Archie Madekwe has revealed insight into the painful experience he put himself through as a race car driver in forthcoming blockbuster Gran Turismo, saying that – after he’s lived through it – perhaps our bodies ‘just aren’t intended to reach 200 miles an hour’.
The 28-year-old actor also said that the rigours of G-force and racing made him physically sick ‘every single day’ between takes.
He co-stars with David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Geri Halliwell Horner, and Djimon Hounsou in the film about the GT Academy, which tried to locate and train ‘gamer racers’ who excelled in PlayStation Gran Turismo games.
Speaking at the film’s photo call at Cannes Film Festival, Madekwe said: ‘I can’t tell you how much driving I did – I’ve not been in a car since. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
‘These drivers are athletes for a reason, it is one of the most taxing, athletic things. I’m not an unfit person by any means but this was something else!’
‘But it was unbelievable to experience it because I’ll never be doing it again – until the next one…,’ he laughed.
Explaining the ins and outs of learning to drive a race car so he could portray real-life professional racing driver Jann Mardenborough, he added: ‘I was in the car every single day, but with the most unbelievable stunt team keeping me safe of course, but we’re just not ready. Our bodies just aren’t meant to go 200 miles an hour in cars – the G-force is just insane!
‘I was throwing up every single day, in between scenes, like jumping out the car bracing myself getting back in, doing these scenes. It was real.’
Mardenborough was the third and youngest winner of the GT Academy competition, as well as finishing third in the rigorous 24 Hours of Le Mans on his debut in 2013. He is presently a member of Japan’s Super Taikyu series.
Madekwe, who has previously acted in Midsommar and the TV series See alongside Jason Momoa, admitted that he’really did not’ expect driving for Gran Turismo to be as harsh as it was – but he understands that the fact that he did it adds to the film’s impact, as director Neill Blomkamp thought.
‘That’s the incredible thing about Neill, he did not want to cheat a single thing. He’s a huge car-head, loves cars, and he was like, “There is not a single part of this that we can fake – we have got to feel the G-force, we have got to feel the power of these cars. Trust me, I know what that feels like, people do not want to see a wind machine blowing your hair as you’re sat in the back of a static car, people will feel that.” And I think that’s part of what makes the film so exciting.’
Despite the incredible action and stunt work in Gran Turismo, Madekwe was most eager to pursue the job for another reason.
‘I was so excited about the idea of telling this story about this young person of colour who I’d never heard of [and] who, for all intents and purposes, is a superhero! I mean, it’s so rare – and was so rare to me, growing up – to see a film of this scale and somebody that looked like me at the centre of it.
‘And so, the racing stuff, all of that excitement and adrenaline, came second and for me, it was Jan’s story and the opportunity to tell that authentically and to work alongside him telling his story that really drew me to the project.’
Former Spice Girl Horner plays his mother in the film, which Madekwe described as ‘iconic’ – but he also had a lot of love and affection for the other cast.
‘It was incredible. I was supported by just the most unbelievable cast, not for a second did I feel overwhelmed or unsupported. It made the whole experience just so easy,’ he shared.
‘The scale of the project didn’t really sink in until after everything because we were just on set making what almost felt like more a little indie at some points, and it’s now that we’re here [that] I see how big of a thing this is.’
Gran Turismo is scheduled to release in UK cinemas on August 11.
Source My Celebrity Life.
