Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Eric Christian Olsen’s characters Kate and Adam couldn’t be more dissimilar. Whereas Winstead’s Kate responds to the threat of a shape-shifting alien by finding her voice and becoming the de-facto leader of the remnant survivors, Olsen’s Adam slowly withdraws from the action, refusing to acknowledge the severity of the situation. Their arcs are not that far removed from the Ripley/Weaver & Burke/Reiser Aliens mold (although Olsen isn’t quite as repulsive as Paul Reiser’s Carter Burke – to be fair: who could?). It was oddly fitting then that the two were paired up for The Thing press day interviews – each balancing the other. Altruism vs. Self-interest – all contained in one room.In the following interview with Winstead and Olsen, She explicates on her character’s transformation from mild-mannered to hero and He discusses the liberties allowed in playing “a coward”. Winstead also calls me out for making the (admittedly) slightest of parallels between The Thing and her upcoming Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.  Hit the jump to watch.Finally, if you missed my video interview with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje or director Matthijs van Heijningen, just click the links.Of note: there are some slight spoilers in the following interview…Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Eric Christian Olsen

  • Winstead talks about her characters transformation in the film
  • Olsen talks about how his character takes the cowards way out
  • Was it difficult playing a weak character
  • Winstead has fought many movie monsters. Which is the most difficult foe
  • Winstead talks about being in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and how it's another period horror film

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