The actress said she was able to get over her fear of flying thanks to Tom Cruise. The actress had been very brave when she decided to choose this unapologetic woman. At the same time, Connelly stars in Snowpiercer, one of the most anticipated series of the season.

Snowpiercer is a dystopian drama that adapts for television the French graphic novel written in 1982 by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette, which was previously turned into a cult drama by Korean director Bong Joon-ho. Bong Ho's Snowpiercer film starred Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton, and the series picks up 7 years after that story. Jennifer Connelly stands at the forefront of this science fiction and suspense series, where she gives life to Melanie Cavill, a woman who pretends to be who she is not and who keeps history in suspense with her unknowns. 

Q: It is true that Tom Cruise helped you to conquer your long-time fear of flying

A: Yes, it is true. He’s just so darn cool, and suddenly, it was like being a kid again. ‘Oh my god, the cool kid is talking to me. Don’t mention that you’re afraid of flying.’ So it was kind of like that. His example is quite inspiring.

Q: How did you end in Top Gun: Maverick

A: Joe Kosinski called me and said: I have this idea. Would you be interested?  I was thrilled that he called me to work together again because I had such a great time working with him on Only the Brave. I think he’s a great director. When I read the script I was so impressed by it. I thought it was a really compelling story and that they had come up with such a good idea for a sequel. So that’s what happened, and I was all in.

Q: Had you and Tom crossed paths over the years? 

A: No! I then went and had a meeting with Tom, and that was the first time I met him. It was meant to happen in this movie, I guess.

Q: You’d never met Tom Cruise before in this film. What was it like working with an actor whose official bio describes him as “a global cultural icon”?

A: I’ve never come across anyone with that degree of enthusiasm for every single shot. Tom puts everything he has into everything that he does. For instance, we have a sequence on a boat. Tom looked at it and said, “This just isn’t cool enough. How can we make it more exciting for audiences?” We did the shot again with a faster boat in strong wind. Now you see it and—it’s intense. We’re soaring across the sea.

Q: Tell us about your character, Penny Benjamin, who wasn’t in the original film. Did you get a nickname like Ice Man or Goose?

A: Penny’s an independent, optimistic, glass-half-full kind of woman. She’s someone who’s known Maverick for a while. They have a history together. But no nickname. Only pilots get nicknames, and she works in a bar.

Q: Is it true that you speak Spanish perfectly? 

A: I understand Spanish perfectly. I made a film in Argentina, when I was a lot younger, and I shot a movie with Claudia Sosa, a Peruvian director, so I’m able to pick up the language. It is more difficult for me to speak, but yes, I definitely can understand and answer: “Vale” to everything

Q: Being a good reader, have you ever read any Spanish author?

A: I’ve been working with a Peruvian director, Claudia Llosa and she recommended me to read Mario Vargas Llosa, which I did. I was impressed by his narrative. I don’t remember the title of the book but I truly liked him

Q: Have you ever been to Spain? 

A: Many times. I love Spain, I love Europe. Everytime I go to Spain, I have to go to a restaurant to eat as I love the food there.

Q: You have developed a very versatile career with several science fiction films. How have the female characters advanced within the genre?

A: I am not an expert in series, I have shot many movies, it is true, but I have not done so much television. I think that the role of women, in general, has been advancing and today we see many projects led by women. The world is not black and white. I think it is necessary to emphasize that there is space to share protagonism and leadership between men and women, those are the projects that I like.

The series explores the complexities of human beings facing extraordinary circumstances. My characters are very rich, very mysterious, and very complicated. A woman in three dimensions with a depth that is not easy to find in many scripts, for me that is more important than her leading role.

Q: Is this your first time leading a series?

A: Yes. It has been a huge challenge. I have never spent so much time with a character, studying their experience and enjoying it. It's been wonderful to be able to develop Melanie's arc with the writers.

Q: Do you feel the pressure of the series on your shoulders?

A: No. We are a team of actors who share the leading role. If my work fascinates me for something, it is because of the involvement of an entire team behind each project. I'm not just talking about actors, but about directors, screenwriters, producers, decorators, production designers. I do not take a scene lightly, I know that behind each image there is the work of a group of people who support what I do and that is why I always try to give the best of myself. Interpretation requires connecting with the public and that is what I look for when I play a role.

Q: Do you follow any ritual before starting a project?

A: As a youngster I was more insecure and more superstitious. My way of approaching my work has changed over the years, it has evolved. When I look back I laugh at myself because I remember my fears. Life is a learning and right now I have more confidence in my ability to develop characters. I don't need to go around a room 20 times to get into the skin of a mysterious woman, I know how to do it without relying on my fears.       

Q: Why did you decide to commit to a science fiction television series?

A: I thought it was fun. I've never done anything like it and this role is fascinating because you never know what's going to happen. Each episode is a new box of surprises, the questions posed by the series are associated with my character.

By María Estévez

Correspondent writer