Born the daughter of music legend Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet, Zoë Kravitz has made a name for herself as a gifted actress, gaining recognition for her roles in “The Brave One,” (opposite Jodie Foster) and more recently, “It’s Kind of a Funny Story.” Currently in London filming “X-Men: First Class,” Kravitz talked about her latest film and some of the high-profile projects on her horizon.
“It’s been a crazy day,” Kravitz said in a kind voice with just a hint of exhaustion. “But that’s awesome and wonderful in itself.”
When asked about her experience shooting “X-Men,” an influx of excitement and energy replaces the exhaustion in her voice.
“I kind of can’t believe it still,” she said. “Matthew Vaughn’s directing and he’s incredibly talented, and the cast is incredible. They’ve all become my new little family away from home. It’s definitely a fantastic experience.”
Despite being set in the same universe as the earlier films, Kravitz feels “First Class” is a bit of a departure from the other installments.
“It’s a prequel, it’s set in the ’60s and it’s everyone when they were younger … it’s not the same mutants. It’s definitely its own interpretation of the comics.” And while she knows the other films in the franchise, she’s ready to admit that she only has a vague familiarity with the comics.
“I’m a drama geek, not a comic geek.”
“X-Men” isn’t the only high-profile franchise in Zoë Kravitz’s horizon, having just signed on to the latest “Mad Max” film. Kravitz claims that the pressure of appearing in such big-budget franchises hasn’t really sunk in yet.
“I’m trying hard not to think about the pressure very much. … I’m here and kind of just like hanging out with this awesome new group of friends, and I think that I forget that it’s such a big deal.”
Backtracking a little, we discuss her latest film, “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” currently in theatres.
“It’s not the average family film. … It’s kind of its own quirky little niche and I think that’s what the world wants right now, to think different.”
Kravitz feels her role in the film, Nia, was a good challenge.
“I like the idea that your first instinct is to kind of hate her cause she’s kind of a douchebag. … The entire film is about all the layers of different people and it’s not always as it seems. … She’s young, she’s still figuring it out. … I had to find compassion for me to play the character.”
Acting isn’t the only passion of Zoë Kravitz, also the lead singer for Philadelphia-based band Elevator Fight.
“It’s difficult at the moment because I’m in London and they’re in Philadelphia, but we talk everyday,” she said. “We send each other music online and try to write that way.”
Even with all her success, Kravitz remains a grounded woman, thankful to her “supportive” and “amazing” parents. Upon embarking on her career, Kravitz was given some sound advice by her father — who is no stranger to the spotlight.
“He said not to take it too seriously. … I think the reason [my parents] have done a great job of raising me and staying sane in the industry is because they don’t take it too seriously. They know that it’s not the most important thing in the world.”
In addition to her role in “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” Kravitz can next be seen on the latest season of Showtime’s “Californication” for a multi-episode guest appearance.
