BothKat GrahamandTom Hopperare beloved by viewers all over the world from their various projects.
Now, they’ve teamed up for Netflix’s latest romantic comedy, “Love in the Villa.”
In the film, Graham plays a woman who decides to embark upon her dream vacation following a breakup.
What was it like working together?
Kat Graham:It was awesome.
Tom Hopper:So much fun.
Graham:We had a really great time.
Hopper:Every scene in this movie was a joy to make.
We had to have fun.
That all helps in building the chemistry.
Graham:There were some long scenes …
I’m sure there’s a lot of actors that aren’t as good.
They take days to get through scenes like that.
Hopper:The way that me and Kat work, it was quite funny, actually.
As people, me and Kat are quite different.
Because we were so prepared, we could actually find the rhythm in a lot of these scenes.
We were doing a walk and talk across this bridge scene.
It was a great shoot.
What were those moments like to film?
Graham:Yes, I miss Mark’s laugh.
We would do a scene and I would hear …
Hopper:… him chuckling away to himself.
We’d hear the crew laughing and everyone would be like, “Oh, sorry.”
Everyone was laughing, and then even the extras were funny.
I remember doing one scene and they started clapping.
I’m like, “You guys are actors, you don’t clap.”
Everyone was so charming and fabulous.
Are you both fans of rom-coms, and do you have any favorites?
Graham:I’m very picky with my rom-coms, unlike other things in my life.
I’m a picky person.
Hopper:I grew up on so many rom-coms.
There’s something so nice and cuddly about it and warm and cozy.
That’s what I hope people will see with this movie.
Graham:Only if Laura [Hopper, Tom’s wife] comes.
Hopper:That’s the thing.
Did you bond over that?
Hopper:We haven’t at all.
Graham:We didn’t even talk about it.
Tom does so much … Hopper:That was just about to come out.
It was just about to drop.
Graham:We were talking a little bit about that.
I don’t promote other films once I’m done.
It’s always interesting.
I’m like, “Oh, he was still talking about [that].
Okay, that’s cool.”
It was our life.
Hopper:There’s two sunset scenes that we did.
Graham:Oh, yeah, those were great.
Hopper:They were both amazing.
A lot of them are location-based because it was incredible to be there.
There’s that one [where] we were walking across the bridge, which was beautiful.
Graham:It didn’t feel like 10 pages.
Hopper:It felt like we were doing a play or something.
It was that long.
Graham:It was so great.
Everyone was on their A-game, and it was hilarious.
It was the funniest.
Everything was super memorable.
I remember everything super vividly.
Hopper:It feels so rich in my mind, the movie.
I’m also someone who very rarely wants to watch something that I’ve done.
I’m not a big fan of watching myself and watching back a movie.
This was such a positive experience for you both.
I feel like this is so rare.
You work; you get burnt out.
The hours are exhausting.
It’s exhausting, away from your family, the location you’re stuck at.
There’s so many things that I can complain about.
But this was actually one of those experiences where everything was perfect.
I know, because I’ve shot stuff after it.
I’m like, “This sucks.
Take me back to Verona.
I’m never working with anyone but Tom and Mark again.”
It was honestly the most perfect thing ever.
Season 3 left us on a huge cliffhanger.
What was it like filming those episodes?
Hopper:Season 3 was a lot of fun.
It’s been my favorite season so far to shoot and to view.
It’s exciting to see where it might go from now.
It’s kind of up in the air.
Luther’s character changed and evolved so much in this season.
That was exciting to see.
It’s been a gift for me, actually.
I’ve had a lot of fun doing it.
What’s next for you both?
Hopper:Well, a few things.
I’ve been producing a lot this last year.
I’ve got a couple of movies that we’re doing in the coming months.
I might be doing a Western as well, which looks pretty good.
Then we should be seeing about Season 4 of “Umbrella Academy.”
We don’t know yet.
[Netflix has sincerenewed the seriesfor a final season.]
Graham:This is my fourth film of the year.
I just dropped my second album of the year.
To be honest, I need a minute.
I’m going to take a little break.
I’m going to get married.
I did just wrap production on a refugee documentary that I’m producing and hosting with Time Studios.
That’s coming out next year.
[I’m] also producing and seeing what’s next trying to grow and not plan everything.
[That’s a] lesson I’ve learned.
I think I’ve earned that at this point.
Is there anything else you want people to know about “Love in the Villa”?
Graham:It’s as magical as it seems.
Everything that you guys feel while watching it it’s not fake.
It’s something that is such a real experience.
Hopper:People should go and visit Verona and feel it for themselves.
Like Kat says, that’s absolutely true.
All those feelings it’s all there.
“Love in the Villa” hits Netflixon September 1, 2022.
This interview was edited for clarity.
