IN PLAYING MANTIS, POM KLEMENTIEFF KEEPS LAUGHING THROUGH THE PAIN

Actress Pom Klementieff is set lớn make a global splash as Mantis in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."

LOS ANGELES - When talking with Pom Klementieff, the rising star whose role as the empath Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will almost assuredly make her a global star, two things become quickly apparent.

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One, is that she is as unique as her first name. The other is that she has not only survived but thrived after some incidents that would crush most people.

"My mom named me Pom because she said it sounded lượt thích a combination of Korean words that mean "spring" and "tiger", "Klementieff said recently in an exclusive interview. "So, it"s very unique!"

Klementieff"s cheerful personality is perfect for her character of Mantis, who arguably draws the most laughs during the fun film"s 2 hours and 18 minutes.

That personality is even more impressive when one considers the series of tragedies involving those closest to her that the 30-year old actress has had to lớn endure.

Klementieff"s father died of cancer when she was five & her mother was schizophrenic and unable to lớn care for her so Klementieff was raised by her paternal aunt and uncle. Her uncle died on her 18th birthday & her brother, Namou, committed suicide on her 25th birthday."It"s life and s--t could be worse," she stressed. "I"m really okay right now."

Klementieff said that being an actress helps her giảm giá khuyến mãi with the pain.

"It"s cathartic in a way," she said. "Sometimes you relive things and it helps you to khuyễn mãi giảm giá with it," she said. "You relive it and become accepting of it & you cảm biến other people"s hearts with your experience và performance. It"s beautiful!"

Speaking of beauty, some of the best scenes in Guardians 2 are when Klementieff"s eye-catching Mantis is told she "looks horrific" và "is ugly" by Dave Bautista"s blunt Drax.

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"Those scenes were so funny," Klementieff exclaimed. "Because Mantis grew up lonely and without someone telling her what is beautiful and what is ugly, when Drax or someone else says something lớn her, having the optimism of a child, she automatically takes it as a compliment!"

She said one of the reasons Drax và Mantis get along so well is because they both say what"s on their minds - as Mantis hilariously does in a scene from the trailer, where she reveals that Chris Pratt"s Star-Lord is in love with Zoe Saldana"s Gamora.

"I just remembered how children are," she said. "Very literal. No filter. They say what they think."

As much fun as she has on set, Klementieff takes her job very seriously. For her first Hollywood role, in Spike Lee"s Old Boy, she was told her character was a fighter and that she could trang điểm her own name. So, she researched a Korean word for "happiness" to name her character - & took boxing lessons.

"I commit myself khổng lồ that degree because to lớn me, it"s a challenge," she said. "It makes it more interesting to vì chưng work - và I"m a very passionate person who enjoys challenging myself."

Since then, she said she has been taking Tae Kwon bởi vì lessons.

"It"s nice to lớn feel stronger, too - especially as a woman, " she said. "Right now, I"m all dressed up, but it"s nice lớn have the option to lớn (be tough), you know? I would love lớn be the lead in an action movie. I would love to be like Emily Blunt in Edge of Tomorrow. So badass."

Though Mantis is much the pacifist in this installment of the Guardians franchise, she is hoping that changes in future films in the series, especially if she crosses paths with Aleta Ogord, who makes her first appearance in an after-credits scene và is played by action legend Michelle Yeoh.

"Yeah," Klementieff said excitedly. "She can teach Mantis some moves!"

She also hopes to lớn have a scene with Stakar Ogord, who is played by Sylvester Stallone.

"Oh, my gosh! Can you imagine learning boxing from Sylvester Stallone"s character? I would die! I have khổng lồ ask James (Gunn, director of the Guardians films)," Klementieff exclaimed. "Mantis learning one-handed push-ups! Or running khổng lồ catch a space chicken? Or Rocket? or Baby Groot? I"m going khổng lồ ask James about this!"

In closing, Klementieff said she realizes that after this film is released, her life is going khổng lồ change.

"It"s crazy," she concluded. "I don"t even fully realize the impact because the film"s not out yet. But it"s happening a little bit already. I"ll be at the airport và people will say, "Mantis!" & I"m like, "Wait! How do you know I"m here!?" It"s just crazy."