Vanessa Hudgens & Michael Caine Interview For ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’

In this follow-up to the 2008 worldwide hit ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth,’ the new 3D family adventure ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ begins when young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first film) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It’s a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean’s new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever. ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ stars Michael Caine as Sean’s grandfather, Alexander Anderson, and Kristin Davis as Sean’s mom, Liz Anderson. ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ is is out in cinemas now.

It was a lot of fun watching you in ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,’ I can imagine it was fun for you also?

Michael Caine: Oh yes, I was enjoying myself because I’m usually in very serious, or very tough movies, you know? Or very dramatic movies. This was the first time, actually the second time I’ve appeared in a family movie. The first time was in ‘The Muppets Christmas Carol,’ which was a movie I made especially for my daughter who was seven at the time. With my movies, they usually have to wait until they’re sixteen or eighteen to go to see them. I made ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ for her children, my grandchildren, who are three and two. I’m hoping to take them or get the DVD and show them when they get a couple of years older.

The way your character is in this film, he’s a bit zany, I can imagine them loving that?

Michael Caine: Oh yes (laughs). I remember the effect it had on my daughter, their mother, when I did ‘The Muppets Christmas Carol,’ she loved that so much. I think they’ll like this even more because I’m a nicer character in this, I was Scrooge in The Muppets Christmas Carol. I’m just good old grandpa in this (laughs). A very nice man, a mad explorer.

How about you Vanessa, what was it like shooting this adventure film ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island?’

Vanessa Hudgens: This was an extremely and incredibly fun movie to make. I knew that it was going to be fun just considering filming in Hawaii and being with such an awesome cast, but I never really actually realized until I got there that this would be this fun in my life. Working with the cast was justphenomenal, Dwayne Johnson was such a big sweet-heart, he’s so much fun and so caring. Luis Guzman became like my second father and was just such a riot to work with, he‘s crazy, every day he’d do improvisation and keep everyone on their toes. Michael Caine, who is an absolute legend, was one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, he’s so enthusiastic about work which was really inspiring to see because he’s done so many incredible films and he’s still extremely passionate about what he does. Our director, Brad Peyton, he was amazing, he has such a clear vision and he really knew what he wanted, he had a strong stance on everything and was such a ball of energy it was so much fun.

What was it like for you seeing Dwayne Johnson dabbling in a bit of singing and ukulele-playing?

Michael Caine: I was stunned. I mean, I knew we were going to do the scene, and I went, “Dwayne’s gonna sing a song?” I thought it was going to be very embarrassing, but of course I kept my mouth shut (laughs), I just sat there with my lines ready with my performance to do, and then he was wonderful. I was absolutely stunned, I was so shocked that when it came to my cue I nearly forgot my line (laughs). I’m not just saying this because I’m in the movie with him, or that he’s bigger than me, but Dwayne Johnson is a very nice guy, he’s wonderful, very talented.

‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ has a lot of CGI and special effects, and acting with the green screen, how was it to see it on the big screen with everything put together finally?

Vanessa Hudgens: That was amazing, it was so rewarding. Usually when I’m watching a movie I’m in, I’m constantly critiquing myself and kicking myself in the butt for things that I think I could’ve done better. But with this movie, it was a different experience because of the 3D, it just completely pulled me into this adventure, and it was so absorbing and I really got to enjoy the movie and go along for the ride that we intended to create for everybody. So it was so much fun, I really enjoyed watching it, me and Josh Hutcherson saw the final version in Australia for the world premiere, and I was sitting on the edge of my seat and jumping even when I knew that things were going to pop out. It was so much fun!

You’ve got a grandson in Josh Hutcherson for this film, how was it working with him?

Michael Caine: I think Josh has a wonderful future, I hadn’t seen him before because in the past he has made more family films, which I don’t normally go to see, really because I don’t have any small children. But he was wonderful, the whole crew and cast, right through to the producers and director, they were extremely nice people, and it being a family film, the sort of people who would make a family film are, by their nature, very nice….that’s what I think, because they were all so lovely.

What did you do to prepare for your role, and did you find any similarities or differences between Kalahni and yourself?

Vanessa Hudgens: Yeah, me and Kalahni are a bit alike in the sense that she is really close to her father, she has a really great relationship with him – I’m extremely close with my family as well. Kalahni is not afraid to get her hands dirty when she’s outside and in mother nature she’s kind of in her environment, it’s where she feels most comfortable and that’s kind of like me as well. I love being outside and just kind of being one with nature. To prepare, I didn’t do much, I kind of hung out with Luis Guzman a little bit, just so we could figure each other out a bit more, and honestly just continuing to work out. I love working out, I love staying fit, and especially if I’m going to do an action movie, it’s important to keep your cardio up, so just continuing to do my routine except in a much more beautiful place.

I know you can’t say much, but ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is fast approaching….

Michael Caine: Working on that was fabulous. Yeah, we have to be absolutely silent because we signed wavers and everything, but this will be extraordinary, it‘s an enormous production. We’re like a rep company, we know each other so well now, we’re so used to each other (laughs). But this will be the last one.