Fichtner compares Garth’s feelings for Violet to those of a boy in high school who’ll do anything to please a girl and have her notice him. “She’s never gonna go out with you, but she might be your friend, if you’re lucky,” he laughs. Garth is willing to risk his own safety to help Violet because “he’ll do everything he can to be close to her, and really wants to protect her. I think Garth wishes she didn’t do some of the things she does, because they’re dangerous. But Violet is going to do exactly what she wants – and she does.”
As for his feelings on Jovovich, Fichtner says, “There was no one else to play Violet, absolutely.” He loved her work in Joan of Arc and says it’s the actress’ utter commitment to her roles that makes him respect her so much.
Fichtner also has high respect for Wimmer, and enjoys “the vision he brings” to a film. “It’s all in his vision: every set piece, every costume, everything. He wrote it and is very specific of what his intention is, the story he wants to tell.”
Action heroines need a great villain, and Ultraviolet is no exception. To serve as Violet’s nemesis, Wimmer dreamed up Daxus, a cruel government germophobic bigwig hellbent on retrieving Six. “Daxus is a bad guy with a sense of humor,” says Baldecchi. “To play him, we needed someone who was physically imposing but also had a dash of wit. Also, we needed someone impressive opposite Milla, because when the two square off you have to question her ability to win.” The filmmakers knew Nick Chinlund fit the bill perfectly.
Chinlund was very excited to join the cast, especially because he had read and much admired the script for Equilibrium some time ago and had wanted to work with Wimmer. “That script stuck in my head for a few years,” he says. He also admired the visual appeal of the world Wimmer created for Violet and Daxus to square off in, and he loved working with Jovovich.
“She’s hysterical, wonderful and funny,” Chinlund says. “She’s very alive, brilliant, energetic, and probably the hardest working actor I know. I trained three weeks straight for our one swordfight, so with her nine fights I can’t imagine how much she had to work.”
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