Funny, charming, and impossibly good looking, 24-year-old Brooklyn Decker is set to create a stir in Hollywood this year. After a sensational debut opposite Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston in Just Go With It, Brooklyn stars in the upcoming action flick Battlefield directed by Peter Berg and also starring Liam Neeson, Rihanna and Taylor Kitsch. Here's an excerpt from our chat with the model, who is married to tennis ace Andy Roddick.
Peter Berg's Battleship is much more a guy's movie, don't you think?
Yes. It is typically something that appeals to boys, just because it's aliens and it's war and there are weapons and it's big. But I think the great thing about Peter Berg is that he brought such a human element to it. He wants your eight-year-old little brother as well as your 80-year-old-grandmother to watch it and enjoy it. And I think we did a good job of that.
When we first meet your character, it's quite an interesting altercation, or dilemma that happens. What has been the most interesting thing a guy has done to get your attention?
Well, Hopper (Taylor Kitsch) getting arrested and tazed, is probably in my imaginary life, the most interesting thing a boy has ever done to get my attention (laughs). I definitely don't think guys are nearly as bold.
What qualities do you find attractive in a guy?
I think fearlessness is incredibly attractive. At times troubling, because it can be risky, but incredibly attractive. I think humour is important. Someone who can make you laugh is the utmost important thing in a man. So yeah, those are very high on my totem pole.
What is the strangest thing a guy has done to catch your attention?
It is weird, because I am very tall, and I feel like it is actually quite scary for boys. I really don't ever get approached. And I really mean that. I really never get approached by people. I think they are scared because they think I will crush them or something. So, yeah, maybe, boys need to be more fearless.
Do you think you are fearless?
In many ways, yes. I think that I always think in worst-case scenarios. Because I always ask myself, ‘What is the worst thing that could happen?' And if it is not death, I am usually going to do something. Even, if it's death. ‘Oh, yes, I will jump out of a plane.' It's fine. So yeah, I think I am quite fearless. Obviously, I get nervous about many things. This movie included. But I think taking risks is a sign of fearlessness.
So what did your husband, Andy Roddick, have to do to catch your attention?
He was resilient. He called a lot. Which deterred me at first, and then for some reason it worked when I called him back.
How do you stay in shape?
I am a pretty physical person. I work out like an athlete. I do a lot of track workouts. We were in Hawaii shooting this movie so we all went hiking all the time. We did this thing called Koko Head, in Honolulu. It is basically 1.8km straight up, just stairs. And Pete and I would just race up that. And all the cast members did it. So we were all pretty physical. That is how I stay in shape, being very active.
Going from a model to an actress, what has been the biggest challenge for you?
I am still transitioning. I haven't modelled in about a year and a half. At the peak of my modelling career I decided that this was something that I really wanted to do and I knew to do it I had to prove myself. I am still in that process. I still have a hell of a lot to learn. I think the most exciting part for me is working with directors; I have an acting coach in LA, and I'm kind of growing and getting better. I think if you talk with people who worked with me, they'll say, ‘She is new to this game.' Battleship was my second movie. But I think they will all tell you that I am the first one on set, and work my butt off. I prepare and I think at this stage that is what I have to ask of myself. I am still trying. We will see what happens and if it actually continues, but I am really trying.
Do you fear being looked at as "just a beautiful face"? Will it restrict the kind of roles you get? Does this bother you at all?
Yeah. Absolutely. I think the first role Just Go With It was because of physical traits. That certainly wasn't huge on character development. That said, it was an unbelievable experience working with people I respect and admire and I got to work in a comedy, which was fantastic, but I think you have to put in your time. And that is what I am willing to do. And I am lucky to work with someone like Pete. While he likes to put a pretty girl in his movie, I think if you look at every woman who has been in his movies, they are always incredibly strong - Charlize Theron, Jen Garner, Connie Britton. He gives them material. He makes them strong characters. So I am lucky to have worked with directors who want to make me more than just something physical.
How is your tennis game?
Non-existent. (laughs)
Do you want to learn?
You know what? One day. I tried once and by the end of my lesson, there was a crushed racquet on the court, so that was the end of that.
Is there anything you miss about modelling?
No, to be honest. I started modelling so that I could pay for college to be a veterinarian. I didn't have a passport. My first flight was for a modelling job. My first time leaving the country was for a modelling job. So I loved the opportunities it brought. I loved the travel it brought. That was incredible. And I loved the people I worked with. But at the end of the day, you are not doing much with your mind, so for me I miss the people I work with. But I feel more stimulated acting.
Is this movie role a payback for not getting the role in the last Transformers film?
No. I was shooting Just Go With It in Hawaii. It was my first movie. I got a call saying they were looking for a girl for Transformers. I sent them a tape and that was that. I think Rosie [Huntington-Whiteley] was on Michael's [Bay, director] mind the entire time. And I think she was a great casting in the movie. I actually know her well and I think she is a terrific girl. Most girls in the beginning of their careers are just sending out tapes for everything. You have done one movie and you are hoping to get the next one. So my biggest thing even before I read the script for Battleship was that I wanted to work with Pete, because I love what he does with women.
Liam Neeson plays an overprotective father in Battleship. Does that mirror your relationship with your father?
Oh my dad is a total teddy bear. My mom definitely rules the roost in that household. So my father is much more docile that Liam Neeson's character is in the movie. But it was great working with Liam because first of all he is naturally imposing because he is a giant. And he is Liam Neeson. So he was perfectly suited for the admiral and it is funny because there is a scene with the two of us where it is clear that his daughter has him wrapped around her finger. Which I think is the case with a lot of strong men. Once they have a little girl, they play second fiddle to the little one. So I think there is a lot of that to our relationship as well.
How has your childhood helped you navigate this business you are in?
My parents are completely removed from this. I grew up in North Carolina. My mom is a nurse. My dad is a respiratory therapist. So we grew up modestly. I think the knowledge there is life outside of this business is the biggest thing for me. And I think it is all about balance. I am still learning. I don't have all the answers. But for me growing up with parents and a life that was ‘normal', in the south, unaffected by this business, I think that lets me remember that this is fun. It is hard work. There is a lot of money going into these things. But at the end of the day it is fun. It is for people's entertainment. I think that is the biggest thing for me.
