There's a bit of cognitive dissonance that happens when you watch Imogen Poots in Solitary Man: she's utterly convincing as a confident Manhattan teenager who sexually entangles herself with the boyfriend (Michael Douglas) of her wealthy mother (Mary-Louise Parker), but with a name like "Imogen Poots," there's no way she's actually American. In fact, the 20-year-old Poots is British and, until now, best known for playing one of the young leads in 28 Weeks Later. That should change after the one-two-three punch Poots has coming in Solitary Man, the Cannes drama Chatroom, and the Cary Fukunaga-directed Jane Eyre, where she plays rival to Mia Wasikowska.
As Solitary Man sees release this week, Poots called up Movieline to discuss the sitcom that helped her with an American accent, the perils of technology, and the pleasures of working twice opposite Michael Fassbender.
So much of the appeal of this character is that she isn't intimidated by Michael Douglas. Were you intimidated by him in real life?
No, I think the process of working with somebody so highly esteemed can always be daunting, but once I had met with Michael in person and rehearsed with him, it was just the opposite. He was the most charming man, and I felt so comfortable and lucky to be working with him.
What about the prospect of coming onto this American film cast with American actors, and you're the one who has to try to keep your American accent?
[Laughs] I think being in an American environment certainly helps. It was a challenge, but it was an exciting one, because I think when you take on an accent, you're losing your identity in many ways. That helps you to embody a character.
Do you think American accents tend to be easier for British actors because we export so much entertainment over there?
I think it's definitely an accessible accent, in terms of the amount of American television we have. I mean, I grew up watching Friends and the kids' shows are American. I just think that some people are incredible at doing accents, like Cate Blanchett, who time and time again can conquer these very complex dialects. I think American television certainly helps British actors, though.
What do you think motivates Allyson to sleep with Ben? Is it to irritate her mother? Is she bored?
I think that's it. She can have one up on Mary-Louise Parker's character. That's definitely her motivation that provoked her to sleep with Ben, because of her toxic relationship with her mother.
It's interesting, because when we see Allyson through the beginning of the film, she's very confident and in control. She feels a bit different when she sees Ben later, after their brief night together is exposed. Maybe regretful, vulnerable? What do you make of her in that moment?
I don't think she's either regretful or vulnerable in that moment, actually. I think early on, she fails to realize the consequences of her actions. At that point later on, she probably wants nothing more to do with Ben. She's bored again, and I think she's somebody who will continue to be bored. She's a teenager, and she's unpredictable, but I don't think there's anything vindictive in her attitude toward Ben. It's more like, "I'll see you around." She doesn't want him to continue to be in her life.
She's very comfortable dealing with older people. When you start acting at a young age, is that something you get used to yourself?
Yeah, I think age is definitely irrelevant in this industry, because you're working with people who are older and younger than you, and you're all collaborating on the same product. I think age does become irrelevant, and that's a great thing.
What can you tell me about Chatroom? It's a very different change of pace for Hideo Nakata.
It's a wonderful thing to have had him direct it, because he brings this incredible energy to it. He's like a master, conducting all these surreal scenes that are happening. Chatroom obviously tells the story of these five teenagers online, so you see their online facades, as opposed to their realistic life. That's quite an interesting, modern idea for a film.
I read an interview with you where you said you're bad at anything to do with computers and email.
It's ironic, isn't it? [Laughs] I've gotten better at email since then. I think at the time, I was writing letters with a parchment and quill. I've now mastered the internet, I'm glad to say. I'm adept at technology.
Well, that yen for pen and parchment probably served you well for Cary Fukunaga's remake of Jane Eyre.
Yes, we just finished. I had a wonderful time, gallivanting around hills in bonnets.
You're playing Blanche Ingram. That character is not exactly beloved in the book. What's she like in the movie?
In the book, I think she comes across as quite conniving, but what we wanted to do was a different feel. We kind of played her as seriously flabbergasted that Rochester isn't going to marry her. We don't want Blanche Ingram to be the kind of stereotypical rival -- she's just really confused as to how it all turns out.
You have to sing 1830s operetta in this movie, don't you?
I did! How horrendous is that? I've been an alto my whole life, so that was a challenge, but I enjoyed it because Cary, the director, handled it with a lot of humor. Michael Fassbender and I have to do this duet together, which was the bane of our lives, but we had a wonderful singing teacher who helped us through it.
So what was Cary's approach like? After Sin Nombre, I'm really curious as to what he would do with this material that hasn't been done in other adaptations of Jane Eyre.
I think it's much younger, especially with the cast. You have Mia Wasikowska as Jane and Michael Fassbender as Rochester. It's kind of a new Jane Eyre for a new generation. Of course, it's still very sinister, but I think he'll be bringing that visual aspect from Sin Nombre to Jane Eyre.
And this is your second film opposite Michael Fassbender, isn't it?
Yes, it is. We did one together called Centurion, and this is our second. It was lovely to see a familiar face. He's such a kind man, so it was a pleasure to be able to work with him again.
I read that you'd still like to go to university for two years and study art. Do you think you'd be able to resist acting jobs while you did that?
I think it's a very difficult decision to make, and either way, I think there would be a fear of not having done it. I've been lucky enough to have very liberal parents who say, "If you work hard, you're free to go do what you want to do." I think at times it would be hard, but the acting industry is so predictable, it's kind of an ongoing question, really. As long as I keep acting, it's a wonderful thing.
[Lead Photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images]