Resident Evil star makes comeback

By Natalie Jamieson
Newsbeat entertainment reporter

You might know Milla Jovovich best for her part in the Resident Evil movies, but the Hollywood actress is keen to show her 'different' side. Her latest film is called A Perfect Getaway, a thriller about newlywed hikers being found dead on an island near Hawaii. She talks about the movie, what life's like after having her baby and what we can expect from the next Resident Evil.

Your surname is difficult to pronounce, isn't it?

Yes, there's many times where even I, at certain points in the evening, after a few drinks, can't pronounce my own surname, so it's understandable.

What attracts you to roles? Do you get a lot of Resident Evil type stuff thrown your way?

I'm very lucky to have the Resident Evil franchise. It's definitely something very special for an actor to have in Hollywood, steady work every few years. It's like you never know when the next job is coming in!

Definitely outside the Resident Evil franchise I like to play parts that are different, that give the audience a chance to see a different side of myself, that's really important to me.

There are lots of jumpy moments in the film. How good are you at filming those?

A Perfect Getaway was filmed in Puerto Rico but is set in Hawaii

When you're filming it you know it's going to happen a lot of the time but I'm so happy to hear people are jumping and they're really reacting well to it because we had such a great time filming it and it was really a lot of fun.

It's not just a movie based on action, or based on gross, bloody murder. It's definitely not a horror film, I would call it a psychological thriller. It's a very smart film, and it's got a lot of great jumps, but I think the jumps are based on the fact you really get involved with the script and the characters.

How was it returning to work so soon after having a baby?

Part of the reason that I was able to return to work, being a mum of four months at that point, was because it wasn't an action film. I wasn't expected to train. It was nice to just play myself for most of the movie, to just play a nice girl on her honeymoon. Being able to take my baby with me to a beautiful exotic location and take her swimming in the ocean every day.

She's not even two yet but I read you wanted to get her training in martial arts as soon as you can. Is that right?

Oh yeah definitely. I think it's one of the most important things for women to do martial arts. I think it's fun, it's exciting, it's just a great experience because I hate going to the gym.

To be able to do martial arts, to have focus, to have something you learn and you practice and you're actually able to do it well. It gives you this great sense of confidence. The gym doesn't really cut it because it's just kind of boring.

There are some killer fight scenes in the movie. Was it hard to lose your post pregnancy weight?

At the time I filmed the movie I definitely was a lot bigger than I am now. I thought it was OK for this movie not to have to lose weight because I wanted to be much more of a normal nice girl.

I didn't need to be in superhero form so I actually felt like it was better for the character that I wasn't in crazy-perfect shape that I would be in for a Resident Evil film.

What stage is the next Resident Evil film at?

We start filming in September. It's ready to go.

How's the script?

Amazing. It's going to be so killer. It's the best one yet and we're shooting in 3D so it's going to be really rad.

Milla Jovovich was talking to Newsbeat entertainment reporter Natalie Jamieson

A Perfect Getaway is out in UK cinemas on 14 August