Credit: Universal StudiosJurassic World: Dominion (2022) might not be impressing critics, but certain cast members seem more than happy with their character in the third Jurassic World sequel/sixth Jurassic Park sequel, which is described as “epic culmination” and “the end to the Jurassic era”.
Recently, Sam Neill, who reprises his role as Dr. Alan Grant in the film, talked about how the pandemic brought the cast together while in lockdown, and Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays Claire Dearing, discussed the joy of bringing the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World cast together.
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Now, DeWanda Wise, who plays former air force pilot Kayla Watts in Jurassic World: Dominion, has shed light on what she thinks of her on-screen character. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Wise talks about how she has “embraced” playing an “imperfect hero”:
“Just naturally, the core of her arc is a very classical hero’s call,” Wise says, “Oftentimes, when you’re in this space — when you’re in the action space — the hero just is. And this is one of the first times in this franchise that you meet a hero who is called to arms.”
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In Jurassic World: Dominion, Kayla Watts is a pilot who has been hired by the shady Biosyn to transport dinosaurs to their facility in Italy’s Dolomites mountains. As such, her character is someone who often has to turn a blind eye from what she’s carrying, and who she’s carrying it for.
However, after realizing that the bioengineering corporation is up to no good, and is in the business of kidnapping children for financial profit, she winds up helping Claire Dearing and Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) track down young Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon).
“On one hand, I’m super step-by-step,” the actress went on to say. “So I try not to think of things in a way that would freeze me. I talked to (director Colin Trevorrow) from the very beginning about who makes an impact. And when I got the script, I just started essentially preparing for the given circumstances of the actual thing.”
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So it looks like Wise is very pleased with her portrayal of Kayla Watts, who has been received well by fans and critics. Along with her charisma, this is probably due to the fact that she’s among the few characters in the film to undergo a character arc, which isn’t lost on the actress:
“Something that really moved me deeply with Kayla was this notion of the imperfect hero,” she explains, “of being able to essentially start and serve from where you are, and a homecoming… because in my mind, after this, she’s going home to Detroit. And she’s coming home to the fullness of her integrity.”
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Whether or not DeWanda Wise’s Kayla Watts will re-appear in the Jurassic Park franchise remains to be seen. While producer Frank Marshall recently discussed the possibility of future movies, actor Chris Pratt suggested that the latest film is indeed the last one.
But elsewhere, in another multi-movie blockbuster franchise, Wise could have played another pilot, as the 38-year-old actress was set to play Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel (2019), who is played by Lashana Lynch, the actress best known for the Bond movie No Time To Die (2021).
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Wise clarified that the reason she was ultimately unable to play Maria Rambeau was due to contractual agreements with her role on Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It (2017). In an interview with Gizmodo during the press run for Jurassic World: Dominion, Wise said (via The Direct);
“Well, I always correct people. I did not choose to leave. Like, I would never make that choice for myself, that sounds ridiculous. You know, you sign a contract for a TV show and it’s in first position, and that’s just a responsible…you have audience members who are like, ‘I would’ve taken a lawsuit.’ Good for you. I don’t wanna be sued! Not trying to be sued by Spike Lee and Netflix. So, you know, at the time it was very disappointing, and also difficult in that context, you know.”
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The actress also went on to talk about how she would have been reluctant to play two pilots, should she have landed the role of Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel:
“I don’t repeat performances. So if I had played in Captain Marvel, if I’d already played a pilot, and then Colin [Trevorrow] called me for this and he’s like ‘Guess what? She’s a pilot,’ I would’ve been like ‘I’m so sorry, I don’t believe in capitalism. You’re gonna have to find someone else.’ You know? So, I just think everything happens in the timing that it’s meant to happen and I’m very thankful to be here now.”
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Should Wise have secured the Captain Marvel gig, then she’d have also appeared in this year’s Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness (2022), which features a “multiverse” variant of Maria Rambeau, who is actually a version of Captain Marvel in the movie.
But here’s to hoping we’ll see more from Wise in the Jurassic Park franchise, whether it’s a future movie or a live-action TV series.
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As per the Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment website, here’s the official synopsis for Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic World: Dominion:
Dominion takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live — and hunt — alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.
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Jurassic World: Dominion stars Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire Dearing), Chris Pratt (Owen Grady), Isabella Sermon (Maisie Lockwood), Omar Sy (Barry Sembène), and BD Wong (Henry Wu), Campbell Scott (Lewis Dodgson), DeWanda Wise (Kayla), Jeff Goldblum (Dr. Ian Malcolm), Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant), and Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler).
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Do you hope to see more from DeWanda Wise in future Jurassic World movies? Let us know in the comments down below!
