Amadou Ly
Amadou Ly looks set to explode into the acting arena next year when he takes on the role of Henri in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.
I caught up with the actor to talk about the role and he reveals that there will be plenty of surprises heading our why when the movie is released next year.
- Twilight fever is once again sweeping the globe we are going to be seeing you in Breaking Dawn - Part 2 so what can we expect for the movie?
I am playing Henri, the French vampire, and I think that there are so many exciting things that are going to happen with the French characters.
Unfortunately I can’t go into too many details about it but it’s definitely going to be something to watch out for - the French vampires are going to make history in Breaking Dawn - Part 2.
- Breaking Dawn - Part 1 is already a monster smash in it's opening weekend so how excited are you about the prospect of appearing in the final instalment?
I am really really excited and I don’t think that it was big surprise that Breaking Dawn - Part 1 has taken over the world; I think that we all predicted it (laughs).
But I am really blessed to be part of the final movie and there are going to be plenty of surprises waiting in the final instalment.
Also we had so many great and talented actors on this movie as well as Bill Condon, who is the director, and he did a phenomenal job.
So I am definitely excited about it and I really can’t wait for the world to see what we have waiting for them.
- As you said you are going to be taking on the role of Henri in the movie so what was it about the character and the script that drew you to the project?
I went in and auditioned for the character - the character speaks French and so do I so that was something that I loved.
Two weeks after I auditioned for the role I received the offer for the part - and I was more than excited to accept the offer; as many actors would.
You will get to do a lot of films in your career and you will get to do a lot of blockbuster films but I think the chances that the film can affect the world like Twilight has are pretty slim.
- What was it like stepping into such a huge franchise as a new character?
I did a lot of research and I spoke to a lot of my friends who are Twi-hards and my sister who is also a Twi-hard. I spent weeks and months preparing for this role - and it was exciting because playing a vampire you get to play with your imagination; and it was lovely to do that.
And then to step on set and see this massive production it became more exciting - but at the same time there were a few nerves there.
- Bill Condon is in the director's chair for the movie so how did you find him as a filmmaker?
The amazing part about Bill Condon is back in 2006, when I was an up and coming actor; I watched his movie Dreamgirls and the character Effie really inspired me to keep on reaching for my dreams.
So now having that opportunity to work with him at this stage of may career was a dream come true - it was mind blowing to discover that I was going to be working with him.
On set he is a very specific director and yet very supportive, very energetic and such a funny and loving guy - so getting the chance to work with him was definitely a blessing.
This is one of the things that I will take with me throughout my career ‘at least I got to work with Bill Condon’ (laughs).
- How did you find working with the rest of the cast?
The ensemble cast became a family while shooting simply because we shot for two and a half months - we got to know each other on a personal level; from exchanging different books to going out and eating together and hanging out at the set.
We became an ensemble and I respect each and every one of them because they are all so talented - you can easily mistake that actors who appear in a blockbuster aren’t trained but you would be surprised how much training and work each one of us put into this film.
- You were at the premiere of the first instalment so what did you think of the hysteria that seems to follow this franchise?
The premiere, first of all, was just mind blowing - as you may have heard the fans started camping out a week and a half before.
- Wow
Yeah, exactly. So it was something that I was looking forward to. It was exciting but at the same time nerve wracking because I have only been to one premiere in my life and never anything this big.
But at the premiere the fans were very supportive and of course there were a lot of cheers and it was definitely fun. And it was also great to get the chance to see all of the cast members again.
- I was reading somewhere that you are currently writing your own project - is this true? How much is behind the camera work something that interests you?
Yes it is true. I love writing and I think that if I did move to behind the camera work then it definitely would be writing.
We are now living in a world where anything is possible and you can work on other things on an artistic level - but at the moment I am focusing on writing.
- So how did you get into acting? Is it something that you have always wanted to do?
Actually no. I participated in this robotics competition back in 2006 however I use to be illegal in this country therefore after winning that competition I started doing interviews and they realised that I was illegal - and that caught immediate attention.
I use to be really shy and a friend of mine recommended that I start taking acting classes, which I started doing.
And then I fell in love with acting and I transferred from my engineering degree to my acting degree - which was fun (laughs).
A week after I graduated I moved to Los Angeles and that was two and a half years ago.
- Away from acting you have been working with Project Food Angels so can you tell me a little bit about that?
I started doing that because a friend of mine told me one day there’s this place where we should go that delivers food in Los Angeles and where we can help out.
It became something that I really became interested in and once I had given it a try I was like ’whoa I really want to do more’ plus it keeps me really grounded. So yes I am working with them.
- 2011 is drawing to a close to what movies have you been enjoying this year?
The Help was definitely a movie that I enjoyed watching because the performances were just so amazing.
Another movie that I really enjoyed was Leo’s (DiCaprio) movie J Edgar and Moneyball with Brad Pitt was also great and I am hoping that it receives an Oscar - but we will have to wait and see about that.
- Finally what's next for you?
At the moment, as you know, I am still working on my script as well as dealing with different scripts for acting work - first things first is my acting career.
I also have the robotic season coming up where I will be going to different high schools to talk to students about robots and how we can effect the world of technology and how we can be part of the nation that can lead the world when it comes to technology.
I love to interact with the fans on Facebook and Twitter so I would love them to say hi on Twitter at @amadouLy.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 is out now
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 is released 16th November.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Amadou Ly looks set to explode into the acting arena next year when he takes on the role of Henri in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2.
I caught up with the actor to talk about the role and he reveals that there will be plenty of surprises heading our why when the movie is released next year.
- Twilight fever is once again sweeping the globe we are going to be seeing you in Breaking Dawn - Part 2 so what can we expect for the movie?
I am playing Henri, the French vampire, and I think that there are so many exciting things that are going to happen with the French characters.
Unfortunately I can’t go into too many details about it but it’s definitely going to be something to watch out for - the French vampires are going to make history in Breaking Dawn - Part 2.
- Breaking Dawn - Part 1 is already a monster smash in it's opening weekend so how excited are you about the prospect of appearing in the final instalment?
I am really really excited and I don’t think that it was big surprise that Breaking Dawn - Part 1 has taken over the world; I think that we all predicted it (laughs).
But I am really blessed to be part of the final movie and there are going to be plenty of surprises waiting in the final instalment.
Also we had so many great and talented actors on this movie as well as Bill Condon, who is the director, and he did a phenomenal job.
So I am definitely excited about it and I really can’t wait for the world to see what we have waiting for them.
- As you said you are going to be taking on the role of Henri in the movie so what was it about the character and the script that drew you to the project?
I went in and auditioned for the character - the character speaks French and so do I so that was something that I loved.
Two weeks after I auditioned for the role I received the offer for the part - and I was more than excited to accept the offer; as many actors would.
You will get to do a lot of films in your career and you will get to do a lot of blockbuster films but I think the chances that the film can affect the world like Twilight has are pretty slim.
- What was it like stepping into such a huge franchise as a new character?
I did a lot of research and I spoke to a lot of my friends who are Twi-hards and my sister who is also a Twi-hard. I spent weeks and months preparing for this role - and it was exciting because playing a vampire you get to play with your imagination; and it was lovely to do that.
And then to step on set and see this massive production it became more exciting - but at the same time there were a few nerves there.
- Bill Condon is in the director's chair for the movie so how did you find him as a filmmaker?
The amazing part about Bill Condon is back in 2006, when I was an up and coming actor; I watched his movie Dreamgirls and the character Effie really inspired me to keep on reaching for my dreams.
So now having that opportunity to work with him at this stage of may career was a dream come true - it was mind blowing to discover that I was going to be working with him.
On set he is a very specific director and yet very supportive, very energetic and such a funny and loving guy - so getting the chance to work with him was definitely a blessing.
This is one of the things that I will take with me throughout my career ‘at least I got to work with Bill Condon’ (laughs).
- How did you find working with the rest of the cast?
The ensemble cast became a family while shooting simply because we shot for two and a half months - we got to know each other on a personal level; from exchanging different books to going out and eating together and hanging out at the set.
We became an ensemble and I respect each and every one of them because they are all so talented - you can easily mistake that actors who appear in a blockbuster aren’t trained but you would be surprised how much training and work each one of us put into this film.
- You were at the premiere of the first instalment so what did you think of the hysteria that seems to follow this franchise?
The premiere, first of all, was just mind blowing - as you may have heard the fans started camping out a week and a half before.
Tagged in Twilight