Q: Mr. Næss said that “There are many talented young actors, but Rupert Grint is very right for the role. I can say just that he’ll play a young, rebellious and redheaded rebel.” What specifically about Rupert’s acting abilities drew him to hire Rupert for the role?
Næss: Rupert Grint is alway very focused and his intense performances always feel very real and authentic. On top of that his looks make him perfect for the role, and also helps to create a visual variation in this ensemble film.

Q: Did Mr. Næss or the casting director approach Rupert for the role, or did Rupert read the script and seek out the role?
Næss: I have an agent in USA, and when I told him of COMRADE and that I was looking for an actor for the part of Smith, he suggested Rupert. I thought this was a brilliant idea that I should have come up with my self and decided to make contact.

Q: After seeing Rupert portray Robert Smith in Comrade, does Mr. Næss think that audiences will see Rupert in a “different light?” And if so, why and how?
Næss: In Comrade Rupert Grint plays a man that is streetwise, unafraid, straightforward and with a powerful temper. Robert is also a man that speaks his mind all the time, often to provoke the others. So yes, I think this performance will put Rupert in a different light.

Q: What does Mr. Næss think that Comrade will do for the Norwegian film industry with an international cast featuring well known actors in tow?
Næss: Firstly we hope that Comrade will be well received here at home. It is a Norwegian film with an international cast but it is inspired by an event that took place here in Norway during WWII. From a Norwegian perspective I think it is a different WWII story since we don’t focus on Nazi atrocities but on these five men and their meeting. That said, it is an universal story and I hope that our great cast will help the film both in Norway and abroad.