Jonathan Bailey is seemingly everywhere across space and time, from the Regency era of Bridgerton to the fantasy world of the Wicked films. But, one place we’ve really enjoyed seeing him lately is in the dangerous grasslands near the equator facing off against dinosaurs in Jurassic World Rebirth. The British actor plays Dr. Henry Loomis, a bespectacled paleontologist with a heart of gold who ends up on a life-changing mission. This role took Bailey right into the heart of Thailand for shooting, which was no easy feat considering the location’s oppressive humidity and almost prehistoric terrain.
In fact, we got just a taste of Jonathan Bailey’s filming experience during a recent press trip to Thailand, thanks to Universal All Access and Mandy Kay Marketing. While there, we scaled a wall during a rock climbing expedition, set sail to explore caves and lagoons, and even trekked through the exact same grassland location where Dr. Loomis first saw the Titanosaurus herd. That moment of sheer awe mirrors and measures up to the first time Dr. Alan Grant laid eyes on a majestic creature brought back to life. It translates so effortlessly on film, but filming is anything but considering that there’s no actual dino there.
So, how did Bailey translate those emotions and the physicality of his character to screen. Well, being in the elements certainly helps. “When you’re wading through mangroves up to your nipples, it really helps for a physicality and a specificity,” he tells us during an interview in Thailand. While we suspect that his theater roots help translate these elements to cinema (which he didn’t disagree with), he does say that acting changes due to different lenses. “I also describe it as a different [view], like an apex and a concave lens… on stage you’re doing something very specific that you have to put through the lens to magnify its work for everybody. And on film, you just think about it in the other way, that everything you’re doing comes to a point.”
Oftentimes in Jurassic World Rebirth, that point is imaginary or a random stand-in for something terrifying. Along with his castmates, director Gareth Edwards, and others, you can experience the glory of this film at home.
It is currently available to own or rent through several retailers and comes with some pretty sweet bonus materials:
- ALTERNATE OPENING
- DELETED SCENES
- RAPTORS – Featuring Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, David Iacono, Luna Blaise and Audrina Miranda
- MUTADON ATTACK – Featuring Scarlett Johansson, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, David Iacono, Rupert Friend, Luna Blaise and Audrina Miranda
- JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH: HATCHING A NEW ERA
- THE WORLD EVOLVES – Journey into a reimagined Jurassic World with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali and the rest of the cast and filmmakers.
- OFF THE DEEP END – Dive into the thrilling ocean sequence and learn about the challenges of shooting on open water, the one-of-a-kind gimbal used to toss around the Essex and Mariposa, and the VFX wizardry that brought the Mosasaurus and Spinosaurs to life.
- TREKKING THROUGH THAILAND – Follow the cast and crew’s footsteps as they navigate the challenges of shooting in exotic jungles, beaches, and tall grass fields that become home to the Titanosaurs.
- REX IN THE RAPIDS – Brace for a T. rex encounter that’s different than anything experienced before with a nail-biting river chase recreated from Michael Crichton’s original Jurassic Park novel.
- DON’T LOOK DOWN – Soar into the Quetzalcoatlus sequence with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Bechir Sylvain as they train for and shoot their cliff rappelling scenes.
- MINI-MART MAYHEM – Go inside the heart-stopping third act of Jurassic World Rebirth and witness the process of crafting sets that allow the movie’s mutant dinosaurs to step out of nightmare-inspired designs and stop on an exhilarating rampage.
- GAG REEL
- MEET DOLORES – Meet the animatronic Aquilops with an extraordinarily lifelike personality.
- MUNCHED: BECOMING DINO FOOD – Get a victim’s firsthand view inside the frightening jaws of deadly dinosaurs that munch, chomp, and chew their way into creating unforgettable death sequences.
- A DAY AT SKYWALKER SOUND – Actress Audrina Miranda guides a personal tour of Skywalker Sound in California to meet the audio editors, foley artists, and mixers who design the movie’s wide array of sounds.
- HUNTING FOR EASTER EGGS – Find out where to look for cleverly hidden Easter eggs that pay homage to everything from the first Jurassic Park film to other Steven Spielberg classics.
- FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR GARETH EDWARDS, PRODUCTION DESIGNER JAMES CLYNE, AND FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JACK RAVENSCROFT
- FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR GARETH EDWARDS, EDITOR JABEZ OLSSEN, AND VISUAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR DAVID VICKERY
Can you mimic Jonathan Bailey’s incredulous expressions to a tee? You can find out and see by grabbing this film on digital and watching it in the comfort of your own home.
Content shared from nerdist.com.