At Sea with Leo
With Leonardo, not on the beach, but on the water!
Malene Jensen talks with Kirsten Langer about her experiences as an extra on the movie The Beach in an exclusive interview for thaistudents.com
A late afternoon, I enter a cozy
Cafe in down-town Copenhagen with a copy of the book "The
Beac
h" ready at hand searching
the room for a medium high young girl with dark hair and a black
coat. No - I'm not looking for a "blind date" (with
reference to the silly feeling of carrying around a visible book
in my hand) - but I'm here to meet up with a girl, whom by some
strange co-incidence I have learned had been an extra in a scene
or two during the filming of "The Beach" in Thailand
this past spring. I approach a dark haired women sitting alone
at a table - no she is not expecting a meeting with anyone but
- while laughingly pointing in the direction of another table
says that probably that girl over there is. This is the second
time she is met with the same question. A few minutes afterwards
I'm seated with MALENE JENSEN heavily engaged in exchanging memories
of travel experiences in Thailand - but first and foremost learning
of her great day as AN EXTRA in "THE BEACH". Malene
is a 23-year old Danish working girl - and here is her story.
In the above photograph, Malene is second from the left next to her friend Ditte.
Kirsten: How did you get involved with the shooting of "The Beach". Are you some actress or something?
Malene: Laughing. No no - not at all. I'm a secretary working in a hospital. I was on holiday in Thailand with my girlfriend and happened to be in the right place at the right time when Fox was looking for extras.
Kirsten: So you were backpacking?
Malene: Only sort of. We had just 5 weeks to tour some of the countries in The Far East and were traveling in a simple manner with no fixed schedule but kind of knowing what we wanted to do. So we were not really backpackers with months ahead of us and working our way around the world like I have previously done.
Kirsten: Oh - so you have been backpacking before?
Malene: Yes, I did once spend 6 months in Brazil touring the country. Most of the time on my own - but part of the time likewise together with some American backpackers, I had met.
Kirsten: So how did you get in touch with Fox?
Malene: Well, we had been in Thailand for a short while - visiting Bangkok and then had taken the overnight train up to Chiang Mai. Malene pauses briefly and laughs while recalling that she and her girlfriend became undefeated champions in pool - a record that no doubt has been way passed by now - but they had a great time and lots of fun up there! Back to the subject: Following a few days' stay there we wanted to head South and booked a flight to Phuket. Arriving at the airport and looking for transportation to Phuket town, we ended up with a taxi driver who squeezed I don't know how many people into his car. As he was then to drop off all the other travelers all different places en route we got kind of annoyed and asked him to set us off in one of the streets. And while walking down that street looking for a reasonable place to lodge we were suddenly approached by a young Thai girl who asked us if we would like to work as extras in a film shooting the following day. We looked rather messy, sweating and exhausted after the long journey and hence were quite a bit puzzled as to what this was all about. Then she added it was a movie with the American actor Leonardo DiCaprio and we would be paid to participate. Now we were convinced it had to be some kind of a joke - filming with Leonardo DiCaprio!!!! - come on - no way could it be serious talking. We didn't believe her for a long while - but she had us finally convinced this was for real and we would be paid 900 Baht (US$24) for the day. 900 Baht is very little money in Denmark - but in Thailand you can live quite well as a backpacker for three days on this amount. So getting some additional funds to our journey combined with the opportunity to work together with no less than Leonardo DiCaprio made us accept the offer with a big smile - WOW - is this really going to happen!
Kirsten: What happened next?
Malene: Well, she asked us to meet at this very nice hotel in Phuket the following morning. Very early - 04:00 am to be exact! We were all concerned as to what to wear and all that sort of stuff - but she told us just to put on some pretty well worn out "typical" backpacker clothes and just come to the hotel the next morning. So that was what we did.
Kirsten: Did you have to audition or something the following day?
Malene: No, not at all. We were about 15 young people gathering in the hotel lobby. Having been greeted by the Thai girl, we had met the day before, all of us were asked to get into this very, very simple "bus" (hard wooden benches and more like a carriage for cattle, Malene tells while laughing) and taken on a one hour drive to the harbour. Here a sumptuous breakfast table was awaiting us at the pier before we continued on by catamaran to the middle of the sea, where the shooting was to take place and 2 boats moored for the purpose.
Kirsten: So the scene you were to participate in wasn't at Maya Beach or in some Thai town?
Malene: No, it was going to be a scene with a lot of backpackers sailing on a "ferry" to some island.
Kirsten: Ah…guess it must be the one where Richard and the 2 French backpackers are heading for Koh Samui?
Malene: Could very well be - I'm not sure. But it was some sort of a two-storey ferry - white with blue stripes.
Kirsten: Once arrived in the middle of the ocean - what was the next step?
Malene: We sailed for an hour or so before getting to the place where the 2 boats were moored. We then transferred to a ferry - some kind of supply-boat carrying containers with film equipment, cameras and such stuff. Some people in our group were taken downstairs to get different clothing as they didn't look sufficiently "backpacker-like". Some girls had their hair braided and one girl had a ring put in her nose - all in all making sure that we all looked like real backpackers.
Kirsten: Did you have to change clothes too?
Malene: No, but I was handed a small back-pack to carry.
Kirsten: And then?
Malene: Well, then we were asked to enter the other and
smaller
"ferry" for preparation of the shooting. As I was about
to go aboard I was asked to hand in my little camera and instead
provided with a big Nikon camera with a huge lens but no film!
Malene laughs.
Kirsten: Why?
Malene: We were told, that our cameras would be stored while the shooting was to take place, as we would not be allowed to take any snap-shots of Leonardo. The big camera I was handed was for the purpose of looking like a "filming backpacker".
Kirsten: Oh, you were not allowed to take any pictures of Leonardo or the shooting? So you have no pictures from this experience?
Malene: Unfortunately not….. only a single one from the boat where you can see some legs… Malene tells while laughing. It's a bit sad. Would have been nice to have had. But Fox wanted to protect Leonardo, which I guess is understandable.
Kirsten: Were there other things you were not allowed to?
Malene: Don't think so… We were treated very nicely. There were sandwiches and beverages available for us throughout the day on the supply boat - American peanut butter sandwiches Malene recalls with a smile…very American! And the crew were all extremely friendly, talking and chatting with us. I did sign some contract with some provisions - but I don't really recall what it was about.
Kirsten: OK, you got on board the "ferry" ready for the shooting. How did that work?
Malene: Well, we were given firm seats/locations on the boat and little things to do during the shooting. I was separated from my girlfriend and asked to go on the upper deck and sit in the center. There were like seats along the sides of the deck and then this mid section - and it was here at the latter I was to be during the filming.
Kirsten: "Little things to do" during the shooting - like what?
Malene: I was supposed to be talking with this German guy seated next to me and zooming and "taking pictures" with my huge camera from time to time. An Italian guy was to cross the deck to go up to some girl and hug and kiss her as though they were re-meeting. Others were sunbathing - stuff like that. Generally we were told to look relaxed!
Kirsten: Was Leonardo or any other actors on board at this time?
Malene: No, we were rehearsing for a long while by ourselves. It was like cut and clip all the time for maybe one hour or so. We had breaks in between - and I recall how we were constantly reminded to drink the same type of drink and to remember how much was left in the glass when they said cut. That is, if you were drinking orange juice - then you were supposed to keep on drinking orange juice throughout the shooting - you couldn't suddenly change to a coke. Same thing if you were in the middle of a smoke - the size of any new lit cigarette should be the same once they continued on shooting.
Kirsten: But the actors did come to take part in the shooting too - right?
Malene: Yes, after quite a while suddenly a speed-boat came racing up to us and some 8-10 people got on board and among them Leonardo, Virginie and Guillaume.
Kirsten: Do you know who the other people were?
Malene: Not really… could have been some of the crew or maybe some of Leonardo's personal friends.
Kirsten: So what's next?
Malene: The ferry is then taken to sea - sailing - and
they were shooting two scenes. The first o
ne was on the upper deck
where I was located. Leonardo and the two French actors were
seated in the rear of the boat just chatting and looking relaxed
like the rest of us. A funny little thing to watch though was
the trick they used when suddenly there was no wind at all. In
order to have the sailing look more authentic they had these
two guys standing with some big fans forcefully waving them to
have the flag at the back of the ferry sway in the wind that
really wasn't there!
Kirsten: What was Leonardo and the actors wearing in this scene?
Malene: Leonardo wore some beige-coloured shorts and a loose hanging, short-sleeved open shirt, sort of same color and some very nice sun-glasses - lightweight with a pale color. Or maybe that was in between takes…. Guillaume wore likewise shorts and shirt and a sun hat - and I think Virginie had on some sort of a skirt - don't really recall for certain.
Kirsten: And the other scene?
Malene: Unfortunately I didn't get to see that one as it was shot downstairs and I had to stay on the upper deck….
Kirsten: How long time did the shooting take place?
Malene: I think one and a half hours maybe - but with quite a number of breaks in between.
Kirsten: Where did the actors go in between takes?
Malene: They stayed on deck - right there with us. Some times Leonardo would lie down on the deck sunbathing and just relaxing. Other times he would be hanging by the rail chatting and laughing with Guillaume. Virginie was spending much time having her make-up fixed and refreshed.
Kirsten: Did you get a chance to talk to Leonardo or any of the other actors?
Malene: I could easily have done so, I think. I mean - Leonardo and Guillaume were just standing there a few meters away chatting and looking very friendly and accessible…. I wanted to go and meet Leonardo - but I couldn't think of anything "intelligent" to ask him…. so I didn't ... Actually, nobody did - but I'm sure that he would have said "Hi" and chatted for a while. I'm sad I couldn't think of anything to say right at that moment!
Kirsten: How did Leonardo and the French actors appear to you?
Malene: Virginie seemed kind of shy and spent most of the time with a girlfriend or some girl from the crew resting on a bench. Leonardo and Guillaume seemed very relaxed though and had a good time during the breaks. Although I didn't go up to them to talk I could pick out a few words from their conversation. They were hanging over the rail and laughing about "how much fun they had had the night before" - or something like that. By the way, Leonardo seemed likewise very interested in the shooting itself. After each cut he would rush up to the director/photographers and have a look at the monitor to study the take.
Kirsten: Well, what happened af
ter
that?
Malene: Following the shoot we were brought back to the supply-boat, handed our own cameras back and headed back to Phuket the same way we had arrived. We were back around 15:30 hrs. so it was a pretty long day. On the catamaran back to Phuket they were showing a video - some B-category film - but I spent most of the time chatting with the other extras. By the way, a German guy - Jurgen, who was Leonardo's "stand-in/double" - invited a couple of us to come and visit with him the same evening at the fancy hotel in which he was accommodated. But we didn't go - but went out for dinner with one of his friends, who had been an extra just like us.
Kirsten: What kind of things did Leonardo's "stand-in" have to do?
Malene: He was doing jobs like standing in Leonardo's position when they were setting lights and stuff like that. And he did likewise stay onboard the ferry for further takes when we were returned to Phuket. I must admit that I didn't think he looked like Leonardo at all… but maybe they don't use him for real scenes - I don't know. He was also in the scenes as an extra just like us, which did surprise me somewhat… But he was accommodated at a nice hotel by Fox, I think. He was very friendly - but I did choose to go out with some of the other extras that evening.
Kirsten: Were you asked to work as an extra in other scenes?
Malene: No, unfortunately not. You are not allowed to. That is - once you have been in one scene then you cannot be in any other scenes as you would be recognizable. I would have loved to spend more days as an extra, Malene tells smiling.
Kirsten: So did you stay in Phuket to follow the shooting the next few days?
Malene: No, there isn't really much to see in Phuket. I think we stayed there in total three nights and then went out to Phi Phi Don.
Kirsten: Oh, you went to the Phi Phi Islands. Did you go
to see Maya Beach?
Malene: No, we stayed on Phi Phi Don as it was such a beautiful island. We were breathtaken by the beautiful nature, so we stayed there for five days.
Kirsten: So you find the Phi Phi Don still "untouched"?
Malene: Yes, from my point of view. Apart from a big concrete hotel in the little village it was all very remote with just a few local stores, bars and some tourist bungalows. We stayed in a rather simple but very reasonably priced bungalow while staying there. About 300 Baht (US$8) per night, I think. No cars, no roads - just some paths through the jungle-like forest and hills - and beautiful beaches. In the little village they were working on putting down cobbled stones on the "main-street" though. But that was all. I believe, however - in maybe five years - it will look quite different!
Kirsten: But you didn't take the opportunity to visit Maya Beach - as suppose you had heard of the controversy?
Malene: No, we didn't go - we enjoyed our stay on Phi Phi Don too much, Malene tells while smiling. I trekked in the midday sun to the top of a hill from where you have the most wonderful view of the whole area, while my girlfriend Ditte had her hair braided, which was a very popular thing to do on the island. So we didn't find it necessary to go to Phi Phi Le. But yes, of course I'd heard of the controversy of Maya Bay. Before leaving for Thailand, that is. I had read about it in the Danish newspapers and also seen the pictures of the protesters in front of the Embassy. But I didn't believe their story - and still don't! It's typical for that kind of tabloid newspapers to bring such stuff - I don't think Fox has ruined anything by the filming.
Kirsten: So before returning back home to Denmark did you get to see more of Thailand?
Malene: Yes - from Phi Phi Don we sailed to Krabi and by bus on to Kho Samui. By the way, in Kho Samui we did see the entertaining and famous cabarets with the "Girlie Boys". Then we left Thailand by the overnight train for Penang in Malaysia. Next stop was Medan in Indonesia which we reached by boat - and from there we went on to Bukit Lewang to visit the Orangutan-Reserve before terminating our tour in Singapore.
Kirsten: I did never ask you - did you know of "The Beach" before going to Thailand? I mean the book - the film?
Malene: No - yes! As just said, I'd read about the controversy at Maya Beach in our newspapers and hence also then knew that Leonardo DiCaprio was to shoot a film out there. But I didn't know the book - and I must admit that I have still not got around to reading it. But I wish very much to read it - and I'm going to borrow it from the library very soon. Or maybe even better buy it, Malene tells while picking up my English version from the table and studying it with great interest.
Kirsten: You knew of Leonardo DiCaprio th
ough? Have you seen any of his films?
Malene: Of course!!! I have been familiar with Leonardo for a long time. He is a great actor and I have seen more or less all of his films. I found his acting particularly good in "Gilbert Grape" and "Romeo & Juliet".
Kirsten: So are you going to be an actress in the future?
Malene: No, no - I'm going to keep on working as a secretary at a hospital, Malene replies and laughs. That's what I have studied for and this is what I'm going to continue to do. But I'd like to travel as much as I can - I love to travel!
Kirsten: So are you planning to go back to the Phi Phi Islands?
Malene: Definitely one day. I love Thailand! But right now I'm saving up for a trip to Australia and New Zealand. I'm planning to go there sometime in February 2000 and stay for a couple of months! But some day I'll definitely return to visit more of Thailand.
Kirsten: One closing question. Will we be able to catch sight of you in "The Beach"?
Malene: I doubt it really, Malene smiles. Maybe my waving arm though, she adds while laughing. I was trying to put my arm out whenever they were shooting in my direction - so maybe my arm.
Thank you so much Malene for sharing with us your experience "at sea" with Leonardo and the other crew and cast from "The Beach". It's been really great talking to you! Maybe we will meet at the Copenhagen Premier of "The Beach" sometime next spring? Yes, definitely, Malene says while getting up and going out the door to meet with her boyfriend. "I'm so excited about that film and can hardly wait till it comes out. And you can be sure, I'll be the first in line at the Copenhagen Premier - so see you there!
November 27, 1999.
Copyright: Kirsten Langer and The Sriwittayapaknam School, www.thaistudents.com/thebeach.
Photographs copyright Malene Jensen,