In ’47 Meters Down,’ Stars Claire Holt And Mandy Moore ‘Really Had To Rely On Each Other’

Filming a thriller in or on the water carries with it its own set of hazards, which is something actresses Claire Holt (The Originals) and Mandy Moore (This Is Us) experienced first hand. In filming 47 Meters Down, the two women filmed most of the stunts on their own. As 47 Meters Down nears its premiere date, Moore and Holt discuss the perils of filming scenes almost entirely in the water.

Anything That Can Go Wrong In 47 Meters Down Does Go Wrong

As Huffington Post shares, two divers (Holt and Moore) find themselves in a very perilous situation when faulty equipment sends them plummeting and leaves them stranded 47 meters down, as the film title suggests. To begin, their rusty and overused shark cage breaks free from the boat and takes that dive, unrestrained by the safety cables. Adding to that dilemma is the fact that the characters played by the two actresses (Kate and Lisa) neglected to top off the oxygen in their tanks, before slipping back into the water.

Finally, the boat crew had been tossing chum into the waters to attract sharks, and, unlike everything else, that plan worked out well. Now Lisa (Moore) and Kate (Holt) are deserted 47 meters down amid ravenous and monstrous sharks.

As for the actresses themselves, Claire reveals that neither she nor Ms. Moore had any diving experience before signing on to play the 47 Meters Down leads. The actresses were given a day and a half to get acclimated to the diving experience, before it was time to begin shooting their scenes.

“There were some hairy situations we got into on a few occasions, but by the end of it, I think we just felt really proud of our accomplishment that we survived two months underwater,” said Ms. Holt.

Filming 47 Meters Down Wasn’t Fun And Games For Claire Holt And Mandy Moore

In shooting 47 Meters Down, She Knows reports that Holt and Ms. Moore spent most of their time filming at the underwater studio in Essex, England. While fans might be delighted to know that CGI was used sparingly for 47 Meters Down, that meant hours upon hours of underwater filming for the actresses.

“We looked like bedraggled wet rats at the end,” laughed Mandy.

The 47 Meters Down stars revealed that the water eventually began to develop its own unique odor. Crumbled broccoli was used to simulate algae, for starters. Also, the actresses were encouraged to relieve themselves in the water, instead of stopping the sequences for frequent bathroom breaks.

Claire says shooting those 47 Meters Down scenes were particularly harrowing because it called for underwater acting that had never before been attempted to this extent. It was an exhaustive experience for Claire and Mandy, but Ms. Holt adds that having a partner helped make it a little more bearable.

“We really had to rely on each other to get through it because we were like crash test dummies — no one had ever attempted to shoot a film like this before,” said Claire Holt. “We didn’t know if it would be safe or if the camera could read our expressions or how to even act underwater.”

Mandy Moore added that just being in the water was exhaustive because every moment required physical stamina to stay afloat. She adds that 47 Meters Down is a great summer thriller for all of the reasons that made acting in the movie a challenge.

Boiled down to basics, Moore says 47 Meters Down is about two women helping each other survive against insurmountable odds. Mandy feels that 47 Meters Down is an empowering film for women especially and adds that she hopes it will inspire women in their day-to-day lives.

“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” added Ms. Moore. “Simply having a conversation and an ongoing dialogue about it is the way to perpetuate change and break down gender norms.”

47 Meters Down opens in theaters on June 16.

[Featured Image by Dimension Films]