Though I’m sure that number is much higher by now in mid-October.

On possibly appearing in Jurnee’s HBO Max Black Canary movie:

“If it came together in the right way, it would be so much fun,” Winstead shares. “I know that Jurnee [Smollett] is doing a Black Canary movie, which I’m so excited for. She’s amazing and she’s going to kill that, so I can’t wait to see where that goes. I don’t know if that’s going to involve Huntress or not, but I love that character and I love the version that we were able to create in Birds of Prey.

Which role was quite difficult given your skillset at the time?

I would say Gemini Man was harder for me because that was my first big step up in the action realm. I did a lot with Scott Pilgrim, which was also really hard. But I trained a really long time for that as well, and then had a bit of a break. I did action films, but I didn’t have as much stuntwork to do in them until like ten years later. And then I jumped into Gemini Man training, but I didn’t have as much time as I wanted to have to really feel like I was nailing it. So I did it, and while I hope I did it well, I was a bit stressed out from wanting to get it right. (Laughs.) And with all the gun work and choreography, and especially being there with Will Smith, I was just a little intimidated. But now, with Birds of Prey and Kate, I feel like a much different person in the action realm than I did with Gemini Man.

I’m just starting to look at stuff now, but I don’t really know when I’ll actually end up back on set. So I’m not rushing. I’m going to just do it when it feels right, but I am just now starting to read things at least. I’m giving five minutes here and there to at least open an email occasionally. (Laughs.) So yeah, I’m excited about what this new version of life will look like when it happens.

She also did another great interview with TatlerAsia and her co-star Miku Martineau. Here is the first question on what drew her to the role of ‘KATE’:

“I was instantly drawn to the idea of Kate when it was first brought to me and I knew that Jojo (Jonathan Eusebio, the stunt coordinator) and his stunt team were going to be involved so that instantly piqued my interest because I worked with them on Birds of Prey and I loved them so much and the idea of getting to continue that relationship is exciting. I was a little hesitant about doing more action because I was a bit tired and also kind of seeking a break, but then I read the script and it was so good, and Kate is such a great character. It’s something that felt more challenging than anything I’d ever done before on so many levels, physically as well as emotionally. Just going as far as the film goes was something that was really exciting for me and I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity.”

“I love Japan. We didn’t get to spend very much time there and it’s probably the ultimate place that I’d like to go back to as soon as I can travel abroad again. I’d like to spend more time in Tokyo but also explore beyond the city. It was just an incredible place to be.

“I ended up going to a little piglet café. Where else in the world can you just sit on the ground and have little piglets crawl all over you and cuddle them? (laughs) It’s just the most unusual thing to do there that you can’t do or see anywhere else. And the food, the sushi, you just can’t stop eating. It’s a beautiful and unique place that’s unlike anywhere else. I only got a tiny taste of Japan and it wasn’t enough.”

Here’s an interview with WhereIsTheBuzz talking about the training/stunt work she completed for the film:

I love working with Jojo and his whole crew. He’s so smart in the way that he trains. He sort of trains you to learn the choreography without really knowing that you’re learning the choreography. You’re learning all these moves, and then you’re slowly building them up and building them up and getting more comfortable with them, and then you’re ready to go without really realizing it. So, he sets it up in this way where he can throw different stuff at you on set, and you can roll with it and do it because you’re trained. And that’s an amazing feeling.

Well, working with 87North they give you a really good baseline in jiu jitsu. Then they throw in boxing drills and things like that. And that’s one of those examples, when I said I didn’t really know that I was learning the choreography. It became: “Ok, you’re punching like we’ve been doing in these boxing drills. but with a knife in your hand this time.” So I’m using the proper power behind the force of the punch now it’s a knife.” They’re just really smart, in terms of building it into your body in a way that you don’t even realize what’s happening.

Mary also did some quick interviews with USAToday, Decider, ComingSoon, and Goggler.

You’ve worked with Bruce Willis, Kurt Russell, and Will Smith, who are all in the American Action Hero Mt. Rushmore. I’ve heard people talk about the American action star being extinct, but I think it’s because people haven’t realized that the American action star is a woman now. What’s gained when the lead in an action film is a woman?

You know, that’s an interesting idea. It does feel like that right now, like there is a heavy presence of women leading action films, which is amazing, considering that that was never the case before.

After years and years and years of wanting to be the Bruce Willis — rather than Bruce Willis’s daughter, as much as I loved that — and it feels like that’s now within reach. Ten years ago, it didn’t feel like it was. I don’t know how true that statement is going to be in the long run. But my hope is that you’re right. I’m game for it.
You’ve carved out an impressive niche in action and horror genre films, but is there any part of you that wants to take an Oscars swing?

I mean, anytime people love what you do enough to give you some sort of accolade is amazing, but I hate the idea of calculating it that way. Like, I would never think of something as, ‘Oh, this is my chance to try to get an award.’ If I got the chance to work with a renowned filmmaker who makes films of that caliber, that would be incredibly exciting. But I mean, if not, then cool. I’m okay either way.

Mary also participated in a roundtable event with Men’s Health that featured Karen Gillian and Shang-Chi’s Meng’er Zhang.
Mary on if she ever thought she’d be working on action after shooting films such as BIRDS OF PREY and KATE:

I initially just wanted to be an actor, and I don’t think that the question of what genre of film I wanted to go into ever really played in my mind. I started as a kid, so it just didn’t occur to me to think in genres. In my dreams, I pictured more being a musical star or something, singing and dancing and that kind of thing. That’s what I grew up watching, and that was my idea of what it meant to be in movies.

Once I started working more, I realized that I liked playing parts that were very physical. That’s what’s drawn me more and more into doing action—I love getting the chance to really use and move my body in my work.

On which actors of filmmakers have inspired her career:

I’ve always been inspired by those iconic early female action characters, like Sigourney Weaver as Ripley in the Alien series. I think particularly just how grounded and smart she is in those movie. I’ve done a lot of horror films, so I think I’ve taken inspiration from her in those as well. I find it to be an interesting challenge to be placed in a genre film, whether it’s action or horror, and have these crazy things happening that are out of this world or larger than life, and to make them feel very real and lived-in, and to play women who use their strength but also their intelligence to save the world. That’s always what I keep being drawn back to, and I think that’s in part because of characters like Ripley.

Mary also did a podcast interview with Bloody Disgusting‘s Boo Crew. This was another interview which I really enjoyed listening to! Click the link above to hear it in its entirety. In it, she talks about the films she’s done throughout her career, why she’ll always return to horror films once in a while, the practical effects (& studio interference of adding CGI) to 2011’s THE THING, her musical career and more.

On Final Destination 3:“I think I was just really excited about the challenge of – I think it was one of my first horror films, if not my first horror film. So it was very exciting for me to think about entering into this storyline that was maybe far-fetched or unrealistic, and trying to make her really real and relatable. Just really believe it. So I just wanted to play her as very real… part of me looks back and goes okay, I took it really seriously, maybe more seriously than I needed to. Meanwhile, a lot of people are just watching it for the gruesome deaths, you know. But the emotional impact was very important to me, so that’s really where I was coming from. And what I was excited about.”On working with Quentin Tarantino in 2007’s DEATH PROOF:“[Quentin Tarantino] would tell me all the time… he’d take me aside and say, ‘I need you to know how great you are.’ I was 22 years old or something… my mind was blown, consistently. He would just build up his actors. He’s such a fan of actors. You could just feel that. And that’s an infectious feeling. When you feel that a director is loving what you’re doing, and he’s expressing that; it’s this adrenaline rush. It’s an unbelievable confidence booster, for sure.”

Late Late Show Stills

You are Kate, a deadly assassin on a quest for revenge against the Yakuza crime boss that lethally poisoned you. Battle your way through the Tokyo criminal underground in this time-attack, action roguelike.

The Steam link can be found here.

That said, I have rounded up a few interviews Mary did which you can view below, some after the cut. The first one is one she did for Twitch.tv. I loved the interviewer to this one. She was completely fan-girling over Mary the entire time and I don’t blame her lol. The interview begins around the 13 mark. If I’ve missed an interview, please let me know via Twitter!

Collider Extras also had a great interview with Mary where they talked about the film, Scott Pilgrim VS the World, Sky High, doing stunt work, wanting to do more action films and much more!

Entertainment Tonight also spoke with Mary on a possible Huntress film and the 10 year anniversary of SPVTW:

And in case you missed the trailer, you can view it below.

You can watch Mary’s interview below: