Connie Nielsen, who plays Queen Hippolyta, Wonder Woman’s mother in the DCEU, has had another movie come out recently titled Inheritance, which co-stars Lily Collins, Chace Crawford, and Simon Pegg. While promoting the movie, Neilsen spoke about how her character of Catherine in Inheritance is similar to her portrayal of the Queen of the Amazons in Wonder Woman and Justice League.
“I think that the protectiveness that you see in both characters really comes from my version of motherhood. I just have that kind of mothering that is uber-protective. I have this fierceness as a mother that is probably where the connection between the two characters comes in there.”
Connie Nielsen played Hippolyta in the original 2017 Wonder Woman film and reprised her role in Justice League the same year. But the actress reveals she almost missed out on the part because director Patty Jenkins considered her too tough for the role until Zack Snyder intervened.
“It’s funny because it was Zack Snyder who was the one who kept saying to Patty, “I really think you should meet with Connie Nielsen. I really think she’s right for this role.” Patty was like, “Oh, no, she’s this tough girl, and I’m not looking for a tough woman for this.” Zack then said, “I really don’t think so. I think you should meet with her.” So, Patty said, “Okay, I’ll meet with her,” and I had to fly to London just before Christmas. I’m a Dane, so Christmas is a big thing for me with lots of prep, but I just got on a plane and flew over there.”
Once Patty Jenkins and Connie Nielsen were actually able to meet face-to-face about Queen Hippolyta, they bonded immediately over their shared experiences, and that bond remains to this day.
“I think I arrived and went straight from the airport to lunch with Patty at this Japanese restaurant. I just immediately fell into this comrades-in-arms kind of feeling with her, and we just bonded over the next four hours. We had the longest lunch, and it just felt like a conversation that was unable to end. There was more and more stuff that we wanted to share with each other, and it was just that kind of experience.”
She’s just this really uniquely beautiful person and so driven. She has incredibly strong instincts and a sense of how she’s going to make a thing look and feel. She’s truly a natural director. She just really is that person. I both really admire her, and then I just happen to have this great joy in hanging out with her. I just like her.”
Nielsen will next be seen as Hippolyta in the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984. Then there is the planned spinoff focusing on the island of the Amazons, Themyscira, which will have Hippolyta at the center of the narrative. In the meantime, the veteran actress can be seen grappling with an unusual family legacy in Inheritance, which is available now on Digital HD and VOD from Vertical Entertainment. This first appeared in The Hollywood Reporter.