Get to Know the Two Bad-Ass Women of MORTAL ENGINES

Most of the central characters in author Philip Reeve’s critically acclaimed novel "Mortal Engines" are in their early 20s and for the big-screen adaptation, filmmakers decided early to follow the book closely by seeking out actors who are as young and weren’t already well known to most audiences. But don't worry, here's your complete guide to the main bad-ass women of "Mortal Engines":

Hera Hilmar (Hester Shaw)

One such fresh talent is Hera Hilmar, who plays the film’s heroine, Hester Shaw. Injured as a child during a fight that took her mother’s life, Hester has been left with a facial scar – a constant reminder of the brutal crime. It is also a catalyst for Hester’s transformation into becoming the ultimate survivor and a woman propelled by the desire for vengeance. Additional featurette on Hester Shaw below:

The search for Hester was extensive, and global, and critical. The character is the emotional and narrative center of the film. Finding an actress who could convey that singular alchemy of strength and vulnerability, mystery and danger, righteous anger and wounded spirit, proved elusive until, an audition tape arrived from Icelandic actor Hera Hilmar. The audition tape was so strong, in fact, that the filmmakers, after a Skype call with Hilmar, cast her without meeting her in-person. At the start of the film, Hester has been on her own in the barren wastelands for six months. And to portray that aspect of the character, Hilmar wanted to investigate and understand that sense of isolation.

JiHae (Anna Fang)

One of the most colorful characters in "Mortal Engines" is the Anti-Tractionist aviatrix Anna Fang. An infamous resistance fighter with a price on her head, Fang built her own airship, the Jenny Haniver, and is renowned for her fearless pursuit of justice and her peerless combat skills. Watch the on Anna Fang below:

For the role of Fang, the leader of the Anti-Traction League, the filmmakers cast relative newcomer to acting Jihae. An accomplished rock musician, the South Korean-born talent grew up in America where she dabbled in martial arts. Undoubtedly, she was prepared for the role as heroine, whom she describes as “a badass, ruthless, fearless leader with a lot of compassion for the oppressed.”

About the film

Thousands of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan) — who hails from a Lower Tier of the great traction city of London — finds himself fighting for his own survival after he encounters the dangerous fugitive Hester Shaw (Hera Hilmar). Two opposites, whose paths should never have crossed, forge an unlikely alliance that is destined to change the course of the future. In Philippine cinemas December 5, Mortal Engines is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.