Dane DeHaan on ZeroZeroZero's stunning action sequences: "We tried to make it as real as possible"
Helicopters, car chases and giant cargo ships were all used for the international thriller.
ZeroZeroZero star Dane DeHaan has praised Sky Atlantic's brand new crime drama for accomplishing so many of its action sequences using practical stunts and locations, rather than using CGI or studio sets.
The series takes a close look at the international trade of illegal drugs, with a particular focus on cocaine, following how the substance as it is smuggled around the world and the people involved in the elaborate operation.
DeHaan plays Chris Lynwood, the youngest son of a wealthy family that plays a pivotal role in the supply chain through their shipping company.
As his character is pulled deeper into the murky business, DeHaan is present for several of the show's most ambitious scenes, telling RadioTimes.com and other press that "almost everything" unfolding on-screen is practical.
"We made an effort to make everything as real as possible and I think that was our goal in trying to tell an incredibly truthful, real, visceral, raw story," he said.
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DeHaan went so far as to say he was surprised by just how many practical locations were used for the show, even for scenes that might have been logistically simpler to shoot on a sound stage.
He continued: "I think a part of me, when I read ‘Oh, you’re on a giant shipping boat in the middle of the ocean’, didn’t expect to find myself for days on end on a giant shipping boat in the middle of the ocean."
DeHaan is no stranger to CGI-driven blockbuster cinema, having previously played the villain in 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and the eponymous hero in Luc Besson's sci-fi epic Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
He went on to discuss how the experience of filming under those practices differs from the gritty realism of a project like ZeroZeroZero.
"I think from an acting standpoint, to try to make it as real as possible, I guess that part of my job is easier when I’m actually on a boat and there’s actually a helicopter landing 10 feet from my face," DeHaan said. "But there’s also something nice about the safety of it not actually being real.
"Every movie is different and every TV show is different, but I think for what we were going for on this show, for everything to be as real as possible only helped the scenario."
He added: "I don’t know if I have a preference. I really like doing all sorts of different things and I had been coming off of some pretty CGI-heavy stuff when I signed up to do this, so that was one of the reasons why I wanted to be a part of it."
The actor also denied reports that he was returning to superhero movies for Marvel's upcoming Spider-Man sequel, after rumours emerged online towards the end of last year.
ZeroZeroZero is available to stream as a box set on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV from 4th February. While you're waiting, check out our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
