Twelve-year-old Tom Hanks star in her news of the world Helena Zengel says the star “cried in every scene” urging her to be “sensitive” … on the eve of her Christmas debut for the film
Helena Zengel, a 12-year-old actress who appears alongside Tom Hanks in the upcoming film News of the World, says the A-list actor has made an effort to boost his performance.
‘He literally cried in every scene, even when he wasn’t shot – that was my close-up,’ said Zengel, who plays Johanna Leonberger to Hanks ’captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd in the adventure drama.
According to the film’s premise, Jefferson takes Leonberger to his aunt and uncle, according to the film’s Netflix synopsis, adding, “They travel hundreds of miles and face serious dangers as they search for a place anyone can call home.”
Latest: Helena Zengel, a 12-year-old actress who appears with Tom Hanks (64) in the upcoming film News of the World, says the A-list actor has worked hard to boost his performance
Zengel, who has been acting since the age of five, said that the Oscar winner (64) on the screen “cried in every scene that I should feel emotional”.
The star of the German-born child added: “Doing it over and over again for your partner when you don’t even see each other in the film was really amazing and great.”
Zengel has already been seen in the TV shows Inga Lindström, Never Too Late for Justice and Spreewaldkrimi, and in the films Dark Blue Girl and System Crasher.
Zengel opened for a Hollywood reporter earlier this month to audition for the emotional scene for News of the World in the summer of 2019 in London for filmmaker Paul Greengrass.
Zengel, who has been acting since the age of five, said the Oscar winner, 64, “cried in every scene that I should feel emotional”
Space: Zengel plays Johanna Leonberger to Hanks Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd in an adventure drama
She said her mother Anna played the role of Hanks in the rehearsal, saying: ‘It was really funny because I had to bite my mom and scream at her.
‘After that, Paul said,’ You got the part. ‘ But my English was not so good then, ‘she said. ‘I didn’t understand him. It wasn’t until he reached out and said, “It’s yours if you want it,” that I was so devastated. I could jump for joy. Actually, I did. And then Mom and I went shopping! ‘
Director and co-writer Paul Greengrass and Hanks were seen filming the film
Greengrass told the publication that he “had a strong feeling … yes [Zengel] was a special talent after I saw her in System Crasher.
‘Entering the film, I thought it would be a long, long search for our Johanna, but it turned out to be very simple,’ he said.
The film will debut in theaters on December 25, and on Netflix in the near future.