Gemma Arterton: 'A zombie apocalypse could actually happen'
The Girl With All The Gifts actress Gemma Arterton believes that a zombie apocalpyse could happen - and that she'd be pretty useful if it did.
The film is based on the book by M R Carey and offers a worryingly believable explanation to how a zombie apocalypse could happen.
"There is a virus called Ophiocordyceps unilateralis," she tells Nick Grimshaw.
"We only know that because it was so hard to say in the film.
"There's a group of ants in South ameria. They got this virus, which sprouts, and turns them into mutants."
She recommends we all get used to saying Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (it just rolls of the tongue) as soon as possible.
"You need to learn that word so you can mention it to doctors," she adds.
Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is real. Horribly real. Check it out here (if you can stomach it).
Filming The Girl With All The Gifts has prepared Gemma for a possible zombie apocalypse, and she's ready to take on hordes of the infected - but she has her limits.
"I think I would be pretty good actually, I'm quite resourceful," she says.
"I don't know about getting down and dirty and having to kill stuff. If your mate starts turning into a zombie, you have to kill them otherwise you're going to die."
But while the film is about the end of humanity and the destruction of society, there were more lols on set than you might imagine.
"My biggest memories of this film is us trying not to laugh. Me, Paddy Considine and Glenn Close - trying not to laugh."
"We couldn't look at the zombies in the eye, so we were walking along looking down. I'd look at Glenn and she was taking it really seriously.
"One of them is Glenn's sister in law, who really wanted to be in the film. There's this shot that pans over her specifically and Glenn looks at her."
Awks. Hi sis.
The Girl With All The Gifts is released on 23 September 2016. Watch the trailer below.
