Pictures courtesy of Netflix
Netflix’s latest action movie, Havoc, is a high-octane, bloodbath of a ride that’s now streaming globally after a long time in post-production. In this interview, we chat to Jill Winternitz, who plays Angela in Netflix’s latest action-packed blockbuster, Havoc.
Directed by seminal action filmmaker Gareth Evans and starring Tom Hardy, the movie follows Walker, a hardened and grizzled detective. Drawn deep into the criminal underground after happening across a crime scene from an apparent drug deal gone wrong, the movie quickly becomes a bloody, rollicking web of high-octane action. In our review of Havoc, we rated the film an impressive four stars out of five, citing it as a love letter to the bloodshed genre.
In between all of the carnage, Havoc still retains a beating heart with numerous heartfelt moments. One of the most touching elements of the show comes when we meet Angela, played by Jill Winternitz (known on Netflix for her role in The Sandman), who finds herself caught in the crossfire. While her role in the movie was comparatively small, Winternitz made a big impression as Angela. We recently caught up with her, discussing her character, as well as the collaborative process between her, director Gareth Evans, and star Tom Hardy.
Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
What’s on Netflix: Congratulations on Havoc. It’s a brilliant film. Brilliant, loved it. What drew you to the role and the project?
Jill Winternitz: So I think with this film, when I read the role of Angela, she really stood out as being part of the emotional core of the film. She really brings, I think, heart and also context, because this movie is full of extraordinary action set pieces. And for those to really, I think, mean something, we need to care about the characters. So we need to understand specifically Walker and his journey and that of his team, and sort of what’s going on. And so I think reading Angela’s scene, I was very much like, okay, there’s a lot here for me as an actor, even though it’s small. There was so much to sink my teeth into, and there’s something like a character arc. So for me, it was a no-brainer.
Picture: Netflix
You don’t really have much screen time, but your character is incredibly impactful. What was the biggest challenge in your preparation for taking on this role?
This is kind of a revealing or embarrassing, maybe, but I was so nervous to work with Tom Hardy because he’s such a star and he’s extraordinary. We were doing night shoots in Wales. And on my first meeting with him, it must have been one in the morning. And I had this very intense emotional scene that I really wanted to get right. I was so nervous in the weeks leading up to it and my shoot dates even got pushed. That made me even more nervous, giving me more time to work. But I’m really happy to say that when I finally did get in the room with Tom, he was so lovely and so supportive, and he understood exactly what my job was and what I needed to bring. Luckily, our styles really matched because he’s so focused, so in the moment.
That really created the environment for me to then be able to relax and trust my preparation, and then just view him as the character. I thought, ‘Okay, this is Walker. Never mind Tom Hardy, this is Walker. I can do my thing.’ And then, yeah, he was just really lovely.
At the end, once we’d gotten there, he just gave me a huge hug. And I was like, oh, he’s just a really good guy.
Physical stunts are one thing, and you’ve got emotional scenes. When you’re filming emotionally charged scenes, particularly ones that require tears, what’s your process with connecting directly with the character? You spend a lot of time crying!
I do, I do. It’s different for every role. For Angela, I was using a lot of music. I created a playlist for her that really got me in the headspace that I felt she was in. I think if you live long enough, you’ve experienced a moment where you’re in the hospital with a loved one, and you don’t know. I pray that people don’t experience that, but sadly, that is a human thing that we go through. So in doing my character preparation, I was thinking, okay, what is this moment like? What is it like to be waiting for hours and hours and hours and not know if the love of your life is going to survive or not, and the ebbs and flows of that? And so for me, it was in the green room, because I didn’t really know when I was going to film. It was in the middle of the night, and I was waiting. So I needed to stay in the headspace. So yeah, having my playlist.
And then I would also just kindly say to the people around me, ‘Hey, it’s not about you, but I just need to be by myself right now.’ So it wasn’t necessarily a bundle of laughs on set.
Credit: Netflix
What songs are on your playlist? Any tear-jerkers there?
There are two artists who I’ll say were the right tone for me. One is London Grammar. And then, bizarrely or not bizarrely, Tracy Chapman. I find her very raw, human, and gorgeous.
Obviously, you’ve got the emotional side, but you are involved in one quite intense action sequence. What was that experience like? Was it a career first for you?
It was a career first. And I loved it, because I’ve never seen action shot that way. Garrett Evans and his style are very well-known with jigsaw pieces and how they previs every single shot.
So I come in, do the choreography that I was taught, but then I watch. I actually worked with Xav [Xavier Gens], who is the second unit director on some of those shooting scenes, including the death scene. And literally watching what they had shot on a monitor next to the previs, and they’re lighting it up to see, is it the exact angle that we need? And if it wasn’t, they would go again. I just found it fascinating, and also just how many people are involved. I just had no idea how intricate it is. How many stunt people, squibs, blanks, and all these things? It was like the first day of school for me, but now I want more. I’m ready.
What was it like working with Garrett Evans? And obviously, you’ve mentioned Tom Hardy is brilliant.
What stands out to me is the strong vision Gareth has, and also his use of rhythm as a director comes to life. That was a revelation. He’s very instinctual, and he really knows what he wants. That’s really nice as an actor, because you walk in and you feel like there’s a framework and you’re being guided, but within that, there’s very much space to bring what you do to the role as well. He is an auteur in his genre, and it was a privilege to get a peek behind the curtain at that.
I’ve been lucky enough to work with some incredible actors over the years, but Tom is unique. The energy he brings, the dedication. He is all in. And I think that I’ve taken something away from that experience. I feel like it’s really a cliché, but it has raised my game.
Credit: Netflix
And lastly, for a bit of fun, we asked Jill to sum up her experience on Havoc in three words:
Intense, fascinating, and squib-filled.
Where can you expect to see Jill Winternitz next?
Jill Winternitz has a number of exciting projects on the horizon– not all of them on television. For instance, she’s got an audiobook narration gig for Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson — a novel that easily influenced The Matrix.
As for on-screen forays, there’s Life Hack, from Ronan Corrigan with Screenlife Liverpool, which is now playing in film festivals. “I play a supporting role in that. And I’m not sure what the distribution situation is yet, but it’s doing festivals right now,” she said. Hopefully it lands on Netflix!
She also teases an upcoming ensemble Christmas movie coming later this year.”That’s a big, fun movie with a big ensemble cast that you will recognise.”
We thank Jill for her time. Havoc is now streaming on Netflix!