Bond girl is going to be. Maybe they'll make her arm candy again. But now I think they're getting, taking the last one also, they're getting more personalities and they're getting stronger and they're getting somehow, I don't know, they're smart. I think they're deeper characters and more interesting characters to play," answered Kurylenko.
Kurylenko describes Camille as very strong and very feisty, which she feels is a little different than past Bond Girls. "I don't think the others have been so feisty. She's independent. What's good about her is that she has her own story in the film. I think if Bond wasn't there, she would still have her story. She doesn’t really…somehow, she doesn't need Bond to exist."
Also, this is one Bond Girl who doesn't fall for Bond's charms and slip into bed with him. "I was very happy," said Kurylenko on Camille not bedding Bond. "I'm actually very, not that…come on, Daniel is great but I'm very happy that my character doesn't get to do it because finally she is like the one. She's the first one who finally doesn't do it, and it's very good to differ because we've seen so many other films where it's all the same thing. That's what's different about it."
The Physical Demands of Quantum of Solace
As Camille, Kurylenko has to tackle some intense action sequences. To prepare, Kurylenko spent a great deal of time training as well as six months working with the stunt team. "All the days I wasn't on the set, I was spending them in the gym with the stunt guys and just training and training and training, rehearsing all those fight scenes because there were different scenes, rehearsing the choreography because I had to be really natural," said Kurylenko.One of the biggest action sequences in the film has Craig and Kurylenko falling out of an airplane. To get the right effect, director Forster used a special wind tunnel set up to help people learn how to sky dive. Kurylenko recalled the experience: "It's round also, so I think they used, I don't know how many cameras, 16 cameras all around. It was like something amazing, but I loved it because during the months we trained for it and I just really got addicted to it. So for me the wind tunnel was a pleasure. I loved it."
The same can't be said for the boat chase scene. Kurylenko admits that particular action sequence was pretty frightening. "Because it was going so fast, it's like being on a roller coaster that goes really fast except that you're not sitting in attached, just enjoying. We weren't attached. We had to fight and it was really difficult not to fall out of the boat because the boat was jumping."
