Two weeks ago I attended the Doctor Strange Press Junket, or rather #DoctorStrangeEvent, I was one of 25 bloggers there for Walt Disney Studios (Disclosure: All-Expenses Paid). We were privileged to interview many of the cast members of the movie as well as director Scott Derrickson. Tilda Swinton portrays “The Ancient One” in the movie and we had a very insightful conversation with her about her role in Doctor Strange. Tilda is very much a presence and she captivated us with her stories. When she spoke we all leaned in to listen intently and were drawn in with what she had to say. Tilda entered the room to applause and twenty five delighted bloggers. The moment she sat down I kicked myself for a big mistake.

I did not buy the Funko Pop! of The Ancient One. I had it in my hands the day before at Hot Topic and picked up Doctor Strange, Kaecilius and Ashoka Tano instead. Tilda sat down and saw the toys in front of her she said, “Oh look… where’s the Ancient One?” She was very excited that there was one and disappointed that one was not there. I really felt like I let her down by not having one there for her to see. But to be fair, I did not put the Kaecilius one out because the thing is top heavy, not properly balanced and will not stand up. That’s okay because when Mads came in he knocked over the Doctor Strange Pop as any good villain would. But that is for another post. Today we are talking about Tilda Swinton and her interview, which follows below.

Question : Did you have any special struggles that you found in this role in particular?

Tilda Swinton : The only real struggle was casting spells. Learning all these amazing things with fingers, and then remembering what to say at the same time. Then they would say, ‘So you have to put your hands there, not there because the light is going to go “chick, chick, chick” so that kind of masks… but it was all good.

Question : How did you feel about being cast in a role that’s traditionally an Asian man?

Tilda Swinton : The comic was an Asian man, in fact, a very ancient Tibetan man living on the top of a mountain. The film script that I was given wasn’t an Asian man, so I wasn’t asked to play an Asian man – I was asked to play an ancient Celtic person. If I’d been asked to play an Asian man I would’ve shown them Benedict Wong. Kevin and Scott were very, very clear about the reasons they wanted to shake up the stereotype.

Which I think was a really, really cool move, to put a woman in the Marvel universe who’s not twenty-one and in a bikini was… a good thing. It’s really important, I think, the idea of a sorcerer supreme being a woman. It was such fun.

I wasn’t asked to play an Asian man

I was asked to play an ancient Celtic person

Question : What was the most difficult scene to film, and why?

Tilda Swinton : I have to think because it was all really quite easy. The fighting is fantastic fun, really good fun – and difficult in interesting and fun ways. I set myself the task that the Ancient One would be completely serene through all the fighting. That was something. I would challenging anybody to do these moves, without going [MAKES KARATE SOUNDS] like a nine-year-old boy. We’ve all done that when we were little. That was quite hard.

Question : Did you do your own stunts?

Tilda Swinton : I did a lot of them, but there was an amazing stunt double who I worked with called ‘Julia’ who became a friend. We all had stunt doubles, we always do. They do the things that are really dangerous.

Question : How did you feel about being bald in the movie?

Tilda Swinton : Well, it was my decision. It was my suggestion and we had this great several months of playing with options. All sorts of weird wig ideas. All sorts of long lobes and we went ‘round the houses with it but eventually, it felt like less was more and I loved it. I thought it looked really, really ancient, but also kind of modern and rad. It was a nice feeling, as well.

The Ancient One would be completely serene through all the fighting

Question : Was there anything you said that you were proud of, messages that you took away?

Tilda Swinton : There’s a moment when I’m teaching Doctor Strange and looking straight into the camera – basically teaching the globe’s population of fifteen-year- olds about mindfulness. That was like, WOW! This is such a great chance to say.

‘Yes I’m a rad superhero myself, but I’m telling you, be authentic, you know, you can control your mind; you have a choice of your reaction to obstacles in your life, and serve something greater than yourself!’

Question : What was the dynamic of everyone on set?

Tilda Swinton : We were sooo happy! For me, it was like being asked to join the circus. We all joined the circus and we were all given these incredible costumes and everybody in the Marvel universe that I’ve met so far is so psyched to be a part of it.There are some people who have been there for years. Technicians or people who have lit all these films for years, or Alex Byrne who does the costumes. She’d done like seven Marvel films. Nobody’s jaded, everybody’s psyched. It’s a playground! The cast, we were all so happy to know each other. We’re so happy to see each other here! Benedict and I were in China just now, but today we’re all meeting our other cast members. We’re so happy.

Question : What are your thoughts after seeing yourself in the film? Like, seeing it all come together?

Tilda Swinton : I was really, really happy. We all look like Marvel characters. We don’t really look like ourselves. There’s something very smooth about everything, and that’s to do with the way it’s lit, and the way it’s designed. It’s cut like a comic strip.

Question : Was there anything you learned about yourself while making this film?

Tilda Swinton : I tried something with the Ancient One which was quite tricky, which was I tried to actually be in a kind of state of mindfulness when I was speaking. Which meant that I didn’t really learn my lines very well That was something I learned. I don’t think I’ll do that again. That was quite hairy. I just was reminded again, and how lucky I am and how good it is to be happy when you are working.

Question : So after the audition, what were your feelings upon hearing you had gotten the role?

Tilda Swinton : I was in a very fortunate position of not auditioning at all. I was working with the Coen Brothers and I was told that Scott Derrickson wanted to meet me and I didn’t know why. I’d met him in the past. I didn’t know why he wanted to meet me particularly. We had tea and he told me he was going to do this film. He told me that he had written this part for me. He basically kind of emotionally blackmailed me and said, “If you don’t do it, I’ll have to rewrite it”.

I was flattered and honored and intrigued. Then, of course, I read it and I felt really good about it. I was very lucky. He presented it to me like that. The film that he spoke about there at that tea table, I remember, was incredible. He said, ‘This is going to be a film, a big, tent pole Marvel film about creation, and not about destruction.’ That’s what he’s done!

That’s what’s so moving about the film. This power that Doctor Strange, is taught to wield is a power for good. I know that all Marvel superheroes eventually work for good, but there’s a lot of, city-flattening that goes on. But we actually put a city together again. When he described that to me, I remember thinking, ‘Oh wow I can’t wait to see this film, let alone be in it.’ I was in at that point.

Oh wow I can’t wait to see this film, let alone be in it.

The interview with Tilda was very chill. She had a serenity about her and as I said, she is a real presence. I wish I could share the audio of the interview because of the terrific ways she said everything. I think that you’ll be very pleased with her performance in the movie.

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DOCTOR STRANGE opens in theatres everywhere on November 4th!

I also wanted to direct you to a brand-new website MarvelStudiosHeroActs.com. Fans will be able to visit the site to upload their photo and choose from a selection of custom Marvel-themed overlays. They will then be able to post their photo directly to the Hero Acts gallery and to their other social channels using the hashtags #marvelstudios #heroacts.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Marvel Studios Invite Fans to Help Launch “Hero Acts” and Raise Funds for Save the Children

Marvel Studios to donate up to $1 million in recognition of new charitable initiative