Nykiya Adams in ‘Bird’. Photo: Robbie Ryan.
Opening exclusively in New York theaters on November 8th and nationwide November 15th is the new drama ‘Bird’, which was written and directed by Andrea Arnold (‘Fish Tank’), and stars Academy Award nominee Barry Keoghan (‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ and ‘Saltburn’), Franz Rogowski (‘Passages’), and newcomer Nykiya Adams.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Nykiya Adams about her work on ‘Bird’, her first reaction to the screenplay, her character, her relationship with her father and Bird, working with Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski, collaborating with director Andrea Arnold on set, and if she had fun making her first movie.
Nykiya Adams in ‘Bird’. Photo: Atsushi Nishijima.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and how you became involved with this project?
Nykiya Adams: I didn’t know the script, so I think it was more of just a surprise. My mum didn’t tell me anything. She was like, “Nykiya, you’ve got to get this.” So, I was like, “I’ll try my best.” But obviously it’s a wonderful experience and I’d love to do it again.
MF: How would you describe your character in your own words?
NA: She’s a little diva because she doesn’t care what anyone thinks. If she wants to get the something done and no one wants to do it for her, she’ll go get it done herself. I’ll do the same, so Bailey’s just a more extreme version of me. I can relate to Bailey in a lot of ways. I think because she’s going through changes, she thinks she’s growing up, she’s going to be 13 going on 30. But I think near the end of the film, she realizes she’s got to dial down a bit because at the end of the day, she’s not that old. She doesn’t have to grow up quick, and I think she realizes that. She’s a kid and she must let things happen and fall into place. I can relate to her in a lot of ways. She gets very frustrated very fast. She knows how to deal with it, and she knows how to express her emotions.
Barry Keoghan in ‘Bird’. Photo: Robbie Ryan.
MF: Can you talk about her relationship with her father?
KA: It’s like a brother and sister relationship because the way they clash so much and the way they make up is like, “Oh, I hate you, but you’re still family, so I love you.” So, it’s that kind of a crazy experience.
MF: What was it like working with Barry Keoghan?
KA: It was very easy to create the relationship with him because he’s such a big kid. He’s such a lovely person to be around, and he’s so down to earth. Working with him on set, we’d just switch into our characters, bang, and then we just switch out. We’d literally just be laughing the next minute, and he was just so fun to be around.
Franz Rogowski in ‘Bird’. Photo: Robbie Ryan.
MF: Can you talk about what Bailey sees in Bird and their unlikely friendship?
KA: I think she just sees herself in him because of how free he is, and she just wants to be like that. I think she just realizes you must take your time with everything and let everything come to you at once. I think that’s why she can warm up to him so quick, because Bird feels like a safe place for her.
MF: What was it like working with Franz Rogowski to create that relationship?
KA: The friendship was literally, when Bailey was just getting warm to Bird, it was Nykiya getting warm to Franz. So, the first time Bailey met him was the first time I met him, so the reaction was just real.
Franz Rogowski in ‘Bird’. Photo: Atsushi Nishijima.
MF: What was director Andrea Arnold like to collaborate with on set?
KA: She loves nature. I was given an on-set phone, so I’ll just take pictures of nature and everything. You can see that I took some videos, and it’s in the credits. So, it was fun, and the way she works is just so beautiful.
MF: Finally, this is your first movie. Was it fun to make and would you like to make more movies in the future?
KA: Loads of fun. The amount of food I ate, honestly, it’s crazy. Yes, 100%.
12-year-old Bailey lives with her single dad Bug and brother Hunter in a squat in North Kent. Bug doesn’t have much time for his kids, and Bailey, who is approaching… Read the Plot
What is the plot of ‘Bird’?
12-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams) lives with her single dad Bug (Barry Keoghan) and brother Hunter (Jason Buda) in a squat in North Kent. Bug doesn’t have much time for his kids, and Bailey, who is approaching puberty, seeks attention and adventure elsewhere.
Who is in the cast of ‘Bird’?
Barry Keoghan in ‘Bird’. Photo: Robbie Ryan.