Gerard Butler in “Nim’s Island”

Here are the very first two movie stills from Nim’s Island featuring Gerard Butler, Jodie Foster and Abigail Breslin.

Gerard plays scientist dad Jack, Breslin is his plucky daughter Nim and Foster plays a reclusive San Francisco author. Here are some snippets of Gerard’s interview with USA Today:

On his character researching plankton while keeping pesky pelicans at bay: “One time, I was sitting, talking to a pelican, and he goes behind me and flaps his wings,” he says. “I looked like an angel on camera. I was sure he was going to nip me or rip my ear off.”

On his secondary role as the imaginary literary alter ego of Foster’s character: “When Nim reads a book about Alex Rover, suddenly I’m in an Arabian desert with evil captors, or I’m being tied up by African tribesmen. (He uses an American accent for Jack and his Scottish burr for Alex.)

On spending time with the young Oscar nominee: “Nim and her dad are best buddies. I don’t think I could have done it as well with someone who didn’t have Abigail’s special talents. I learned a lot from her, how she would embrace an idea and go for it.”

On going nearly bankrupt after Breslin embraced the idea of a “swear pot”: “Me being from Scotland, I have a bit of a foul mouth. She fined me $2 each time. If I gave her extra, she would forget and not count it. It was hard to argue with her.”

To read Gerard’s full interview and more about Nim’s Island, check out USA Today.