Actress and model Analeigh Tipton had to brush up on 1980s television to prepare for her role in the zombie romantic comedy “Warm Bodies.”
“Warm Bodies” follows a not-so-heartless zombie and his almost-girlfriend as they try to find a cure for the zombie epidemic. Tipton plays Nora, an upbeat and sarcastically funny girl who is best friends with the main character, Julie (Teresa Palmer).
“Nora was a little piece of me that I got to be fun with,” Tipton said.
She said she really enjoyed working with the film’s young, cool, exciting and creative cast. To prepare for the role, Tipton watched episodes of “The Love Boat,” a 1980s sitcom revolving around love that her character was supposed to be obsessed with. She also learned how to quickly assemble and disassemble a gun.
“I got so good at the whole process that I could pop a bullet out and catch it with my eyes closed,” Tipton said.
Her interests help her prepare as well. “I am a big science-fiction nerd, even though I’m not too knowledgeable about zombies,” she said.
When filming “Warm Bodies,” Tipton said she was unsure about the direction the film would take. But when she began working with the director, it became clear to her this film wasn’t just one genre, but that it encompasses a few different ones.
“Jonathan [Levine, the director] has great vision. He was really able to paint the film in a very unique way. It came together through great directing and fantastic editing. His style is refreshing and new,” Tipton said.
If there is one scene Tipton enjoyed shooting, it was the makeover scene. In a mostly male cast, she and Palmer were among the few women on set, so she enjoyed giving Nicholas Hoult (the zombie R) a makeover and piling loads and loads of makeup on him.
“We were all just dying because we got to just cake him in uncomfortable makeup,” Tipton said.
Perfection doesn’t come without hard work, though. Tipton is already working on her next project, “One Night Stand,” in which she plays a major role.
“It’s a lot of pressure. I’ve never learned so much about myself, ever,” she said.
