Fast & Furious star Jordana Brewster discusses new thriller, relationship with fear
Brewster, who is best known for her role as Mia Toretto in the blockbuster franchise, plays Sera Winter, a math professor in search of a new home with her husband John (Scott Speedman) after they experience a tragedy.
House hunting leads the couple to a meeting with the enigmatic Emmett Claybourne (Laurence Fishburne), an "inside man" who has a talent to pair "the right property with the right people." After getting to know Emmett and spending the night at his early 20th century estate, Sera and John are shocked when he leaves them a letter stating that he is giving his mansion to them. There is, however, one condition to his offer: Sera and John can never open the home's locked cellar door.
During a recent interview with the , Brewster, 44, talked about the kinds of films that scare her the most and about her work with the Paul Walker Foundation , which was founded in honor of Brewster's late co-star in the movies.
What is your earliest childhood memory of watching something that scared you?
My parents made the mistake of exposing me to at a very young age. There's nothing scarier than that. was another one that was just horrifying.
Why is it always in the Latino culture that parents let their kids watch horror movies way too early?
You know, I've had a lot of trouble with that at school. My kid will make a reference, and I'm like, "Dude!" They've seen a little bit of , and I'm like, "You guys cannot repeat that no matter what!" But I think it's also hard as a parent because you don't want to watch baby stuff, right? Right now, we're watching , and it's great because everyone loves it. I just can't sit there and watch
Do you like feeling a sense of fear? For example, do you like roller coasters or haunted houses?
I hate feeling scared or out of control. I hate roller coasters. I do like stuff about how dark humans can get. There was that show, , with Steve Carell that was so scary because it's not completely out of the realm of possibly happening. That's the kind of stuff that really scares me. But I don't go to a movie theater to see something like where it's super grotesque. I like things that mess with your mind versus showing a bunch of gore.
If given the same option as your character in this movie, would you have taken the house?
No, because I think there's always a catch. If someone gives you something for free, they're going to come back in a year and be like, "You're going to have to pay the piper."
What do you think the scariest part of a house is? For me, it's always been closets.
I have a very big basement, and it's very damp and dreary. So, my basement is scary. The attic is scary. My kids' room can be scary when they don't clean up after themselves. Their bathroom can be scary, too.
What are you looking for when a script comes across your desk these days?
I want to grow. I don't want to rest on my laurels. I don't want to play the same thing over and over. I think the landscape right now is interesting because there's so much more opportunity with all the streamers. So, I want something that strikes a chord in me because then I assume it'll strike a chord in other people as well. I'd also rather play villains. They're just more fun.
For those people who don't know about your work with the Paul Walker Foundation, tell us why an organization like that is so important to the environment?
Thank you so much for asking. The Paul Walker Foundation grants are for people studying how to conserve the ocean or studying marine biology. I live in Santa Barbara now. Recently, we did a beach cleanup, and the person who got one of the grants was explaining how it impacts the ocean when you just throw stuff out there. We're trying to spread the word in a very grassroots way, which reflects how Paul lived. He touched people in such specific and wonderful ways. He was the best.
As someone with Brazilian roots, do you feel like you've been embraced by Latinas in the entertainment industry?
Yeah, I think it's super different because it was in Brazil when I decided to be an actress. I watched all the novellas. I loved [Brazilian actress and singer] Xuxa growing up. So, [Brazil] is where my dream started. Whether it's Eva Longoria or Jessica Alba, everyone is supporting each other and trying to raise our voices and have content that reflects us. So, it is really nice having a community.
I remember Xuxa's show aired in the U.S. for a while. I remember wanting to be on the show because she would usually kiss someone on the cheek at the end, and I wanted to be that person.
She was so beautiful! I got to meet her in person the other day, and I was like, "I wanted to be a Paquita !"
