Anna Kendrick

Though she mostly only works with one actor in the film, and never got to meet any of her illustrious screen campaigns until the press junket, Anna Kendrick feels blessed to have been a part of the all-star cast of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” – but no, it hasn’t got her feeling clucky. Yet.

In a sequel, what do you think will happen between you and your [on-screen] boyfriend?
The sequel where we don’t have babies. Awkward. {laughing} Maybe we’ll get a dog in the sequel.

Ha! Did you learn any cooking tricks while making this film? Did you get any real injuries?
Yeah. It was like being on a football team and injuring yourself. The thing you’re concerned with is like, “Oh the coach is going to be so disappointed in me.” I was so embarrassed in front of our teacher when I cut my fingernail off almost up to the end of my fingernail or whatever. Almost up to the nailbed. I just kind of wrapped it up really quickly because I was so embarrassed that I’ve made a mistake. When I got home I saw how bad it was. It was really gross to look at and it hurts a lot. It takes like months to heal. I felt like I was walking around with like open nerves. It’s such a small injury but it hurts so much. It’s sort of unfair because you’re like, “I’m working injured here” and feel like a real hero about it.

When you hear the word ‘baby’ what do you think of?
I think about crying. {laughing} I think about baby crying. I think about me crying. {laughing} I think about noise and it smells.

So you’re somebody who would change seats on a plane?
Maybe. {laughing}

What did you like most about the script?
What do we like most?

Yeah
I was personally sort of surprised at some of the things that are said and talked about particularly in our storyline. The idea that the miscarriage that she sort of blames herself because she worries that she didn’t want it enough and it’s her own fault. I thought that was sort of brave for a movie like this to talk about that. I liked that they were honest about that kind of thing.

When you got the script from your agent, how did they sell it to you? Because it is a movie about pregnant women that’s based on an instructional manual, of sorts…
Yeah. I guess when I started to read it I thought, oh God, this is going to just be like pregnancy and babies. I guess that documentary did very well. But, I wouldn’t necessarily go see a movie that was just about babies. Of course it isn’t. It’s about people and their relationships and overcoming obstacles as movies should be. Obviously it takes place in a kind of pregnant world. That’s not what it’s actually about, if that makes sense.

People are obsessed with every detail of a pregnancy these days I mean they talk about it, they write books about it…Before, like 20-30 years ago, it was just something you did – had the baby. I have a kid myself but I still feel pressure to do whatever it takes to keep fit after the fact and during..
Somebody mentioned to me like 20 or 30 years ago the word ‘parenting’ didn’t exist. I think there is a lot of pressure to be a mother that does yoga when she’s pregnant and have the perfect pregnancy and do it naturally or do it at home. I turned out fine and my mom didn’t do yoga. So it’s good. We’re all good.

In the movie he proposes, but its for the wrong reasons. Your take?
I think it’s the idea of getting together or staying together for the kids being silly. My parents are divorced. Divorce is about the couple not the kids. I would certainly rather my parents be happy on their own than miserable for my sake. I think that’s a terrible decision.

When you were filming, did you feel like you were shooting your own movie?
Yeah. We felt like we were the leads of our own B movie.

You never had the entire cast in one place.
No. Like for example, during the shoot Chace worked a day with Cameron and I with someone else. But the cast was never all in the same place at the same time except for today.

Did you get to see the dailies of the others to get a feel for it?
They showed Mimi and Genesis who play my best friends in it, they showed us some of the dancing. That was so funny. We couldn’t believe how good they looked and how much fun it looked like. We got to see some things but not a lot.

Off-topic, I really loved 50/50.
Thank you.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is directing now, what about yourself?
Does Joe have plans as a director?

Yeah. He is directing a script he wrote…
That’s great. That’s the first time that I’ve heard that so that’s…great news. He should be directing. He’s incredibly talented and intelligent so that’s great.

Back to “What to Expect”, if tomorrow your doctor called you and said you’re expecting twins, how do you react?
I’m told that having twins isn’t just twice as much work. It’s four times the work. I just have to keep my fingers crossed I guess that if that happens for me that it’s just one at a time.

According to IMDb you have six films coming up this year!? Are you exhausted!?
I’m tired but…I got to do an animated film which I’ve always wanted to do. I got to work with Robert Redford which wasn’t even something I could even say I always wanted to do because it’s so not something that you ever think will happen to you. I’m nervous to promote all of them. I’m trying to keep them separate.

It’s like having six babies!
Sort of! One of the films was a lot of improv. I kept having to remember which – okay, so be this character. Don’t turn into yourself. You’re on a film set. Don’t just start talking about anything. Stay in character. It’s a good kind of busy [Laughs]

How do you empty your head after all this?
Emptying my head is pretty easy [Laughs]

How is it for you just having such a good time in your career right now when you see so many people struggling?
I’ve been there. The first several years that I was in LA, I was just sort of hoping that to make rent. When I got Rocket Science it was literally one of those thank God moments because I was going to get evicted. I feel your pain. That’s all I can say I guess.

Do you like the attention fame brings? Say, do you like it when someone stops you in the street?
I always feel like I’m a disappointment when people meet me because I’m so awkward. I always want to be that person who is like really gracious and says the right thing like, “Thank you so much” even though I still don’t know what you’re supposed to say. But like when people say, “Hey you’re that girl…” just sort of saying something really strange like it’s a slippery slope so watch your step. “What?” I just get nervous because I feel like I’m supposed to say something really great that they can walk away with and go, “She’s really cool.” I’m really disappointing.

Do you have any meaningful things that you write when people ask for autographs? It’s something I think would be a challenge when they say, ”write something for my brother”?
Luckily that hasn’t happened to me because I would fail at saying something inspirational. I know this comedy duo and apparently a gentleman like an older gentleman wrote them dirty limericks about themselves. I’m hoping to avoid that.

You have such great chemistry on screen, did you and Chace know each other before the movie or did you just meet on set?
People have been asking that a lot which is great.

You know what’s weird? In person, you and Chace could actually pass for brother and sister.
Gross [Laughs].