Carly Dennis
When it comes to giant robot-dinosaur movies, there ain’t no going past “Transformers : Age of Extinction”.
One of the lucky theps that got to act alongside the prehistoric props on Michael Bay’s super-pricey blockbuster is actress Melanie Specht. In this exclusive chat with Carly Dennis, Specht suggests there’s ‘more than meets the eye’ to doing a film like this.
Firstly I’d like to say congratulations on landing your role in Transformers 4! Can you tell us much about the character you play in the film?
My character is Joshua’s senior executive assistant. The very talented and gracious Stanley Tucci plays Joshua. On set director Michael Bay referred to my character as the “Grande Dame”, I got a kick out of that!
What was it like for you, becoming a part of such a well-known, and well-loved franchise?
It was like a dream come true! Who wouldn’t want to be part of such a huge and exciting franchise?! As a child, I always watched the Transformers cartoons never suspecting that one day, I would be part of the Transformers movies.
What was the experience like working on set, and how was it working with Michael Bay?
The on set experience was as thrilling as it was educational. Being part of a production of this caliber provided me with additional insight to the “sky is the limit” thinking that big production budgets provide. It was also fascinating to observe that filming was being done by both regular and 3D cameras simultaneously.
Working with Michael Bay was challenging in the most favorable light. He is very creatively spontaneous and can change what he wants you to do in a heartbeat. Flexibility is key! I am grateful for the opportunity to have been directed by him.
So you’re character is the senior executive to Stanley Tucci’s Joshua, did you work closely with him during filming?
The majority of my scenes were with Stanley, so yes I did get to work closely with him, which provided me the opportunity to observe and learn from his on set presence and performance. He was very personable, gracious and helpful. A real class act!
You can read the rest of the interview with Melanie here
