Carrie-Anne Moss Talks Mission: Impossible 3

From Fred Topel,
Your Guide to Action-Adventure Movies.

Character, directors and new skills

Sometimes getting news on a big action sequel can be like microsurgery. The star makes it clear right away that sheТs not at liberty to reveal anything, but there are some key details that should be available without giving spoilers. So here is my attempt at such an exchange with Carrie-Anne Moss, who will join Tom Cruise in the upcoming Mission: Impossible 3. She was promoting her latest film, Suspect Zero. More on Suspect Zero later.

What do you play in Mission: Impossible 3? 

The girl. The woman.

Do you know anything more? 

Oh yeah, IТm just not supposed to really talk too much about the character, but I play the woman.

Did you have meetings with Joe Carnahan before he left? 

I sure did. I love Joe. HeТs fantastic. I think heТs such a talented director and I canТt wait to work with him one day. HeТs just amazing.

How surprising was it when he left? 

It was surprising, but things happen. Nothing is really that surprising in Hollywood I think. Just like in any job, I guess.

Do you have a new director yet, maybe J.J. Abrams? 

Not that IТve heard of, so I havenТt heard and just trusting that they will find somebody great.

Did you have any trepidations taking part in another franchise? 

Not really. I had said after The Matrix that I would never make an action film again. And then I got offered Mission: Impossible and I just had to say yes. It just felt like the right thing to do, so I think things sort of come your way and you make your choices. ItТs very different than Trinity, so I canТt say that I did. I mightТve had a few moments where I was like, УWhat am I doing, doing another action film?Ф But life is interesting. Never say never.

Why did you say never? 

Because itТs so hard physically. It took me years to physically recover from The Matrix, truly. And IТd like to have my challenges be emotional as an actor. I love that. Make me go there. IТve gone there physically. IТve gone there big time. IТve gone there in a way that most actors will never experience in terms of action. And at the same time, I enjoy it in a way that I didnТt realize that I enjoyed it. As hard as it is, because itТs hard to learn new things, because when youТre doing an action movie, thereТs usually something that theyТre doing thatТs new. I had to learn to ride a motorcycle for The Matrix, I had to learn how to be on the wire.

What are you learning in Mission: Impossible 3? 

This time IТm learning some things that I canТt tell you what IТm learning because IТm not allowed to tell you anything. But IТm learning a couple things that I hadnТt learned before. The first few days, youТre like, УOh, I hate this.Ф I hate not being good at something. I donТt do anything that IТm not good at right away. IТm not interested in learning how to play tennis because IТm not good at it, so IТm not going to learn it. IТll just stick with things I do well. But to have to learn something that youТre not good at and go through that being terrible at it and feeling awkward and feeling like you have 20 fingers and dropping things, and then learning it is pretty great to get to the other side. But those few days and not doing too well with it are enough to make you just want to go home and cry.