Interview - Sanctum

Interview with Star Rhys Wakefield

By Sean Lynch

Sanctum, the 3D new thriller from executive producer James Cameron, follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth.

Shot on location on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Sanctum employs 3D photography techniques Cameron developed to lens Avatar.

Designed to operate in extreme environments, the technology used to shoot the film takes audiences on a breathless journey across plunging cliffs and into the furthest reaches of our subterranean world.

Web Wombat Movies chats to the film's young star Rhys Wakefield about LA, holding your breath and big bulges in 3D...

In terms of Australian productions, Sanctum is a pretty epic undertaking...

Yeah, definitely. Thus far, in my career, it's the biggest and most extravagant project I've had the honour to work on.

How did you're involvement in the film come about, was the much - or any - interaction with James Cameron?

I was in LA at the time when the brief came through from my Australian agent for the role. I just read a synopsis of the script, because they were being pretty tight lipped about releasing it.

Then I just put down a little [screen] test with a friend in a small place in LA, sent it off. Jim saw it, and he responded well, and flew me back to Australia to meet the director and Richard Roxborough to make sure everything matched up.

There are so many Aussies in Hollywood, how are you adapting to LA?

It's funny, it's kind of like leading a double life. Setting up phones and bank accounts and all of that type of business. But I'm so happy to be back in Australia over summer, Sydney's such a wonderful place to be.

Not to give too much away, but how much time was spent in sets compared to the real-deal caves?

It was mostly built-in sound stages on the Gold Coast at Warner Brothers Studios.

"Hollywood on the Gold Coast"!

[Laughs] "Hollywood on the Gold Coast" indeed!

One thing that really translates on the screen is an incredible sense of claustrophobia, Brendan Cowell admitted to getting claustrophobia on Beneath Hill 60, did you get much sense of that contained fear while filming?

Definitely. Parts of the set were pretty intense and tight little spaces - but I think what was more claustrophobic was shooting under water. 

We shot them in an outdoor tank in the middle of the night, so that was kind of a surreal experience for me - swimming in this low light, down in the little nook and crannies.

I actually quite liked tucking myself into the confined spaces underwater.

Having your head showing on a giant cinema screen is daunting enough, were you ever worried about the backlash of a Giant 3D film of you in some - admittedly - fairly tight clothing?

[Laughs] I didn't quite realise what I was getting into until we started shooting. 

There was a stray hair on my face that we had to shave - and none of us could see it with our eyes, but in 3D there were always these weird blemishes that were being picked up on camera because that's just how high the resolution is.

Richard Roxborugh has the "Batman Voice" down pat throughout Sanctum - were there any subconscious traits you picked up from him during filming, knowing that you were playing his son?

The strange thing is, my character is desperately trying to be as far removed from his father as possible. It was funny how much time we spent together, because we both seemed to take on traits of each other. Which is quite interesting I think.

Also in the film is Ioan Gruffudd - did you just constantly refer to him as "The Guy From Fantastic Four" just to get on his nerves?

[Laughs] Not just "The Guy From" - he was Mr Fantastic [Laughs]!

There are so many scenes where the audience will be trying to hold their breath as long as the characters on screen - what's your record "breath hold"?

A minute and twenty seconds!

How does that compare to other breath holding records?

I think the first time I went under water, I could only hold it for 45 seconds - so the training did help.

One final question before we go. We ask everyone this : If you could start your own "Richard Gere Gerbil" myth or rumour to spread about yourself in the press... what would it be?

I guess that I... invented... something. That'd be quite funny. I wish I had a witty answer.

It's a thought question - even Judd Apatow could only come up with that he "had a huge dick".

[Laughs] Maybe that could be it - that's a nice way to be remembered [Laughs].

Maybe you invented "the big dick" - kill two birds with one stone...

[Laughs] I'd be a pioneer!

SANCTUM is available on BLU RAY and DVD now!