The stars of 'Black Bag' are sharing their best tips for going undercover. The Steven Soderbergh film is a gripping spy drama that follows two married intelligence agents, George and Kathryn, played by Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, who seemingly have the perfect work-life balance. That is until Kathryn is suspected of betraying the nation and George faces the ultimate test, loyalty to his marriage or his country. Ahead of the film the cast chatted with The Hollywood Reporter on Soderbergh's unique take on the spy world and the do's and don'ts of being a good spy.
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00:00Like, you know the whole actors, like, hat and glasses thing?
00:02It's not a disguise. It's more like a shop-closed sign.
00:05Like, people approach you differently when you're wearing the hat and glasses.
00:08So, like, it's not an undercover thing, but you do kind of go like,
00:10I'm not at work today, you know?
00:14The stars of Black Bag are sharing their best tips for going undercover.
00:18The Steven Soderbergh film is a gripping spy drama that follows two
00:22married intelligence agents, George and Catherine,
00:24played by Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett,
00:27who seemingly have the perfect work-life balance,
00:30until Catherine is suspected of betraying the nation and George faces the ultimate test,
00:35loyalty to his marriage or his country.
00:38The rest of the cast of intelligence operatives are rounded out by Bridgerton's Regé-Jean Page,
00:42Industries' Marisa Abella, Moonlight's Naomi Harris,
00:45Furiosa's Tom Burke and Pierce Brosnan.
00:48Ahead of the film, the cast chatted with The Hollywood Reporter
00:51on Soderbergh's unique take on the spy world and the do's and don'ts of being a good spy.
00:56What I'm inspired by with him is that he's always setting himself a challenge.
01:01So he's always setting himself in a possible task.
01:04And when you're working with a director at his level,
01:06who is still continuing to stretch himself and to risk falling on his face,
01:10it sort of makes an on-set environment where everyone feels they're going to do the same.
01:17They want to bring it for him, I think.
01:18You know, he's a very unique filmmaker.
01:21He's one of the masters.
01:22He's got an incredible brain.
01:24The fact that he's lighting the room, he's operating the camera himself,
01:29he's directing and he's editing.
01:31You know, later that day when we shoot a scene, he edits that night.
01:35Steven, would he make a good spy?
01:37Probably, yeah.
01:38Yeah.
01:39The cast also shared whether they had what it takes to be a good spy in real life.
01:43If you had something to hide, do you think you could actually pass a polygraph test?
01:48Are all of you good liars?
01:49What I would try and do is just have it go all over the place on the truth.
01:53Yeah.
01:54So just have my heart and sweat going non-stop.
01:57Yeah.
01:57They're like, what is your name, Michael Fassbender?
01:59You're like, yeah.
01:59So everything's a lie.
02:01I'm a terrible liar.
02:03And even when I'm actually telling the truth, I start to feel guilty.
02:07I do try and think about it in a very thorough way.
02:10I'm like, how do I kind of, you know, slow the pulse, drop the temperature?
02:14But apparently, all you need to do is clench your suit up.
02:17Yeah.
02:18See, the movie isn't a piece of education for those who want to sit polygraph test.
02:22If any of you had a moment where you successfully went undercover and went unnoticed,
02:28whether it was to avoid paparazzi or whatever the case may be.
02:33I don't think I need to.
02:34I don't.
02:36I'm fine.
02:37People in London, especially, maybe this is just me, don't care that much.
02:42You know what I mean?
02:43You're like on the tube and everyone's like, whatever.
02:45Unless you're like Justin Bieber or something.
02:47I guess, of course.
02:48Recently, where I was sort of going in and the person was like,
02:51that was Michael Fassbender.
02:52The other person was like, who's that?
02:56They were running down the street after you the other day when we came out of, was it Sirius?
03:00Yeah.
03:00Sirius is a little intense.
03:02You think that's more of an intense place where you will find that your fan base will catch you?
03:06Rating.
03:07Well, it's once people know where you are.
03:09I find that like, you know, the whole act, the actors like hat and glasses thing.
03:12It's not a disguise.
03:13It's more like a shop closed sign when people approach you differently
03:16when you're wearing the hat and glasses.
03:17It's not an undercover thing, but you do kind of go like, I'm going to work today.
03:20You know?
03:21Who in the cast would you say would make the worst spy?
03:25I think Naomi would probably make the best spy.
03:28Yeah.
03:28A spy told Naomi that she'd be a good spy.
03:32And we don't believe it.
03:35She says.
03:36I went out with some undercover agents once in Miami and we did like,
03:42we had to surround a drug dealer in our cars and like, take him down.
03:48And unfortunately we got the wrong person.
03:50So it was quite a dramatic undercover moment.
03:53A pivotal moment in the film happens during a certain dinner party scene
03:57where each of the film's characters shares a resolution for the others.
04:01People keep on asking, like, did we ad-lib?
04:03And, but really there's, there's only about two lines.
04:06I came up with, that's the most boring thing you've ever done.
04:10And then Stephen added, hands down.
04:12A game of poison darts.
04:14Because I think there's a relish and almost like a, a bring it on quality to,
04:20what do you got?
04:21You think you've got some stuff on me?
04:22Well, I've got some stuff on you.
04:24While we don't share spoilers on how that turned out,
04:26the cast did play along sharing their own resolutions for each of their cast mates.
04:32I will not drink French martinis.
04:40I resolve tonight to sneak in the word, um,
04:49What's the fun word?
04:50Platypus.
04:50Platypus into at least one interview on the red carpet.
04:54Excellent.
04:55I resolve to spend less time in the interview suites discussing my bowels.
05:02It's going to be tricky.
05:04Have you got a longing for a pet?
05:06Do you, you don't have a pet?
05:07Oh my gosh.
05:08I have a cat.
05:10Does the cat need another cat friend?
05:11It does.
05:12That's what I really feel.
05:14Yeah.
05:14You actually genuinely felt that because that's what I feel for Nala.
05:17My resolution would be to switch up the cold baths that she's currently doing
05:23with some warm flotation tanks.
05:26Quit the resolution to never get a tattoo and get mine and Stephen's names on one on each cheek.
05:34I thought you said quit acting.
05:38Quit, quit what you're saying.
05:41No, that's my resolution to quit acting.
05:44Although we do share that.
05:46Yes.
05:46It's a very dangerous line of work.
05:48I'll say.
05:51Black Bag hits theaters March 14th.
05:54For more on this interview, head to THR.com.
05:57And for the latest entertainment news and updates, keep watching The Hollywood Reporter News.