Gail Simone Tells Us All Why She Has No Worries About The Cast Of Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn)

Okay. SO.

Who wants to hear the story of when I met the #BirdsOfPrey?

:)

🦜🦩🐥

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Okay, I have to do this kind of quick. But here is the thingie.

And it might explain why I believe in the cast so much, a little bit.

Ready?

Here we go.#ScrewIt,ImTelling

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

You guys may be aware, #BirdsOfPrey is very close to my heart. I loved the comic before I worked on it, I loved the characters, and when I left Deadpool, and got scooped up for Birds of Prey, it was without question one of the happiest days of my life.

I couldn't believe it.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

At the same time, I was told very frankly that the book was being canceled and we were the Hail Mary pass, even though I was mostly unknown and Ed Benes was still new-ish.

I worked with the wonderful editor, Lysa Hawkins, who was supportive and strong and bold and I was HAPPY.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

We made Bop a successful book. Sales went up, trades sold like bananas, and we seemed immune to the ups and downs of crossovers and that sort of thing. Once people started on the book, they were SOLID.

It was amazing. And it was an amazing gateway book, new readers jumped on.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

It meant SO much to me, I would go to a con and the line would be half men and half women, which was almost unheard of in the straight superhero titles of the time. There were cosplayers and fanartist and more, a LOT of Bop readers went on to make or sell comics.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

And I have had, over the years, an untold number of women who said Bop helped inspire them even in non-comics-related careers, film and media, but even things like law and medicine.

It sounds weird, but it's the truth. And I loved it.
My career was tied to that book, too.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Then I was asked to take over Wonder Woman, but I would have to let Bop go. That was difficult.

Later, they invited me back, and it was AGAIN a very successful title.

So once again, Bop was just huge in my life.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I thought about the characters every day and was stubborn to the point of obnoxiousness about protecting them. I shoulda been nicer about it, maybe compromised more.

But dammit, THESE WERE MY GIRLS NOW.

;)

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

So I very actively resented when people messed with the characters. Some of the earlier Black Canary on tv, I couldn't really watch, they just weren't the character I cared so much about.

So all of the people who saw the film trailer and were concerned, I GET IT.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I was happy a movie was being made, but was sad it wasn't closer to the comic, which I felt had a very successful buddy cop vibe, and just the right mix of personalities.

So I was…let's say encouraging, but also a little skeptical.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Now, I am a bit different now, I believe there is room for different interpretations, especially for iconic characters. I think they are elastic, they stretch, but go back to their original core character, right?

So I was open-minded, although some things I didn't get.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Like, this is not just important to me, it's PERSONAL.

And so, seeing no Babs and it having Harley be the central character, I figured they were REALLY stretching the elastic, and it would be interesting…but it wouldn't be the Birds of Prey. It would be fun, but not bop.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Then I get this letter from the executives at Warner Brothers. Would I like to come see some filming of the Birds of Prey movie, and maybe meet the cast?

WHY YES, I WOULD, THANK YOU SIRS AND MADAMS.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

So I can't make the first date they suggested, we were having guests in from Argentina (yay, churros!) and some other things made it impossible. We thought I missed the chance.

But they found another date and asked again. BINGO.

Bingo, Bop in Burbank!

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I'm excited but skeptical, as I said. They flew us down to Burbank, and put us up in a lovely garden hotel near the studio. I guess it's fairly rare for a big action film to still be filmed at the Burbank studios, so that was lucky.

Big NDA discussion, and then…

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

The executive, a big part of the reason why WB DC films have been so much better lately, whose name I won't say here, took us to the set. And it's fun, it's like you WANT a movie studio to be…like a beautiful fantasy relic you would imagine in the 40's.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

There are people in costume walking about, it's like the Pee Wee's Big Adventure studio scene, it was fun to watch.

We get in the dark studio, you can't see anything at first. We are there with someone very important to Harley's creation but I won't' say who yet.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

They couldn't be nicer. They ask if we want anything, but there are huge black walls or curtains, we can't see the set at all. It's dark and hard to walk, even.

Then we get to an open spot in the curtains, a big section where the set is right in front of us, and…

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

…it is FULL of color, a palette I have never seen in a comic book film. It's an explosion. After the lovely greenery outside and the dark walls to get there, this is just…KAPOW, like all the coolest shades when you are buying nail polish.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I don't want to talk spoilers, but this is what we witnessed, was this WHAM of color and movement.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Now, they take us back to a room that serves as a, I don't know, strategy room. It has props and costumes and all sorts of Bop stuff, and bop snacks on a big table. It's where they work stuff out, and keep an eye on the designs when filming. To me, it was kind of heaven.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

And they have comics, everywhere. My comics, Mad Love by Dini and Bruce Timm, and the great Harley stuff by @AmandaRantsAlot and @jpalmiotti. The comics were everywhere, and people had been reading them for inspiration. It LOOKS like an Amanda Conner room.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Now one of the sweetest things, some of the women in the crew?

HUGE fans. So sweet, they brought their own comics from home for me to sign, and they have stories of how much Bop meant them. The dialect coach, a makeup artist, several others. It was very sweet.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Okay, I will keep going. BECAUSE YOU BEGGED!

;)

You have to understand. When I first bought the BOP comic, it brought me so much joy. And then I got to WRITE it. It meant so much to me and still does.

I keep saying, it was going to be canceled. Now it's THIS.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Anyway, I admit that I had some pause here, the outfits did NOT look like any BOP I knew, and it does turn out that they were for earlier in the film so less canonical. But I thought, this is fun, but is it going to be BOP?

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

And here's where I became a believer.

We were going to watch them film a fight scene.

With the Birds of Prey.

Guys. I love fight scenes.

LOVE THEM. Love to write them love to watch them love love love.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

And here's the thing. I don't even know who the actresses are, the only one I knew was Rosie Perez.

So we get sat down, given water, told to hush, and we see THIS.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

You guys who have seen the movie will know what scene I am talking about. It's indoors, almost surreal, and it's acrobatic as HELL and it features most of the lead cast.

And NO stunt doubles, each actress did everything themselves.

And it's all one, glorious, impossible shot.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Now, most of you know, I don't follow actors, I don't watch much tv, I don't know celebrities.

But the first take of this, there's this woman.

She leaps and slides on her knees across the floor, kicks guys, spins, hits, and then when she's done, her hair is in her face…

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

And she blows the hair off her face by sticking her lower lip out, shakes her hair and gives a RADIANT smile, like, "I just kicked all of your asses. What next?"

This is while all the other actresses are doing stunts, too.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

That was the most Black Canary thing I had ever seen. I grabbed my husband's arm and whispered, THAT'S BLACK CANARY, probably cutting off circulation to his brain. And he's like, I KNOW!

THAT'S BLACK CANARY.

That was my first glimpse of @jurneesmollett.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I can't say too much more about the scene. I am sure I am not supposed to have said THIS much.

But you could not measure my delight.

Black Canary. Dead center, kicking ass, big budget Hollywood film, my all-time favorite character.

And they NAILED it.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I don't get paid for any endorsement, if you're wondering. If I hated the movie, I would have been politely quiet. I was not involved in the writing, nothing like that.

So I got to go in knowing NOTHING, and leaving with a joy in my heart that almost was audible.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Now, the even MORE amazing thing is, because this was all one shot (and made drastically more complicated by the physics of the scene, which you will know when you see it), so to get it PERFECT, they had to do it over and over again. This incredible scene, jumping and spinning.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

It must have been EXHAUSTING. Brutal.

No one complained, no one gave anything less than their best, over and over, under hot lights and through impossible choreography.

And every time, Black Canary just CRUSHING it.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I can't say too much more. But Huntress, also awesome. There's a moment where my heart stopped beating, almost.

And I think the SURPRISE is going to be Rosie Perez as Montoya. She was AMAZING in her bit.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

So they were doing this shot, over and over, and they had to take a break. Margot came over and talked to us, and when she shakes your hand and looks you in the eye, I'll tell you, there's something incredibly powerful. She is a FORCE.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

She was lovely, we talked a bit, but she was also actively producing the movie and had a lot on her plate.

She's fierce. I liked her.

We were asked to go take some photos. I talked with the screenwriter for a good while, she was lovely.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

She said she had some scenes directly from the comics that didn't make it in, sadly, but that they had inspired much of the film. I again say, I think from what I saw, they really were inspired by @AmandaRantsAlot and @jpalmiotti, a lot of this looked like their Harley.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

She said she had some scenes directly from the comics that didn't make it in, sadly, but that they had inspired much of the film. I again say, I think from what I saw, they really were inspired by @AmandaRantsAlot and @jpalmiotti, a lot of this looked like their Harley.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I met the director briefly, they asked us to take some pictures. The young woman playing Cass apparently asked to meet me and while it's true they changed her character the most, the actress could not have been sweeter or more charismatic.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

So we sat back down and they went back to the scene. When you see it, I think you'll know the one, it is RIDICULOUSLY complex and awesome.

And there was Canary, Huntress, Montoya…I couldn't smile harder.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I can't say any more about what we saw without spoiling it. But the sweat and blood and GRIT that those women put into that single scene was one of the most powerful things I've witnessed. They were as tough as the pro stunt guys, WHILE in costume and full make-up. VERY BOP.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

Then we had to leave. I was sad not to meet this wonderful actress playing the Canary, but we also didn't want to be a bother, the day was getting REALLY exhausting for everyone working, I think.

So we left, and I was so, so happy.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

We go back home, I'm not allowed to tell anyone anything. The film people write a note and ask if I am still in town, I say, no, we're back in Oregon.

And they say, oh, no! Jurnee is a HUGE FAN and wanted to meet you so badly, and she didn't even know you were there!

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

So I thought, oh, that sucks.

But I didn't know the half of it. @jurneesmollett KNOWS her comics. She's read my stuff for ages, she loves OF LIKE MINDS and CLEAN ROOM and more.

I mentioned here that I loved her as Canary, which is all I was allowed to say at the time..

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

And we started talking, she's been SO lovely, she mentions me in interview after interview, she tries to get people who like the film to read the comics, and she's just generally adorable and I love her to pieces, for bringing Dinah to life like this.

GLEE.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

As I've told the story of meeting up again with the whole cast at NYCC a while later, I won't add that here, except that when we DID finally meet, she held my hands and just felt like that sister you love more than anyone. She's brilliant, kind, warm, and fierce. She's CANARY.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

She asked me to call her a few days ago, and answers with, "Is this the love of my life?"

I adore her.

ALL the cast was lovely, and dedicated.

What they are doing is still pretty rare and new. So they want it to rock.

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

And that's why I have no worries about the cast of #BirdsOfPrey.

So there.

:)@birdsofpreywb

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 29, 2020

I'm gonna say a thing that might amuse you guys about the upcoming Birds of Prey movie.

It's a bit inside but pretty adorable, and sort of speaks to the ferocity of the actresses in the film.

I found it amusing and a little terrifying. Not a big thing, but a BIG THING. 1/

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 27, 2020

Okay, I spoke at some length with Margot Robbie's dialect coach, a really nice woman who was very kind and a big fan of the original BOP comics.

She said nothing but nice things about everyone involved with the movie and was clearly thrilled that the comic was being adapted. 2/

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 27, 2020

She had nothing but lovely things to say about Margot. But one thing stuck with me, there was more than a little bit of awe.
She said that because Margot insisted on learning all the skills in the movie, that she had coaches for many disciplines.

It's an action movie, right? 3/

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 27, 2020

She said that it was a little terrifying. Because whatever they brought in experts to teach her, she would master in days.

Trampolines? Martial arts? Weapons? Roller skating? Acrobatics?

Whatever they had to teach her, a week later, she was as good as the experts. 4/

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 27, 2020

In full costume. In full make-up.

WHILE PRODUCING THE MOVIE.

5/

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 27, 2020

Now, again, this is not Margot speaking, I'm certain she would give all credit to the experts and stunt people. But the people watching said, if they taught her a thing, she came back a couple days later having completely mastered it, like now big deal, I can sword fight now.' 6/

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 27, 2020

Now, again, this is not Margot speaking, I'm certain she would give all credit to the experts and stunt people. But the people watching said, if they taught her a thing, she came back a couple days later having completely mastered it, like now big deal, I can sword fight now.' 6/

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 27, 2020

And yes, she included her own specialty in the list of things Margot mastered in days.

In short, the crew loved her.

But we're also a little bit in AWE of her.

And that feels very Birds of Prey to me. :)

End/

— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 27, 2020