THOR MOVIE PRESS CONFERENCE

By Billie Rae Bates

SAN DIEGO -- At a press event for the Thor film on Saturday at Comic-Con International, several cast and crew members talked about their work on the movie.

Natalie Portman, who portrays Jane Rogers in the movie, had good things to say about her co-star Chris Hemsworth. "Chris is a fantastic guy to work with. He has a quiet confidence and is not show-offey or anything," she said. "He's so kind, and just decent. Universally nice to everyone. Genuinely nice. Very talented."

Portman, who had said in an earlier panel that she was glad to play a scientist that wasn't all "cleavage and glasses," commented on her character Jane's view of Thor, "There is a period where it's like, this guy's a weird alien. Why is he acting that way?"

Portman didn't at all mind being in another splashy, big-budget movie. "Everyone always champions low-budget work, but it's nice to be paid for your work.

Hemsworth, who plays the title character, talked about his approach to a hero that's so well-known among fans. "People are very passionate about it, and they know what they want to see," he said. "For me, it was reading as much of the comic books and things like that. You've got to look after the fans already, and then you've got to introduce it to a new audience. You've got to do the best you can."

Hemsworth said what drew him to the role was the idea of being part of a franchise. "When this came along, I was knocking on every door trying to get a job," he said. "I love the Norse mythology aspect of it all. It's fascinating. He has a great journey."

What about the language of Thor? "In the comic books, it is much more Shakespearan. We didn't go down that path. It was certainly well-spoken and formal, but it wasn't Shakespearan."

On the titan quality of heroes like Thor, Hemsworth joked, "A lot of people say who would win in a fight, but I'd like to see the dinner party between Iron Man, Captain America and Thor."

Hemsworth talked about what it was like to work with Kenneth Branagh. "I never had so much work on a character. I've never been asked so many questions, like how does the character feel, etc.," he said. "Ken is also about constantly doing it different ways, and attacking different angles. All of a sudden, you're going in a direction you never thought you'd be going."

And what about that Thor costume? "The costume does so much work. (Anthony) Hopkins said to me when we put it on, 'There's no acting required here, is there?'"

In talking about his training regimen for the movie, Hemsworth joked, "Working out wasn't the hardest part; it was the food intake."

Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki, said that in this film, his character has respect for Thor, but there's a jealousy between the brothers. "He's certainly not just like an anarchist," Hiddleston said. "He loves information. He loves playing around. He loves starting a bonfire in the next room."

Hiddleston said Loki finds out his whole life is a lie. "He's motivated by anger, by being left out in the cold. Boiled down to its purest element, it's a story about a dad and his two boys."

On his approach to the character, Hiddleston said, "I gave him lots of relish, and that mischievous glee." But also, "you need to show that this guy is hurting, deep inside."

Hiddleston enjoyed his time on the set. "My first day, I was in a stunts warehouse, spinning around in circles, throwing knives at stunt workers. ... I always felt like I was part of the team."

Kat Dennings, who plays Darcy, said that she read a lot of the comic books growing up.

Branagh, director of the film, pointed out that tone was always a key issue for his approach to this big character. He set out to present an Asgard that was very grand and that would inspire awe.

How much of the movie's action takes place on Earth and how much on Asgard? "We're in the middle of editing," Branagh said, "and there are ways in which the story is editing that pushes it one way or another. I couldn't answer the question accurately at the moment."

In Thor, Clark Gregg continues his work as Agent Phil Coulson from the two Iron Man movies. "Quite a burden," he mused.

"What we know, from the bonus bit in Iron Man 2," Gregg said, "is a mysterious hammer has shown up in a crater in New Mexico. Dr. Fury is otherwise engaged. This is my operation. I feel like I've been given a chance to not screw it up, to earn my wings a bit."

He said, "It helps that the focus of Agent Coulson's work is in New Mexico. My job is exactly the problem to be solved, which is, there's something here in our real world that's from another place, and we've got to figure that out."

He commented on the nature of these heroes. "Within the Marvel universe, it's hard to imagine two superheroes who are stylistically on the opposite ends of the universe, than Tony Stark and Thor."

Gregg pointed out that though he's no stranger to comics, this role has surprised him. "I've not been prepared for any of this. I'm a fan of this world. I grew up loving some of these comics. I just showed up to do an Iron Man movie."

He's more than happy with what he's been able to do. "If a giant hammer were to fall on me and kill me, walking out of here, I'm good."

Gregg likes what he's seen of this comic book adaptation overall. "A lot of things that I've seen as potential pitfalls in this, they're just slaughtered by casting the right people, by getting the right directors. ... Like you, I just saw the first footage, and I was blown away. They keep biting off a more astonishing, daring bite. How do you bring all those guys into one movie? How do you get those different personalities?"

On Agent Coulson: "It's really kinda trying to take the version of this guy that had evolved ... In Iron Man 1, Agent Coulson was sort of this pest of a bureaucrat ... and then he shows up in Iron Man 2, and he threatens to tase Tony Stark ... It's kinda like Comic Book Geek Christmas every day, for me playing Agent Coulson."