Actress Frieda Pinto opens up about success,being in love with Dev Patel and her recent blockbuster film
Shes one of the most beautiful women in the world,shes rumoured to be lined up as a Bond Girl and shes the new face of LOreal.But Freida Pinto,star of this summers big blockbuster Rise of the Planet of the Apes,doesnt care about all that all that matters to her are her acting skills.She says: Every time someone tells me,Oh you look so beautiful in the film I dont care.Just tell me if the performance was good.
In Rise of the Planet of the Apes,Freida plays primatologist Caroline Aranha alongside James Franco,who plays scientist Will Rodman.It was Freidas first time working on a big-budget film and she says she loved every minute.
She says: Its very exciting because Ive never done anything like this before.On a big budget,big studio film theres a lot of luxury thats thrown at you,like these massive trailers and these amazing make-up artists.And you have assistants running around bringing you coffee.
Slumdog Millionaire,the film that shot Freida to fame three years ago,started as a much smaller project,with a budget of about 9million,compared with Rise of the Planet of the Apes 57million.
Freida was an unknown model whose biggest claim to fame was appearing in a chewing gum ad in India when she was cast in Danny Boyles Slumdog.Acting alongside her was young Londoner Dev Patel,who was known only for youth drama Skins.The movie picked up eight Oscars,making millions and shooting its two romantic leads to global stardom.Their on-screen love crossed over into real life and now,three years on,Freida,26,and Dev,21,are still going strong.With their busy careers,spending time together can be a struggle.But according to smitten Freida,it is well worth the phone bills.
He is one of the cutest,cutest boys I have ever met,very down-toearth,very humble and so unaffected by everything that has happened, she has said.But their separate filming commitments do keep the young lovers apart more than they would like.
Weve missed each other quite a bit this year with filming.He even missed my birthday as I was in London and he was in India.
The pair keep in touch via phone calls and Skype and Freida is confident their relationship will survive.
Weve arrived at a situation where understanding is primary.We dont need to talk every day over the phone.Its just understanding that okay,hes doing a film right now,so today is going to be a busy day for him,hell call me up tomorrow.Thats what matters and how we make it work.Hes the easiest person to get along with and so funny. Freida cherishes her memories of falling in love with Dev when they were both relative unknowns.I dont think anybody could comprehend what happened during Slumdog Millionaire to me or to him.The only two people who can understand each other are the two of us.The small little things just bring so much joy and cheer to us.Like the time at the Oscars ceremony we just looked at each other and said,This has been an amazing journey.Thank you for being a great friend through it all.Thats what matters.
But Freida admits it took a long time before she realised that their friendship would cross over into romance,not least because when they met,Dev was just 18.He has this typical British sense of humour,which is a funny,sexual kind of humour.So he would flirt with everybody on set.Not in a bad way hed just go up to the women and say,Oh youre looking very sexy today and theyd be really happy.Here was this boy,trying to be a man,trying to flirt with a grown-up woman.He was just a bundle of joy.
Now Freida may be a huge star,but she and Dev both have their feet on the ground,not least because he still lives at home with his parents in Harrow,London.
We went out to get a bite a while back and he said he would take me to this really cool place to eat and he took me to TGI Fridays !
Mumbai-born Freida,meanwhile,describes herself as of no fixed abode.
She says: At the moment I am a nomadic hippy.I go everywhere with my three suitcases.Im just all over the place,going from one place to another.India is always going to be home,though,and I love the fact that I can travel to these different places and fit in and feel like I can make that home for a while.I am like a gypsy a gypsy with too much luggage!
But she admits that the time may be coming to find something a little more permanent.
I do enjoy it but sometimes I want to be settled.There are moments when you feel really tired but then that feeling goes away.Then I start seeing the joy in what Im doing as well.Plus Im young,so Im going to do it as much as I can and then when I get old and tired in two years Ill stop.
Where that will be is anyones guess,but England is very much in the running.Dev prefers London any day.Hes born and brought up here,he knows people here, she has said.
She admits she does work hard at keeping her fabulous figure.I generally just take care of myself.I watch what I eat especially when Im going to be in a tight costume.You dont want to be sucking your stomach in! But I never played sports growing up,I have flat feet.I cant run very fast,and I was always the one who was more interested in dramatics or board games.However I realised that just because I have been gifted with a fast metabolism,I cant take advantage of it and its important to keep yourself fit so I do yoga and pilates,and some boxing.I keep mixing it around.
As well as Rise of the Planet of the Apes,Freida has just finished shooting Immortals,in which she plays a Greek goddess who can see the future,opposite Mickey Rourke.Now she is looking forward to taking some time off in typically down-to-earth style.
This year I am really hoping for a break.To kind of pace it and have time off... shopping at Topshop is one of my favourite things.
Daily Mirror
