Phoebe Waller-Bridge lights up an aging franchise in Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

Actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge admits that her Indiana Jones character Helena Shaw is a complicated one. 

One minute she’s an ally, the next an enemy, and then she’s an ally again. She’s fearless but reckless; devious but also sincere. 

Where there is no ambiguity, however, is on how much she spices things up in the Dial Of Destiny. Because the fifth and final instalment of "Indiana Jones" – a series that has spanned 42 years – certainly needed a shot in the arm to stay fresh and relevant. 

Helena is Indy’s goddaughter, who resurfaces in the archaeologist's life while in pursuit of the ancient Antikythera, a time-altering device from history that the Nazis are after too. 

As Indy, now in his 60s, musters his tired, reluctant limbs to prevent the bad guys from obtaining the treasure, Helena has her own mercenary ambitions – at least to begin with. 

At a roundtable discussion last week, Waller-Bridge, an Emmy winner for the acclaimed series Fleabag (2016-2019), was asked about the relationship she had with the titular character. 

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“I think she's the right person to come into his life at this time because it feels like he's in a little bit of an emotional cul-de-sac. He's now living in a time where the focus has shifted, and there's isn't as much passion (left in him). 

“Not only does she bring a breeze of joy from his past, she brings a passion for archaeology. She brings a passion for adventure, and I think that lights him up again.” 

In turn, Waller-Bridge’s feisty character also lights up the film. 

As audiences go back and forth on whether they should love or hate her, Helena is part of some of the film’s best moments, especially when paired with her own sidekick (Ethann Isidore), who will remind Temple Of Doom fans of the much-loved Short Round (then played by Ke Huy Quan).

“I think Helena's wit is a great strength. She's self-sufficient, imaginative and she's got a good sense of humour. She also doesn't really look before she leaps, and that's what gets her into trouble,” the English actress said with a laugh.  

“She has her own nefarious agenda, of course. But I think, ironically, the thing that she learns in the end is that the passion she was kind of faking at the beginning is the thing that she discovers for real by the end.” 

Indiana Jones: The Dial Of Destiny, directed by James Mangold of Logan fame, will see Harrison Ford return as the titular archaeologist along with new cast members, most notably Mads Mikkelsen, Antonio Banderas and Toby Jones. 

• The movie opens in theatres here on June 29.