It’s simply days earlier than the discharge of “The Previous Guard 2,” however KiKi Layne is already eager about a 3rd film within the motion franchise. “I pray for it,” Layne says. “I’m like, ‘Please, everyone watch this film. Come on, let’s get this greenlit.’ I might like to do it once more.”

Within the second installment, directed by Victoria Mahoney and out there on Netflix, Layne reprises her function of Nile, an immortal ex-Marine who joins her fellow immortals (Charlize Theron, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Henry Golding) to cease two of their very own Discord (franchise newcomer Uma Thurman) and Quynh (Veronica Ngô) from destroying mankind.

I talked to Layne on Zoom the day after the film’s purple carpet premiere in Los Angeles. This Q&A has been edited for size and readability.

You skilled for 5 months for the primary movie. Did it’s important to practice as a lot for the second?

Do you preserve your health for that lengthy? [Laughs]. When it was greenlit, I had met my man and we had been consuming good so I needed to make some changes to prepare for quantity two. Pushing your self bodily in a approach that may be a bit out of your norm, I actually take pleasure in that as a side of character constructing. Nile is a really bodily character. She’s a Marine. I see all the coaching as a possibility to honor who Nile is, whereas, on the similar time, it’s a very nice feeling when your physique’s altering and also you’re feeling stronger. I’m like, “Oh, I’d be capable to knock anyone out now.”

You probably did most of your individual stunts once more, however had been there any occasions if you had been like, “I feel I’ll let a stunt double do that?”

I see stunts and struggle choreography as an extension of the character and as an extension of the storytelling, so I need to be part of that as a lot as doable. However actually, the stunt the place I jumped from the balcony to the flag. We had rehearsed that quite a few occasions, and I had completed it quite a few occasions, and there was a day that we had been rehearsing it and I used to be scared. It’s like one thing in my mind was similar to, “No, we’ve already allow you to do that 5 occasions. You can not do it once more,” and I simply couldn’t make the bounce. So on the day we had been filming it, I am going upstairs to set, and my double is able to do it, and I’m like, “What’s occurring right here?” They’re like, “Oh, we’re about to do the bounce.” I stated, “I’m doing the bounce.” After which I did it. I jumped from a balcony to a flag and swung via a window. It was wonderful.

Had been there any days if you wrapped and also you had been hurting, getting dwelling and also you had been in ache?

That might be after we did all of the preventing within the nuclear facility as a result of Nile has a weapon now. It was all the shoulder work. I needed to get my first cortisone shot as a result of I used to be whipping that rattling [sword] round. I’m slicing and dicing and stabbing and leaping, and sooner or later, my shoulder stated, “Ma’am, we’ve had sufficient.”

What was it like seeing Uma Thurman on set for the primary time?

She has such an attractive grace about her, the best way that she carries herself, but it surely nonetheless could be very heat. I beloved doing scene work along with her. She was so dedicated to essentially understanding every scene. She would take the time to take a seat collectively and ask one another questions: “Does this make sense? Are we on the identical web page?” You don’t all the time get time for that, and so to work with an actress who actually prioritizes what’s on the web page, that was considered one of my favourite issues about working with Uma.

What was it like seeing Charlize and Uma going at one another within the struggle scenes?

Thoughts blown. I imply, that’s a dream come true, particularly starring alongside them in an motion movie, as a result of what they signify for ladies in motion is unmatched. They kicked down doorways for what a feminine motion star might appear like and the kinds of issues and the kinds of physicality that we as ladies are able to. I’m really tremendous grateful, and that Charlize particularly, as a producer, prioritized making area for me as a Black girl on this style. A giant a part of why I wore my hair out the best way that I did within the movie is due to Charlize. We had been within the automobile and I informed her, “I feel I’m going to braid it again.” She was like, “No, put on your hair down.” When do you see an motion star with locs? So moments like that, of being given permission to take up area absolutely as myself as a Black girl on this style, these are the kinds of items that Uma and Charlize gave to me throughout this course of. I’m ceaselessly grateful to each of them for that.

How does it make you’re feeling realizing a little bit Black lady could also be watching the flicks and considering, “That might be me”?

That’s what I do it for. I hope to be the illustration for little Black ladies that I want that I had extra of rising up. Anytime that individuals come as much as me and say that they felt seen by me taking part in the kind of roles that I’ve been blessed to play, which means all the things to me. That’s the explanation to maintain going as a result of this enterprise, it will get exhausting. It’s a extremely robust time within the business proper now. Work is scarce. There’s a whole lot of ups and downs no matter what stage of success you’ve reached. As they are saying, new ranges, new devils. And so in moments the place I’m feeling a bit low and not sure, eager about who I’m making an attempt to signify, who I’m making an attempt to encourage and uplift, typically that may give me extra of a push to maintain going than simply eager about myself. I’ve to be reminded all of that is a lot larger than me.

Who do you flip to when issues get robust?

I flip to my fiancé, Ari [Stachel]. , he’s additionally an actor, however largely identified for Broadway, so he undoubtedly understands these ups and downs very intimately. I’m blessed sufficient to have a accomplice who pushes me. He’s actually needed to pull me off the ground having a panic assault as a result of I’ve completed a self-tape, and I’m simply already absolutely satisfied that I’m not going to get it. To have a accomplice who might be affected person once I’m saying to him, “I’m gonna stop, and I’m gonna go do actual property or educate,” and he appears at me and goes, “Train? Kiki, what are you going to show?” [Laughs]. He’s the primary one that actually begins to drag me out of the funk. After which my mother, who’s been with me from the start of the journey and fortunately, is all the time praying for me on this wild enterprise that I’ve dedicated myself to.

You met Ari whereas the 2 of you had been making “Don’t Fear Darling.” I like that you simply’ve stated it doesn’t matter what occurred with the film (each Layne and Stachel didn’t make the ultimate reduce of the movie), you had a good time making it.

That actually put it into perspective for me, like we all the time get what we’re speculated to get from each second – even from the stuff that hurts, even from the stuff that’s irritating. All of it occurs for a cause, and typically if you’re in it, you’ll be able to’t see the explanation, and possibly the one factor you’re wanting ahead to is getting out. However now that I’m on the opposite aspect, I’m grateful for that. The movie’s going to be what the movie goes to be. It doesn’t take away from the work that I did and the folks I started working with. It was a lot enjoyable. We had a good time, and I met my man.