Uncharted Interview: Sophia Ali | Screen Rant
Gamers know and love the Uncharted franchise, which kicked off in 2007 and is still going strong today. The treasure-hunting adventure of the games can also now been seen on theater screens with Sony's Uncharted movie. With Tom Holland as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Sully, Uncharted also sees Sophia Ali in the role of Chloe Frazer.
In Uncharted, Victor "Sully" Sullivan drops in on bartender Nathan Drake, revealing that he and Nate's missing brother Sam had been searching for the treasure of the Magellen crew. With Sam having disappeared, Nate thinks he can find Sam by helping Sully in his treasure quest. However, they aren't the only ones after it, with rival treasure hunters and Chloe Frazer also entering the picture.
We speak to Sophia Ali on the making of Uncharted, her role as Chloe Frazer, and what making the film as her first big budget adventure movie was like.
Screen Rant: How did you become involved with Uncharted?
Sophia Ali: I auditioned for it like I do everything else, but obviously, it's not every day that a role like Chloe Frazer comes across. So it was very exciting, I was very excited. And then it worked out, and I still don't believe it!
For people who aren't as familiar with the Uncharted games, what can you share about your role in the film as Chloe?
Sophia Ali: Chloe is a treasure hunter, hardcore independent woman. That really just sums her up!
What can you share about working alongside the rest of the cast of Uncharted, such as Tom Holland of Spider-Man fame?
Sophia Ali: Oh, I would work with all of them again. They're all so pleasant and professional and easy to be around, everyone on the cast. And everyone was very drastically different, as well, which sometimes is scary. You think maybe it's going to be weird with dynamics and whatnot, but it never was. It was such a great time, and everyone adapted very well.
Was the whole movie made during the pandemic?
Sophia Ali: It was.
So, how did that impact the experience of making a big adventure movie like Uncharted?
Sophia Ali: I've never really made a movie like Uncharted before, and nowhere near this kind of budget. I knew it was going to be different already from anything else I've experienced, so I'm not entirely sure how different it was from what it regularly would be like. But, obviously, we had to take extra precautions. I would have to come to set every day and get tested, even when I wasn't working. We had to remain inside of a bubble. We were allowed to go out and explore and stuff, but as long as we limited our interactions. I had a week off and I went camping alone, which was scary and a lot of fun.
With Uncharted being a bid budget, Indiana Jones-style adventure movie with a lot of action and effects, what were your favorite scenes to film in the making of the film?
Sophia Ali: My favorite was the cargo plane sequence. There was a lot of anticipation and build-up around it, and also Chloe was firing a gun. I was really nervous about that, as one would be, but I felt so badass shooting that thing. I was never like 'I know how to handle a gun now!', I was very, very cautious. But when the cameras were on and I got to do the stunt, it was really empowering, it was really cool. I felt like Chloe!
Given the globe-trotting story of Uncharted, was the movie done mainly on location or on a studio?
Sophia Ali: We were mostly in a studio. We did do some stuff on location, like specifically in Barcelona. But we mostly shot in a big studio in Berlin and they built all of the sets. A lot of the scenes where you'd think there would be blue screen are on a set. We had a really talented set designer and there was such intricate detail with everything, I was stunned walking onto set. I never really feel that working on a soundstage, usually it feels kind of repetitive. But every day, I was excited to see what was new and what was next and what it was going to look like.
Were you familiar at all with Uncharted before you boarded the movie?
Sophia Ali: I played the games right before we started filming, and it definitely influenced my choices with Chloe going in. I think before, I kind of wanted to make her more layered and have spots of vulnerability and have some internal conflict. But, then I played the games and I realized that Chloe is not thinking about it really, she's just that badass. I think there's a lot of value in portraying a woman like that. I'm excited for people to acknowledge how strong she is versus how great it is she got past barriers or boulders or vulnerabilities and stuff, she's just strong through.
Well, related to that, did any injuries happen in the making of Uncharted?
Sophia Ali: I got a lot of bruises and scrapes and stuff like that, nothing serious. I did almost stab myself with a shovel when I was digging for something. I broke the handle of the shovel, it got snapped in half and I almost went right into it like a spear. I also fell one time doing a stunt, bruised my hip pretty badly, and continued doing the stunt while still landing on the same hip and re-injuring myself. So, I had this massive hematoma in the end, and that was gnarly! It was my entire hip, it looked like hamburger meat.
Ouch! So, what were some of your favorite memories or experiences from the making of Uncharted?
Sophia Ali: We stayed at a resort that we also filmed at for three days, so it was kind of like summer camp. It was so much fun, it was very bonding.
With Chloe being alongside Nathan Drake for so much of the movie, what were some of your favorite moments of working alongside Tom Holland?
Sophia Ali: I feel like I learned a lot of about diplomacy from him. I feel like he's someone I imagine would have a lot of pressure to be great and he doesn't really ever let it show. I think being that person all the time would take a toll, but you wouldn't see it from him, he doesn't crack.
After Uncharted, is there any desire to explore the series further and is that something you'd want to be a part of?
Sophia Ali: Oh, one hundred percent! I'm hoping and praying it happens, I would love to do more!
Uncharted is in theaters now.