Q&A: Karen Allen and the new “Indiana Jones”
From the March 14 issue of LOOKatOKC. Keep an eye out Friday for a feature story on Karen Allen and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
When Indiana Jones made his debut in 1981’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” the affable archeologist/adventurer wasn’t just facing down relic-hunting Nazis.
Set in 1936, his quest to keep the powerful Ark of the Covenant out of the hands of German evildoers reunited him with his testy former flame, Marion Ravenwood. As Marion, actress Karen Allen got to drawl the now-immortal line “Indiana Jones. I always knew some day you’d come walking back through my door.”
Nearly 20 years after Indy (Harrison Ford) literally rode off into the sunset in 1989’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” the whip-snapping, wisecracking hero is walking back into everyone’s life in his highly anticipated fourth film, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
Set in 1957, the new Cold War-era sequel has the fedora-wearing protagonist trying to keep the Soviets from finding another legendary, potentially powerful artifact – the Crystal Skull of Akator.
Once again, Marion and Allen, now 56, are along for the adventure. The actress, who also co-starred in the films “Starman,” “Scrooged” and “The Glass Menagerie,” said in a recent phone interview that she was thrilled and surprised at the chance to revisit one of her favorite roles.
Q: You never expected to have a role in the new film? Was the phone call from director Steven Spielberg your first clue?
A: I hadn’t expected it. … I was really, really surprised. I mean, there had been some rumors on and off over the years … what they would actually do, I never, of course, had any idea. So it was literally the phone ringing at my studio (where she designs her knitwear line Karen Allen Fiber Arts) one day and me picking it up. And Steven was on the line saying that they had announced that they were going to make the next film and that they had written a wonderful role for me in the film. And I was surprised and delighted and just very excited. (laughing) The worst part of it was he then, of course, told me that it had to be a big secret … which then was excruciating.
Q: Are you happy that Marion is the character you’re best known for?
A: I think it’s a wonderful character. … An actor could hardly ask for a more lovely introduction to a female character than (in “Raiders”) in that bar in Nepal where she’s drinking men under the table and … punching Harrison in the jaw squarely when he arrives back into her life. (laughing) I just think she was a beautifully conceived character, and I had such a wonderful time creating the character when I was shooting the film. And she and the film have certainly stood the test of time.
Q: Can you tell us how Marion has changed since we last saw her?
A: There’s not a lot I can say without maybe revealing things that I can’t reveal. … It’s 20 years later, and she and Indy have not seen each other in a long time. Their lives have gone off in different directions, and she kind of gets thrust back into the story in a kind of unexpected way.
Q: Does she still have her pluck and sense of humor?
A: She does. They did her righteous in that sense.
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Comments
I think Karen Allen is one heck of an actress indeed and icon as well . Everything that she does wheither if it’s doing all of these amazing action scenes with the cast members were quite hilarious including when both Marion and Indy was arguing with each other talking about their son played by none other than Shai LaBeouf named Mutt ( Henry Williams Jones Jr.) and then running towards into the quick sand, have her opportunity to show how driving two cars with an edge can be fun when she got a chance to take charge including going full throttle into a water rapids was one of them at least . Also When they all went to the temple running from these guys with their weapons were fantastic and started to climb up those giant steps right inside and landed into it by far one hell of a ride for Karen’s part .
I was really thrilled about this. Marion was far and away the best “Indy girl.” And the possibility that they would write in a new love interest for Indy worried me intensely. Let’s just say that Hollywood has a history of pairing older men with women that are WAY too young for them. It makes the viewing audience feel kind of…icky.