Amber Heard is "Driving Angry"

Hey, if you live in L.A. like this reporter does, you always “drive angry”. There are just too many awful drivers out here. Hot actress Amber Heard [Zombieland, The Stepfather, Pineapple Express, Friday Night Lights] is a Texas girl who drives a Mustang muscle car and knows how to shoot a gun. All this came in really handy since she is playing Piper, a tough, down on her luck Southern cutie who goes on the road with Nicolas Cage in the feisty Drive Angry (in 3-D).

Larger-than-life story goes, Milton (Cage) escapes from Hell to go back to earth and avenge the murder of his daughter and the kidnapping by a Satanic cult, of her infant daughter. Milton, one badass dude, is out to rescue the baby and kill the cult leader (also known as Bella’s dad in the Twilight saga, Billy Burke) and everyone who gets in his way.

Piper happens to be driving exactly the hot, powerful “ride” that Milt needs, a Plymouth Charger from the late ‘60’s and the chase/pursuit is on!! Of course, the Devil doesn’t like escapees and sends The Accountant (played wonderfully by William Fichtner) to bring him back. [Warning: This film is rated R for just about everything; violence, sex and language so make your choice accordingly].

We’re with Amber in Beverly Hills to get her take on fast cars hot guys, massive action and empowered, kick butt girls like Piper. 

TeenHollywood: You kick some major butt in this film. Nobody has to rescue you. How did you enjoy that?

Amber Heard: I had the best time making this movie, primarily because I get to get into fistfights, spit blood, drive a '69 Charger, save the world with Nicolas Cage and do so in a pair of Daisy Dukes. Part of the thrill is the action sequences and the fight sequences that we have. We had a great stunt coordinator. He did Gone in Sixty Seconds so I knew I was in good hands. He kind of coordinated the whole fight between me and all the characters.

TeenHollywood: So you are from Texas and drive a 1968 Mustang so how much did you identify with your character Piper?

Amber: I am from Texas so, fistfights, muscle cars, guns, it's part of the gig. So I definitely felt right at home in my cowboy boots and Daisy Dukes. It wasn't a big stretch for me to reach Piper. I have a lot of Piper in me and I got along well connecting to that.

TeenHollywood: When did you discover the joys of the muscle car in your life? Why is that something that you like having for yourself?

Amber: I don't know. I dabbled in a little bit in the vintage European car. It just never stuck. I just love American-made vintage muscle cars like the mid to late '60's to early '70's. There's nothing quite like it. I think there is something to be said before the auto industry was regulated, when the 440's and the Hemi's were ruling the road. There was just this unbelievable speed of car. I've just always loved it. I can't remember a time where I wouldn't turn around in my seat passing one on the street.

TeenHollywood: When you're caught in traffic in Los Angeles do you drive angry? I do.

Amber: [laughs] My record says that I do.

TeenHollywood: Have you ever personally punched anybody? 

Amber: Well, no. It depends on what day you get me, I guess. I think there are some differences between Piper and I. For instance, I don't smoke. But, yeah, it was a lot of fun. I'm lucky that I got this character.

TeenHollywood: When you first read the script and got the role what was your first reaction?

Amber: I can not believe that they're going to let me do this and I'm going to get paid for it. That was really it. There were several times while making this movie where I was just taken aback and thought, 'Wow. My job is really cool. I can't believe they're paying me to drive this Charger and run around with Nic Cage and do all of this cool shit.' I don't know. I think at page two they had me.

TeenHollywood: What was acting with Nic like?

Amber: He's such an amazing actor. He's so talented and you very quickly realize why he is the legend that he is. He comes from old school professionalism, an old school actor. He shows up prepared and ready to improvise and ready to change and adjust to what you give that day to your character, to your scenes. He's respectful and sensitive and kind of crazy. But just the right amount of crazy. It's a good mix between Zen and crazy.

TeenHollywood: So doing the action was attractive to you but what challenged you about the character?

Amber: My only real challenge in this movie was maintaining the heart of the film, being the sensitive aspect to the movie because I do have so much spitting blood and throwing punches and fast driving and loud shooting. I had all that to do and it's hard to maintain a balance of sensitivity and honesty in that world, especially when the other characters don't exist in real life. They're dead people and ghosts and stuff.

So, I had a challenge, being the only person to relate to in the story and that was, I guess, part of what I had to deal with. That gave me something to do. It gave me something to really focus on. I was challenged by that and I liked that. It was definitely a big part of the reason why I took this movie.

TeenHollywood: There are some serious fights in this film with you in the center. How much of that did you really do?

Amber: Well, I wanted to do everything, but there are legal and financial reasons that they can't let me do it all. So I would say that I did ninety percent, ninety-five percent. There were just a few moments. I don't want to not give her credit, I have a great stunt double. I've worked with her several times. There was a moment where I get slammed up against the corner of something in the RV and that was my stunt double Kimberly Shannon. She is so talented and I'd always work with her if I have the opportunity to, but I'd say that ninety percent of it was me.

TeenHollywood: Were you hurt at all? 

Amber: Yeah. I cut myself several times. I fell a lot and I was bruised. Yeah, I definitely did have some bruises and some scrapes and some cuts. I would come to set the next morning and I had some scrapes on my arms once and the make-up people were like, 'Oh, I forgot to take that off of you. Did it not come off in the shower?' I was like, 'No, that is real. Were you not paying attention yesterday?'

TeenHollywood: What was your most difficult stunt or action scene?

Amber: The toughest one was my favorite one. It was the one that I shot actually opposite the writer, Todd Farmer. He wrote himself that little cameo as my boyfriend. He likes to put himself in his movies, but I think he actually did a really good job. I fight him in front of our little motel palace. That was the toughest because there was a lot of emotion there and I really wanted to tell that story of being emotionally broken and really hurt by this man.

TeenHollywood: And you really get back at him good… and take his car!

Amber: Well, as a woman, if a guy did that to me or if anyone did that to me I would want to react the way that Piper did. I wanted to have some kind of realism there and not just be this over-the-top badass. I think there's a scene where I'm pushing him before we go to punches and I feel like you can see the pain in my face. You can see the tears in Piper's eyes and I'm proud that I could maybe try to maintain that. I hope that I did anyway.

TeenHollywood: Your character and Nic’s don’t get romantic. Did you ever wish that you did?

Amber: I didn't feel like that. When you read the script and you meet Piper you assume that's what's going to happen. We're used to seeing the male/female duo that is romantic with each other, especially the tough female and the tough guy. You assume that he's going to save her because that's what men do in these movies, so I love that she's not saved by him. In fact she saves him more. I think that our relationship stood on its own merit and it's kind of a stronger bond. It doesn't need the romance, I guess.

TeenHollywood: Had you seen any of Nic’s kicking butt films before?

Amber: I grew up with Gone in Sixty Seconds.  I mean that was a big one for having been a car fan. I don't know how old I was, but I remember seeing that and thinking that would be the dream job that Angelina Jolie had or that Nic had even. I was certainly so impressed with that that it stuck with me into my adulthood. Then also I like his newer stuff. I love the character in Kick Ass. I thought that was really cool and kitschy and weird and so unexpected. His choices are always really strong and they're so different.