Ed Skrein is still mesmerized by movie magic.
In fact, the actor said that one of his favorite memories from filming his new movie Jurassic World Rebirth, aside from spending time with costars Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, was immersing himself in the tropical environment.
“My first day that we shot was in Thailand,” Ed exclusively told E! News’ Erin Lim Rhodes at the New York premiere of the film June 23. “We shot in this little fishing village with 400 extras. I had all these kids and I was lifting the kids upside down, messing around with them, giving them loads of sweets candy, getting them sugar high and hyping them up.”
And thanks to the hundreds of people that gathered to make the most dangerous place on Earth a reality, it no longer felt like a movie set.
“It really felt like Jurassic World,” he continued. “I was like, ‘Wow, this is amazing. I really feel like I’m in it now.’”
After the cast finished up their first week in Thailand, they ended up finishing the movie in Elstree, London. And compared to their tropical surroundings in Southeast Asia, Ed admitted he didn’t find the experience quite as enticing.
“We were inside a hangar,” the 42-year-old recalled. “I was driving from my house every day in East London. It kind of wasn’t the movie magic that people think that making movies is.”
“The time in Thailand was amazing,” he added. “It was a very informative first week that I could then carry on and bring to the stale environment of the studio.”
But while he emphasized his love for a truly immersive filming experience, the Midway star admitted how relieved he was that he wasn’t actually living among the dinosaurs.
“I couldn’t live in this world,” he said. “I have the face of someone who’s very brave or alpha, but I would be terrified. I would be in the fetal position shivering like a little child.
“I just wouldn’t get out of there alive,” he quipped. “I’m glad the dinosaurs were VFX.”
Ultimately, Ed expressed that he was honored to be a part of a franchise that means so much to its fans—but for him, it was his costars that made the film truly special.
“We all grew up watching this stuff,” he explained. “I understand the privilege of being a part of something like this, but like I say, I’m just here to see my friends.”
“I really, really, really love spending time with these guys,” he gushed. “I really do.”
To see Ed and his costars at the New York premiere of Jurassic World Rebirth, which hits theaters July 2, keep reading.
Scarlett Johansson
Jonathan Bailey
Mahershala Ali
Rupert Friend
Brianna LaPaglia
Ed Skrein
Luna Blaise
David Iacono
Scarlett Johansson & Colin Jost
Bechir Sylvain
Audrina Miranda
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo
Philippine Velge
Erin Lim Rhodes
Frank Marshall, Manuel García-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Scarlett Johansson, Gareth Edwards, Rupert Friend, Bechir Sylvain, Philippine Velge, Ed Skrein & Patrick Crowley
Patrick Crowley, Manuel García-Rulfo, David Iacono, Audrina Miranda, Gareth Edwards, Bechir Sylvain, Philippine Velge & Frank Marshall
Aimee Mullins & Rupert Friend
