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'I taught Rihanna how to shoot': Meet the rock-hard female US Navy officer who trained star for debut movie role Battleship

• Singer 'loved handling guns' says Jackie Carrizosa

By Holly Thomas


The former US Navy officer who trained Rihanna ahead of her Battleship appearance has spoken about what it was like to work with the star.
Jackie Carrizosa, who spent a month teaching RiRi how to hold guns and talk like a Navy officer in order to convincingly play her character, has said that the singer was even tougher than her stunt double.
The 22-year-old was drafted in to help out on set after director Peter Berg spotted her playing football with the US Navy.

Big guns: Former US Naval petty officer, Jacqueline Carrizosa who is the inspiration behind singer Rihanna's character on her big screen debut

Made of tough stuff: Rihanna was deeply impressed by Jackie, and did all she could to recreate her gun-ho attitude when filming

Jackie told The Sun: 'We were on set from sunrise to sunset — Rihanna was really tough. She was way better than her stunt double. She’s not afraid to get bruised or cut.'

 

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She added that Rihanna hugely enjoyed handling guns.
Jackie said: 'When it was time to shoot I told her not to be nervous and to have fun with it. When she finished she was grinning from ear to ear and said, ‘I see why you love this stuff’.'

Caught the director's eye: The 22-year-old was drafted in to help out on set after Peter Berg spotted her playing football with the US Navy

Inspiration: Rihanna has said that she based her character for Battleship on her mentor

'I showed her how to hold the gun so she’d look a little more professional. And there is one scene where she was dragging one of the guys out and I helped her out with how to pick him up. '
Jackie admitted that since she doesn't watch television she was only vaguely aware of Rihanna as a  pop star before she met her, but that Berg persuaded her to join the film when he sent her a message after watching her play football.
Rihanna came to base her entire character on Jackie.

Tomboy: Jackie encouraged RiRi to throw herself into the physical aspects of the role without holding back

Star student: Jackie says Rihanna was really tough, and even better than her stunt double

This was encouraged by director Peter, who was intrigued by Jackie's tomboy personality, and willingness to throw herself into traditionally 'male' activities without holding back.
The Umbrella singer clearly became attached to her tutor, and has since said: 'My character’s name is Raikes. She’s a weapons officer, she’s not afraid of anything.'
'She loves weapons, she knows them — not only her weapons, but every other weapon on the ship.'

Trained her up: Former US Naval petty officer Jacqueline Carrizosa who inspired Rihanna's Battleship character has described what it was like to work with the star

'We had this bad a** chick on set, her name is Jackie, she was also in the Navy. I was playing what she does in real life. She was all tattooed up and I just looked at her and I was like, ‘You are Raikes’.'
'I watched her and really tried to get in her character. She’s fearless and she’s one of the boys and it’s really fun to explore that.'
The singer certainly took Jackie's sentiments to heart, and was even seen sporting a temporary gun tattoo during filming.
Rihanna has been criticised in the past for her attitude to guns, after wearing weapon-inspired accessories.

Battleship opens in the UK on April 11.

Getting into the role: It's clear that Jackie's involvement was pivotal for Rihanna

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2125864/Rihannas-Battleship-mentor-says-star-loved-handling-guns.html#ixzz1tM3tmSD7