Joel Edgerton has been a fan of the spy genre since he was a kid.
The 43-year-old actor stars CIA agent Nate Nash in new movie ‘Red Sparrow’ alongside Jennifer Lawrence, and admitted when he was 10 he had his own "spy kit" but he isn’t sure if his fascination was sparked by the most famous cinematic agent James Bond.
Speaking at the European premiere of his latest film at the Vue Cinema in London’s Leicester Square on Monday night (19.02.18), Edgerton said: "I’ve been interested in the world of being a spy since I was a kid. When I was 10 years old I had a spy kit. I had binoculars. I had a recording device. I was fascinated by that world. I have no idea why. I don’t know if I was inspired by James Bond but I like the idea of danger."
The new film follows prima ballerina Dominika Egorova [Lawrence] who faces a bleak and uncertain future after she suffers an injury that ends her career.
She soon turns to Sparrow School, a secret intelligence service that trains exceptional young people to use their minds and bodies as weapons and becomes a Russian spy.
Egorova emerges as the most dangerous Sparrow after completing the sadistic training process. As she comes to terms with her new abilities, Dominika meets CIA agent Nash who tries to convince her that he is the only person she can trust leading to her considering becoming a double agent.
Although it is based on a book of the same name by Jason Matthews, the filmmaker Francis Lawrence admitted he immediately thought of the ‘Hunger Games’ star for the role and changed the ending to surprise fans.
He said: "I read the book and thought of Jen instantly. I called her up when I finished and pitched it to her. She immediately said that it sounds like a fun idea. I changed the ending of the movie compared to the book, so fans of the book will be surprised."
Edgerton and Lawrence star alongside Jeremy Irons, Mary-Louise Parker, Matthias Schoenaerts and Joely Richardson in ‘Red Sparrow’.
Red Sparrow star Joel Edgerton has always been a spy fan
