From ‘The Terminator’ to ‘The Walking Dead’, Gale Anne Hurd has worked as a Producer for some of the biggest and most successful Films/TV Series to ever release.
Gale is one of the industry’s most respected Film and Television Producers, and in 2012, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Another interesting fact about Gale is….she’s also a huge Arsenal fan!
So, with a new lockdown now in place here in the UK, I decided to reach out to Gale to see if she would be kind enough to let me interview her and she politely accepted.
Gale talked about many things including working through a Global Pandemic, her favourite projects and how she became a supporter of the club.
It was an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to talk to her and I am incredibly excited to bring you an exclusive interview below.
Enjoy!
Gale, thank you so much for doing this interview with me, it’s both an absolute pleasure and privilege. These are scary and uncertain times we are going through at the moment, how are you doing?
‘I am feeling much better now that American voters have chosen to elect Vice President Biden and Senator Kamala Harris to the Presidency/Vice Presidency.
We have endured many threats to our democracy, bungled international relations with our allies, and empowered bigots and domestic terrorists under the Trump Administration.’
2020 has of course been very tough for all of us, and as a Film Producer, it must be the most difficult year you have ever encountered. Just how challenging have you found it?
‘The pandemic is something I’ve never experienced in my adult life. I was a child during the Polio epidemic, and remember the restrictions placed on us then, but that pales in comparison to a pandemic that has killed so many people around the globe.
My cousin was a polio victim, so I am aware of what it was like for your life to change in a moment from an invisible threat. We had to stop filming Season 6 of Fear The Walking Dead in March, and were unable to start filming The Walking Dead Season 10 in May.
It put a lot of friends and colleagues out of work, but having had other friends die from COVID-19, I think the safety precautions are necessary to prevent an even larger death toll.’
Yes, it’s such a horrible thing to have to go through and it’s been a difficult experience for so many people. I do hope you and your family continue to stay safe and healthy, fingers crossed 2021 is a much better year! Moving on, let’s talk about your career. Who was your biggest inspiration growing up and what made you want to go into the filming industry?
‘I wasn’t interested in the film or tv industries growing up because I didn’t think it was possible to get a job in them.
I was inspired to pursue a career in entertainment in university by three professors, two at Stanford University (which I attended), the late Julian Blaustein (he produced the original THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL) and Steven Kovacs (who had fled Hungary during the revolution there).
Steven arranged for me to get the interview with Roger Corman, who hired me to be his Executive Assistant, and Julian later sponsored my application to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. I was also inspired by Anthony Smith CBE, who was one of my professors when I attended a Film/TV course in the UK.’
You have been a Producer for some of the biggest films to ever release, ‘The Terminator’, ‘Aliens’ and ‘Armageddon’ to name just a few. You are of course an Executive Producer for the TV Series ‘The Walking Dead’ too which has also been a huge success. Is there one project in particular which you enjoyed working on the most and if so, why?
‘I’d have to choose THE TERMINATOR because it was my first film as the sole Producer, and without it, I wouldn’t have had a career at all!
No one expected much from the film, and indeed, Jim Cameron and I must have had 99 rejections before we were finally able to get the project financed. As the saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” Our persistence paid off.’
Gale alongside Film Director James Cameron – Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
This is also a tricky one for you, so I apologise in advance! Which Actor or Actress would you say has been the most interesting and fun to work with during your career so far?
‘I have loved collaborating with so many talented people over the course of my career, but I’d have to say Arnold Schwarzenegger from THE TERMINATOR, Sigourney Weaver from ALIENS, Charlize Theron on AEON FLUX and Andrew Lincoln, Melissa McBride, Norman Reedus, the late Scott Wilson, and Danai Gurira from THE WALKING DEAD.
I am leaving so many out, and feel very guilty having to choose, and I might have come up with a different list if you asked me tomorrow!’
Now, let’s talk Soccer! You are of course a huge Arsenal fan, how did you become a supporter of the club?
‘My husband, Jonathan Hensleigh (he wrote DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE, the original JUMANJI, ARMAGEDDON and wrote and directed THE PUNISHER and TO KILL THE IRISHMAN, and a new film starring Liam Neeson), grew up in East London, and was an avid Arsenal supporter.
We would watch matches at 4 am Los Angeles time, or go down to the local pub (The Fox and the Hounds in North Hollywood, among others) to see them with fellow Gunners.’
Do you have any famous friends who are also big Soccer fans? I see from your profile picture on Twitter that you have worn your Arsenal shirt whilst on the set of ‘The Walking Dead’, did it get any reactions?
‘Almost everyone who has ever been on The Walking Dead supports an EPL team, from Lennie James and Steven Yeun (Spurs!), Andy Lincoln (Man U), David Morrissey (Liverpool) and so many others, including crew members.
David Ajala, who starred on FALLING WATER, is another Arsenal fan, and we attended a North London Derby together at the Emirates.’
What have you made of Mikel Arteta’s tenure so far? Do you think he is the right man to lead the team forward now and in the future?
‘Given that our owner doesn’t want to spend big, I think that Arteta is doing the best he can. Of course, like all fans, I’ve questioned some of his transfers and squad selection, but like Wenger, he doesn’t have a blank checkbook and we have to hope for the best that he learns from his mistakes.
We still look vulnerable in our defending and shouldn’t be losing to some of the teams who have defeated us recently.’
If you could include one Arsenal player (past or present) in a film which you are producing, who would you choose and what role would you give them?
‘Thierry Henry, or Patrick Vieira. Henry would play himself, as would Vieira.’
Lastly, as you may have seen, Amazon have shot the ‘All or Nothing’ documentaries with Football, Soccer and Rugby clubs all over the world. Here in the UK, North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are the most recent team to have the documentary filmed. Would you be interested in producing something of your own with Arsenal in the future? It would be pretty cool to get a behind the scenes look at what happens at the club we love.
‘I tend to focus on documentary projects closer to home here in the US, especially those focusing on Native American peoples, like the Navajo who served as Marine Code-Talkers during WWII, creating an unbreakable code that helped the US prevail in the Pacific theater of war, the Choctaw who created a battlefield code used in Europe during WWI, and my latest one about the first woman elected Principal Chie of the Cherokee Nation, Wilma Mankiller.
Of course, I’ve also learned never to say “Never”! #COYG’
That wraps up my interview with Gale, it was so interesting to get her thoughts on a range of topics, especially finding out how she became an Arsenal supporter herself. I’m pretty sure we have the most famous fanbase in the world!
I very much agree with her regarding Arteta, too. He is doing the best that he can and it’s still in the early stages of his time here. Some of the recent results have been concerning, but I am confident that with more time and support, Mikel will prove to be a success as Manager of Arsenal FC.
I thank Gale once again for taking the time out of her day in order to answer my questions, I hope you all enjoyed the read as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
You can follow Gale on Twitter by clicking here. I wish her all the very best and look forward to seeing what she has planned for the future, whatever it is, I’m sure it will be as fascinating as her previous projects.
Take care & stay safe!