Born December 1, 1988, Zoë Isabella Kravitz is the daughter of 5-time Grammy-winner Lenny Kravitz and Emmy-nominated actress Lisa Bonet (for The Cosby Show). The versatile entertainer has followed in the footsteps of both of her parents, between fronting the bands Elevator Fight and Lolawolf and an acting career that has enjoyed a meteoric rise as of late.
This spring alone, Zoë has a half-dozen films released in theaters, including the blockbusters Insurgent and Mad Max: Fury Road, as well as Good Kill, The Road Within, Dope and Treading Water. Here, she talks about life and about her latest movies.
Kam Williams: Hi Zoë, thanks for the interview. I’m honored to
have this opportunity.
Zoe Kravitz: No
worries, Kam. How are you?
KW: Great, thanks. I don’t know
whether you’re aware that I’ve interviewed both your mom and your dad.
ZK: No, I wasn’t aware. Cool!
KW: Also, the headline,
when I interviewed your mom, read “Lisa Bonet Ate No Basil,” which I assume
you know is a palindrome.
ZK: No, I never heard that before. That’s
cool, too.
KW: How do you explain your career taking off
this year? You’re in a half dozen new movies this spring: Insurgent,
Treading Water, The Road Within, Good Kill,
Mad Max and Dope.
ZK:
I don’t know, man. I’ve basically been working really hard for the past
couple years. And the nature of the film business is that movies come out
when they come out, and these all just happen to be coming out at the same
time. [Giggles]
KW: How did you enjoy making Mad Max: Fury
Road?
ZK: It was good. It was really intense. It was a very
long process. It was a six- month shoot in Africa. And it was crazy, Kam. I
mean, the stunts were kind of crazy, and they were all shot at real speed.
The costumes were insane and the conditions were really harsh. So, it was a
very intense film to make, but well worth it.
KW: Is it fair
to assume that making Mad Max was more like shooting Insurgent than your
other new films?
ZK: In some ways, yes, but I don’t even
know if I can compare it to Insurgent. Mad Max is kind of like a beast of
its own.
KW: What interested you in Good Kill,
which is an excellent film? There, you play drone co-pilot Suarez, who is a
pretty complicated character with an intriguing arc.
ZK:
Thank you so much. When I read the script, it read like a science fiction
film. And Andrew [writer/director Andrew Niccol] is known for sci-fi. But
when I spoke to him, he said this picture was 100% factual, which blew my
mind. I realized then how little I knew about the drone program. And I felt
that, if I knew so little about it, there must be others who should be
educated about what’s going on. So, first, I wanted to be a part of the
project because I thought it was an important story to tell. On top of that,
it’s rare to find roles for strong, young, feisty women, especially in a
military film. And I love that Suarez ends up being the moral compass of the
story, and that she’s also brave enough to stand up to all these men.
KW: It’s very well-written. The dialogue uses so much military
and contemporary cultural jargon that it’s very convincing.
ZK: Like “Good kill!” [Chuckles]
KW: I also thought you
were great in Treading Water. What made you decide to play the love
interest in that offbeat romantic dramedy?
ZK: I just found
that story so bizarre. [Laughs] It’s a very sweet love story wrapped around
an outlandish premise.
KW: She asks: What’s the secret of your mother, father and
stepfather getting along so well?
ZK: I don’t know what the secret
is. We’re a family… We all love each other… and we’ve all worked through
whatever issues there’ve ever been, and in a healthy way. So, we all get
along. Love conquers all, I guess.
KW: Do you
feel like you’ve been getting enough time to prepare for each new project
lately?
ZK: This might surprise you, but I do feel like I have,
because the shooting of all these films was spread out, for the most part.
They just happen to be coming out at the same time.
KW: How do you prepare for each new role?
ZK: It kind of varies. I don’t have a method yet. It depends on the script
and the character I think I need. I’ve worked with acting coaches,
researched roles, and channeled different parts of myself. It’s on a
case-by-case for me, right now.
KW: At
just 26, you already have a solid background in various fields: acting,
singing and songwriting, modeling and designing. Which feels the most
comfortable, and what direction do you hope to take in the near future?
ZK: Music and acting are the most prominent. But I don’t like to compare
them, since they’re both very, very important to me.
KW:
Editor Patricia Turnier was wondering whether your having mixed
ethnic roots might have played a role in your eating disorders. She asks
because she knows several people struggling with society’s tendency to
narrowly define beauty. Do you think women are unfairly judged by their
physical appearance?
ZK: I do think women are unfairly judged by
their physical appearance, but I don’t think it had anything to do with
being mixed-race. In my opinion, mixed-race people are the most beautiful.
KW: What would be your
dream spot to live in L.A. and in the world?
ZK: I can’t say about
L.A., because I don’t live there. I love the Bahamas. Our family is from
there. I also like Berlin and would love to live there for a while.
KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson question: What was the last
book you read?
ZK: I haven’t read a book in a long time. I’ve just
been reading scripts lately. It’s terrible. [Laughs] I think the last one I
read was the
entire
Divergent series. [Laughs]
KW: What was the last
song you listened to?
ZK: I recent to Erykah Badu’s
“Mama’s
Gun.” That whole album.
KW: What is your favorite dish to cook?
ZK: Squash and quinoa
and kale and salmon.
KW: Who is your
favorite clothes designer?
ZK: I don’t know. I always say Alexander
Wang because he’s one of my dearest friends and he’s the one I’m most
familiar with. I don’t know a lot about designers’ names.
KW: If you
could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?
ZK:
It sounds like a silly pageant answer, but world peace.
KW: That’s
not silly at all, since this is a time when it’s really needed. With so many classic films being redone, is there a remake you'd like
to star in?
ZK: Ooh! That’s a hard question, because I believe “If it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I’d have to think about it.
KW: What is your earliest childhood memory?
ZK: I remember playing at my grandmothers’ houses when I was about 4 or 5.
KW: How did your first big heartbreak
impact who you are as a person?
ZK: I think it probably just taught
me that you will always heal. That this too shall pass. The first time you
feel that sort of pain, you think it’s never going to go away. Once you do
survive it, you realize you can survive anything.
KW: What’s the biggest difference between who you are at home as
opposed to the person we see on the red carpet?
ZK: Well, , at home,
I’m in sweatpants, I’m not wearing any makeup, and I’m not standing with my
hand on my hip while smiling. [Laughs] I try to be honest in interviews, but
obviously you have to be careful about everything you say and do when you’re
being recorded. I’m much more comfortable and quieter at home.
KW: What was your
first job?
ZK: I never had a real job. I started acting in high
school, and then I started working. So, I never got to have that experience.
KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your
footsteps?
ZK: Be confident, and just do it. It’s all about not
questioning what everyone else is thinking, since they’re probably looking
to others to know what is or isn’t cool.
KW: Your parents are two of the most grounded
and normal celebrities I’ve interviewed. And you strike me as just as real
and accessible.
ZK: Oh, thank you so much. I appreciate that, since
that’s all we really have.
KW: What’s in your wallet?
ZK: A
Metro card, a credit card, a few dollar bills, and a chai tea card. After I
buy a certain number of cups, I get a free one.
KW: Thanks again for
the time, Zoë, and best of luck with all your films. And I hope to speak to
you again soon.
ZK: Alright. Take care, Kam.
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