The multi-talented Rosario Dawson forms part of a star-studded supporting cast in the thrilling new action adventure, “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” as Greek goddess Persephone.

Based on the best selling and highly praised novel by Rick Riordan, the movie sets off when Zeus’ master lightning bolt was stolen and is convinced that Percy Jackson (played by newcomer Logan Lerman) is the thief. Percy, being the son of Poseidon, is then summoned by the gods to a perilous quest to prove his innocence. He must retrieve the master bolt from the god of the underworld, where Persephone is trapped in a loveless marriage with Hades.

Following is an interview with Dawson, who brings delicious humor along with an enticing, sexy allure to her portrayal of the Greek goddess Persephone.

How do you envision your character, Persephone?

APersephone is the goddess of springtime as well as being Queen of the Underworld. I originally thought of her in old Greek robes and flowers but in the end I really liked the modern interpretation of Persephone with chipped nail polish and lace. It is interesting to think of her in a loveless marriage with Hades (who abducted her) and what that must have felt like for her. She is violent and aggressive and it’s fascinating because she also has innocence and sweetness and childlike qualities when she’s not being completely bitter. So she is not one-dimensional.

Are you familiar with the books?

I’m on already on book three now, I am reading the whole series. There is a lot of banter between my character and my husband (Hades) since he is madly in love with me and I can’t stand him. The story is fascinating to me and it’s been really fun remembering everything I learned about the myths and the different gods & goddesses and the trouble that they got into all the time.

What did you find interesting about the Percy Jackson stories?

I find it interesting that we have nine year olds with cell phones and kids are becoming mature at a younger age and the correlation with the increasing number of kids getting diagnosed with conditions like ADD (attention deficit disorder). So here is Percy Jackson who has been told he is dyslexic because his brain is actually hardwired for Greek, so he can’t cope with the English language. I think it is a shame that today’s kids have these words and diagnoses thrown at them and are told there is something wrong with them. Instead, in this story, Percy learns that disabilities can be seen as something positive, actually an advantage.

So you see the film as inspiring?

I do. I think it’s empowering for a kid to think he or she can be clever enough to “fool a god.” That’s actually what makes it fun. It’s not just the sword fighting; it’s not just the costumes; it’s the idea that we’re investing in kids to be our leaders and perhaps even save the day. These kids are our heroes. I think it will be fun for adults too because there’s definitely enough mayhem to raise an eyebrow or two.”

How do you think your upbringing contributed to your career?

Well I’m a New Yorker. I grew up in a squat in the Lower Eastside. My parents moved into an abandoned building when I was six. I think tenacity runs in my family. My dad worked in construction and was an electrician and my mom learned how to do plumbing and electrical work, because my dad was in the building trade. I grew up with the idea that if you want something done, you do it yourself and you can do anything that you want to do.

From Malaya

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 11:20 pm and is filed under Films, Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.