Of course, it's a tall order to play the epitome of all evil. I just might have children backing away from me for the rest of my life!

I first saw “King Kong” when I was eight or nine on TV in New Zealand. It made such an impact on me, that it was the moment in time when I decided to become a filmmaker. The 1933 classic is my favorite movie of all time, and for that reason, I wanted to remake it. I just thought a version of this wonderful story told with the technology we have available today would be a really amazing thing. So I guess I'm remaking “King Kong” as a fan who wants to see a high-tech version of this wonderful story.

Lizzie is a character who has been strongly identified with, and cherished, by several generations. She is every girl's dream. I was aware of the pitfalls inherent in playing such a longstanding heroine. There was a huge pressure taking on the role. Lizzie is one of the best roles in literature for girls. If youre an actress and you get the chance to play her you definitely can't say no.

Hotel lobby bars and the encounters in them have been the setting for several of my short stories and movie scripts. My initial impetus was a story about two complete strangers who meet in a bar. The thing about hotel bars is that you can tell the absolute truth about yourself with the safety net of knowing you are never going to see the person again. It's the perfect set-up for a good story.