Radha Mitchell: The part was definitely a challenge. The gender aspect was difficult-the question was how to make her vulnerable enough for the audience to be sympathetic, but at the same time strong enough to be the leader of the group, the captain of the ship. It was difficult to keep that balance.

THC: Vin Diesel, one of the features that really sets your character, Riddick, apart from the rest of the group is that because he can see in the dark, his eyes are often covered. How hard was it to not be able to use your eyes?

VD: Clearly, one of an actor's greatest resources are his eyes. So in a situation like this, you manipulate your other facial features. The idea was to communicate without expression. That's as simple as believing it, and hoping that it comes across to the audience.

DT: The situation with his eyes also helps to humanize his character. It's interesting, because he has no lines for the first half-hour of the movie. But Vin Diesel understood how powerful his presence could be.

VD: I think it actually works to the character's advantage.

THC: Vin Diesel, as an actor and a director, did you learn a lot from working on Pitch Black?

VD: Absolutely. You learn so much from different actors, from other directors. I just completed a film with the venerable John Malkovitch, and I worked with good actors in Pitch Black. Each movie is a different experience. When I worked on Saving Private Ryan, I talked with Steven Spielberg about 35 mm lenses. This movie, I learned about fiber optics, lots of technical things. Pitch Black was an amazing experience for me, especially to be exposed to a non-character driven plot. If I were ever to direct a sci-fi film, Pitch Black was the perfect training ground.

THC: Were you ever worried about being upstaged by the creatures, as is often the case in sci-fi movies? Why don't we get a clear explanation of what they are or what they do?

VD: We were on a limited budget-we were kind of underdogs. Most big sci-fi movies four times as much money to work with. So we weren't really ever worried about it. Because of the budget, we were worried about the special effects and the creatures. But they explained to us that it would be more horrific if we saw less of the creatures.

RM: The less you know about them, the more intimidating they are. If you deconstruct them, then you understand them.

DT: The creatures were not the focus of the movie. For me, the great fun of the movie was the danger within the group. It's what kept me going on the project-we keep mixing up the character dynamics.