Original-Cin Q&A: Rachel McAdams watched 'every Bjork interview' for the comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Will Ferrell’s new comedy, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga has been 20 years in the making and will finally begin streaming on Netflix this Friday.
The film stars Ferrell alongside Canada’s sweetheart Rachel McAdams as the Icelandic duo Sigrit Ericksdottir and Lars Erickssong, who go by the name Fire Saga when they compete in the European song contest, Eurovision.
Directed by Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin, the film also stars Dan Stevens, (Downton Abbey, Beauty and the Beast) Pierce Brosnan and Demi Lovato. It’s set during the annual European Eurovision Song Contest, which has been held every year since 1965 (with the exception of the 2020 event due to COVID-19), and which has launched the careers of the likes of ABBA and Celine Dion.
Our Bonnie Laufer spoke with Rachel McAdams about the film and the fun they had making it.
Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams are the Icelandic duo Fire Saga in Netflix’s Eurovision Song Contest
Click HERE to watch Bonnie’s interview with Dan Stevens.
ORIGINAL-CIN: How have you and your son been holding up during the endemic?
RACHEL McADAMS: “We're all good. I'm with some family in our little quarantine bubble, so yeah, we're hanging in there.”
OC: Your character Sigrit is always so optimistic while putting up with a lot from Will’s character Lars! I can't imagine that when you first read this script you were not falling off your chair laughing and then thinking, ‘How am I going to do this?’
McADAMS: (Laughs) “Yes, those were exactly my thoughts all at the same time. I definitely felt a little nervous and very challenged.
“It’s a character I hadn't played before. It was just great to be asked to be part of a fun comedy where Will is writing with his great Saturday Night Live writing partner Andrew Steele. Then having my Wedding Crashers director David Dobkin at the helm, who also knows the music world so well, and bringing that expertise to it was so fantastic. So yeah, it was a no-brainer!”
OC: I’m guessing the hardest part was trying to keep a straight face and not break into laughter while shooting. How do you even do that working opposite Will Ferrell?
McADAMS: “Oh, you don't. (Laughs). You just don't even bother trying after a while. There’s truly no point.”
OC: You’re playing a young woman who's Icelandic, so getting that accent down had to have been important to you.
McADAMS: “Oh, definitely. Fortunately I had been to Iceland not that long before. So I kind of had a little bit of first-hand experience. And then I worked with an amazing dialect coach. I also watched about every interview Bjork has ever done, so I got to channel a little bit of her. She sort of has an essence about her that I thought was very similar to my character, Sigrit.”
OC: Just no swan outfits!
McADAMS: “Yeah, we decided not to go with one! We shot the film in Iceland so that was helpful.”
OC: One of the songs featured throughout this movie - and I still can't get out of my head - is called, “Ja Ja Ding Dong.” How many times did you and Will have to perform that song?
McADAMS: “Oh, I can't even count. I'm still doing that song in my sleep. It's forever a part of me.”
OC: A music video was released to promote the movie called, Volcano Man, but you did not sing for that.
McADAMS: “Right, I can’t take credit for that. Swedish singer Molly Sandén, who competed in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2006, provided the vocals for that video.”
OC: I think I can safely say that this was hands down one of the most fun roles you've ever done.
McADAMS: “Yes, I would definitely say I feel that way. I was so excited to get started with this character. And just getting to learn guitar and piano and getting the accent right was not only fun, but a bit of a challenge.
“I have always dreamed of doing musicals. But life doesn't always go the way you expect, so this was like my little girl childhood dream coming true. Getting to be on that stage and wearing the costumes was a dream. I used to be a figure skater, so it kind of brought back those memories of that kind of over-the-top performance was really just so much fun.”
OC: Of course, here in North America we have American Idol and The Voice, but nothing on the scale of Eurovision. Were you even aware of Eurovision before you started the film?
McADAMS: “I knew there was a sort of epic song contest in Europe that we didn't really have access to here, and that we were probably missing out on.
“I do remember when Conchita Wurst from Austria won, that was really special. I had to do a deep dive and watch a lot of YouTube videos, and fortunately got to go to Eurovision in Tel Aviv last year. So I was able to experience the show first-hand.”