Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with Inheritance star Phoebe Dynevor.

In the movie, Dynevor stars as Maya, who discovers her father is a spy and that she’s now at the center of an international conspiracy.

In this interview, Dynevor discusses the authenticity of the film, from actually stealing from an airport to having actual citizens attempt to detain her in India, as well as her two upcoming thrillers, Beneath the Storm and Famous with Zac Efron.

Nominated for BAFTA’s prestigious Rising Star Award in 2024 for her calculated, steamy role in Fair Play, Phoebe Dynevor had already been on the world’s radar for her star-turning roles in Bridgerton and Snatch. Now, she intimately leads audiences around the world in Neil Burger’s new enormous spy thriller Inheritance, shot entirely from the hip on iPhones.
Inheritance follows Dynevor’s Maya as she learns the secrets of her father Sam’s (House of Dragon’s Rhys Ifans) spy past, pulling her deep into a world of international intrigue and espionage. The film was shot guerilla-style on an iPhone all over the world in New York City, India, Egypt, and South Korea. It also stars Ciara Baxendale and Kersti Bryan.
In this one-on-one, Collider’s own Steve Weintraub speaks with Dynevor about the challenging and sometimes scary Inheritance shoot. Dynevor discusses the nerve-wracking motorbike chases in India, stealing shots and sunglasses with confidence, the joys of working with Zac Efron in Jody Hill’s upcoming comedy Famous, and more.
‘Inheritance’ Was the “Daunting” Challenge Phoebe Dynevor Needed

“I was terrified.”

COLLIDER: What was it like when Neil actually approached you for this one and explained what he wanted to do, how he wanted you to be able to steal things and filming in locations no one’s ever filmed? What the hell was that conversation like?
PHOEBE DYNEVOR: I was very confused and baffled by it. [Laughs] I think we had to have a few Zooms before I really understood what he was trying to do, but then I became really excited about the guerrilla style of shooting and the fact that we could go to all these places and steal footage from all of these places, whether it was on airplanes or an Apple store, at the pyramids. It was such an exciting, very daunting prospect, so I was ready. I was really at a point where I wanted to challenge myself, and it really was that. It was a great challenge.
I’ve traveled the planet, and I know that passport control are very strict about filming. How nervous were you in Seoul when you were going u,p and you guys were stealing shots, and you’re going through passport control because you’re not supposed to be filming there?
DYNEVOR: I was terrified. Me and Neil both talk about how we still go to airports now and get that fear because we think we’re doing something wrong. But also just the knowledge of knowing that we only had one take in certain places and one shot at it, and if it didn’t work, I don’t know what we would have done, honestly, if it didn’t work in some of those places. Luckily, I think we were okay and never really got… Well, actually, that’s a lie. There were a few close encounters with cops and air hostesses and things like that, but nothing that ever really stopped us from filming. So, that was good. It worked out.

Image via IFC Films

There’s a shot in New York City where you’re sitting on a windowsill. I don’t think you have wires unless they’ve been digitally taken out. Was that the most nervous you’ve been when you were shooting this film?
DYNEVOR: God, it’s so funny because I think back to all the things that made me nervous. That was nerve-wracking, but I was on a harness, so I was safe, but it was very scary. But also, the motorbike chases in India because I had a great stunt guy who was driving the motorbike, but obviously all the traffic in Delhi was real — real cars and real tuk tuks and real people. Those types of things were very frightening because we weren’t in control, really, as you would be in a real movie. So, there were a lot of moments when I was terrified, but we were fine. Nothing went wrong, really.
Real Civilians Try to Stop Phoebe Dynevor From Fleeing Police

“I put maybe too much trust into my director…”

Image via IFC Films

There was a shot where you were running in the crowd after the person. I don’t want to say spoilers, but there’s a part where you’re running, and there are two people who sort of grabbed you, and obviously, that’s all real.
DYNEVOR: Obviously, it’s all real people that grabbed me. But in those moments, it’s so funny because I look back and I think, when someone says action, I’ve been doing this for so long that you just go into another place. So, regardless of what happens, it feels like it’s all for the movie. So real things would happen in real takes, and I would just keep going because that’s what you do. So yeah, real people grabbing me. I mean, someone grabbed my backpack and tried to… Everyone obviously thought that I was really getting arrested in India by Indian police. So many things like that happened, and we just carried on.
Your character is a kleptomaniac, and I was really surprised with you stealing the glasses and how that’s a real thing at the New York airport. Did you keep the skill set? I’m joking about that. But what was that like?
DYNEVOR: [Laughs] Neil talked me through stealing the sunglasses, which was so clever. It’s such a clever way to steal a pair of sunglasses. They got put back, though, I will say. Nothing was stolen.
It’s funny because you’re so confident doing it, and I didn’t realize when I was watching it that this is all real.
DYNEVOR: I know. I put maybe too much trust into my director at moments like that.
Tommy Wirkola’s ‘Beneath the Storm’ Is a “Really Intense” Shark Thriller

“There’s a big element of humor in it…”

Custom Image by Nimesh Perera 

You have two upcoming projects I wanted to touch on. One is Beneath the Storm, which I’ve heard is a shark thriller. What exactly can you tease about the project?
DYNEVOR: Oh my gosh, I’m so excited about this movie. It’s big. It’s a lot. It’s sharks, it’s hurricanes, it’s all of those things. I am a nine-month pregnant lady who has to go through a lot in those 24 hours. So, it’s a fun one. I can’t wait for it and for people to see it.
Because I think it’s coming out in August, this is like a popcorn and soda movie.
DYNEVOR: Yeah, it really is. It’s Tommy Wirkola, so there’s a big element of humor in it, but there’s also a lot of grounded moments. It’s really intense and really fun.
Zac Efron Gives Two “Phenomenal” Performances in ‘Famous’

“It’s very dark humor.”

Image via Netflix

The other thing is I’m a big fan of Jody Hill, and I believe you either filmed or are filming with Zac Efron. What can you tease? For people who haven’t read the book, this is a really cool idea for a movie.
DYNEVOR: It’s so good. It’s such a good idea. We finished shooting. Zac Efron is phenomenal in this movie. I’m so excited for people to see what he does. He plays two characters. This film is wild. It’s wild. And Jody Hill’s so cool. But it’s a real thriller, and Zac’s phenomenal in it.
Jody also has a very unique sense of humor, and I would imagine that Jody has to have inserted himself into this.
DYNEVOR: Oh, yeah. He’s great. But it’s very dark humor in this one.
I say thumbs up to that. You’re obviously on a roll when it comes to working on cool things. Have you already thought about what you’re filming this year? You’ve gotten to that place after acting for so long where I’m sure it must be really cool to be offered scripts like this and getting to work on cool things.
DYNEVOR: Yeah, it’s the dream. I turned 30 this year, and I’m ready for a new chapter and new opportunities and challenges. I really just want to take things on that really scare me, and I keep doing that. So, I hope to just keep pushing myself in that regard.

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Jumping back into why I get to talk to you with Inheritance before the filming began, which was the place you were most looking forward to filming and which is the place that you would go back to tomorrow if you had the time?
DYNEVOR: I’d say for both of those questions, Seoul. I just love that city. It’s westernized in a lot of ways. Going from Cairo to India was quite intense. It’s very much different worlds and a lot of poverty and all that kind of thing, but Korea was so far away from anything I knew. The food is amazing and the people are amazing. The karaoke is very fun. We had some really great nights out in Seoul. So, yeah, I’d go back there in a heartbeat.
I’ve actually been there. They have so many electronics there that are not available in the United States. I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
DYNEVOR: I know, it’s amazing. It’s also so beautiful. When you hike up the mountain, you see the city. I love Seoul. I really want to go back, but Japan is on my bucket list next. I want to explore all those cities around Korea and Japan.
Inheritance is exclusively in theaters now.

Inheritance

Release Date

January 24, 2025

Runtime

101 minutes

Director

Neil Burger

Writers

Neil Burger, Olen Steinhauer

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