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by Dennis Hensley
Though Julianne Moore has two Oscar nominations (for The End of
the Affair and Boogie Nights) and has worked with such esteemed
directors as Robert Altman (Short Cuts) Lasse Hallstorm (The Shipping
News) and Ridley Scott (Hannibal), to me, what says the most about
her appeal as an actress is that she was in a Jurassic Park movie and I
didn't want to see her get eaten by dinosaurs. I usually want everyone in those
movies to get eaten by dinosaurs, starting with the kids. It's just more fun
that way.
I
tell this to Moore at the outset of our chat, and though she's appreciative, I
sense she doubts my sincerity. "You wanted me to survive, even with that
awful hairdo I had?" she asks me. "That twisty ponytail was very
upsetting to me."
"Even
with the twisty ponytail," I tell her.
"It's
funny, my four year old son, Cal, has a Sarah Harding action figure," she
continues, referring to her paleontologist character in The Lost World,
Jurassic Park 2, "which occasionally comes out with us. Sometimes he'll
call the doll Mommy. He'll say, 'Look, Mommy, I brought Mommy and the Green
Lantern!' and the two dolls will have a conversation while we're having
dinner."
Unfortunately,
Moore can't tell us how her doll's relationship with the Green Lantern is coming
along because, at the moment, she's not even sure where they are. "I'm in
the middle of a horrendous renovation and everything's in bubblewrap," she
laments, calling from the Greenwich Village apartment she shares with her
boyfriend and Cal's father, writer-director Bart Freundlich. "You can
probably hear the drill right now."
Though
Moore's home life may be undergoing major changes -- the couple will probably
have welcomed their second child by the time you read this -- her work life
seems to be humming along nicely as is. Her latest film, the indie drama World
Traveler, written and directed by Freundlich, hits theaters this month.
"I was very, very moved by the script," says Moore, who met Freundlich
on the set of his first film, The Myth of Fingerprints. "Bart teases
me because he'll give me something to read and he's always really pleased when I
burst into tears because that means that it's effective."
GOTHAM:
What happens in World Traveler?
JULIANNE
MOORE: Billy Crudup plays a man who one day just leaves his wife and child and
goes on this journey across the country. I play one of the people he meets along
the way. It's about being a child and about being a parent. You don't see that
stuff explored from a male perspective that often at all. Certainly not with
guys in their thirties, never.
How
was working with Bart different on this movie than the first?
On
the first film, we didn't know each other at all so it was like working with any
other director. Then we ended up sort of seeing each other on the movie.
Was
that exciting or were you mortified?
I
was so mortified. I'm usually very professional. It was his first movie and my
girlfriend, Ellen Barkin, kept telling me, "Stop it, you're going to ruin
his movie." But we've stayed together for five and a half years so it's
fine. This movie was different because now we know the nuances of each other's
behavior. I tend to be quiet, so if I'm upset, most people aren't going to
notice. Bart will.
Do
you consciously try not to talk shop when you're off set?
No,
we'd talk about the movie. Though just as easy for us to watch TV. We can do
either one. (Laughs)
What's
your idea of Must-See TV?
Sex
in the City. Every time I see a film crew in my neighborhood, I want to walk
over and ask if it's Sex and the City. I just want to see them all having
brunch.
Would
you ever want to be a guest star on it?
No.
I don't think I'd want to infiltrate my show. If I go on it, it'll be tainted.
I
have friends that can't understand Carrie didn't marry Aiden but I totally get
it.
Aiden's
too much of a girl. Not to slam John Corbett -- I'm talking about the character
-- but when he was like, 'Hi, honey. How was your day?' I thought, "Oh,
God. Too girly." He's not urban enough for her, either.
You
and Bart are expecting your second child. Are people in New York kind to
pregnant women?
Women
are and younger men are, but there's this one age range of white guys that just
aren't. If one more white middle-aged man does not get up for me on the subway,
I'll brain somebody. They're the worst. And they stand in front of you when
you're hailing a cab. Unbelievable.
Have
your feelings for the city changed since September 11th?
Well,
it's always been the place I've felt most at home. When September 11th happened,
I think the rest of the world was surprised by the reaction of the city and how
people helped each other out. But people who live in New York weren't surprised.
That's why we live here.
Are
New Yorkers pretty mellow when they recognize you?
They're
very cool. When they do, they just smile or wave. I love it when the police
officers say Hi to me. It's funny. My mother and I look very much alike people
tell her all the time that she looks like Julianne Moore. She usually says,
"Yes, I'm her mother." This one time, a girl goes, "No, I mean
the movie star Julianne Moore." My mother had to go, "Yes, that's my
daughter."
You
first big gig was playing twins on As the World Turns. I think if you're
gonna be on a soap opera, you have to play twins.
You
should, because when else are you going to get the opportunity to bore yourself
with your own acting that way? (Laughs)
Was
there ever a crazy scene or story line that you thought, 'How on earth am I ever
going to make this work?'
All
the time. Steven Weber played my boyfriend Kevin and there was one scene where I
turned to my stepmother in the living room and said, "Now that I know that
Kevin's out of jail, I think I'll take a nap." I thought that line was so
funny I refused to alter it.
After
your soap years, you moved to Hollywood and played the field for a few years.
What was that like?
It
was like Sodom. It was fun for a while, dating and running around, going to
parties, but then it gets to be very boring.
I'm
sure journalists always ask you why you and Bart aren't married but does anyone
else?
Not
really. Mostly people don't care. We're virtually married. We live together, and
we're going to have two children soon. Our lives are very mingled.
Because
of your job, what does your son know that most four-year-olds don't?
He
knows that movies aren't real. He's been on sets where there's been a monster or
something, and I'll say, "See, there's a guy under there, it's not
real." I don't think I had that awareness when I was a kid.
Same
here. After I saw The Poseiden Adventure, I was sure a tidal wave was
going to hit my house.
Oh,
I loved it, except the part where Shelly Winters drowns which made me
claustrophobic. And why did everybody have to take off their pants but Shelley?
Probably
a director's choice. Growing up, your family moved around a lot because your
father was a military judge. What's the upside of that kind of life?
It
makes you view the world in terms of universals. Although there are many
differences, in terms of what people want and who they are, there's a universal
dynamic that's operating all the time. I find that very comforting.
When
did you first know you wanted to be an actor?
I'm
not sure why but I tried out for a play in junior high and it was remarkably
easy for me, like reading aloud. I was a big reader as a kid and I thought,
'This is like being inside a book.' Later, when I was 17, I had a teacher who
said "You can do this for a living," and pointed me in that direction.
What
did you think the first time you saw yourself on the big screen?
It
was horrible but after a certain number of years, you get better at standing
outside yourself and looking at yourself physically. Sometimes you're thinking
so hard that you're somebody else that you almost believe that physically you
are different and when you finally see the movie, it's always a letdown that
it's just you again.
Like,
"That's odd. In my mind, my character had brown eyes?"
Exactly.
"Oh, damnit, it's that same nose, that same way of walking. It's just me.
What a bore." (Laughs)
Were
you taken aback when people started treating you like a movie star, like
"Can I get you some coffee, Miss Moore?"
Yes.
The funny thing about being on a film set is that people are waiting for you to
start doing something nutty, because they have this expectation about actors.
But you know what? Success doesn't do anything but exacerbate your personality.
People that I know that are crazy as movie stars were crazy before they were
movie stars.
What
something you're good at that might surprise people?
Cleaning.
I like it because it's finite. Something's dirty, you clean it, and it's done.
My new thing is the Swifter.
Do
you have good Swifter technique?
I
do. Actually, Bart was Swifting earlier today...
Is
that the verb, swifting?
I
think so. (Laughs) Anyway, he said, "I'm getting a lot of soap on the
floor," and I said, "That's because you're Swifting with too much
pressure."
You
once described the Oscars, which you've gone to twice as a nominee, as the
biggest prom in the world. When you're sitting there, do you try to look engaged
at all times in case the camera's on you?
Well,
I don't want to be seen muttering, "Not, that stupid motherfucker."
You have to be fairly well-behaved. It's very long and you get hungry, but for
the most part, it's a fun evening. Everybody's happy to be there.
One
of your nominations was for Boogie Nights. Was it challenging to act like
a bad actress for the scenes where you were making the porn movie?
Not
at all. It was fun. Somebody who can't act is someone who can't figure out what
regular rhythm in speech and behavior is, so for those scenes my vocal rhythm is
off, my physicality is off. One of my favorite gestures is when I take a pause
in the middle of a sentence to push myself away from the desk. When you're in
real life, you integrate those things. She couldn't do both at the same time.
I
love the late-70s. I think if I worked on that movie, I would have taken home
all my costumes and half the set.
Up
close, you wouldn't have. A person can't have all that Qiana and feel good about
themselves. (Laughs) What was funny is when we were doing my hair early on, the
stylist was using a curling iron. It was so tedious so I said, "Let me show
you what to do," and I did my hair the way I did it in 1979, which was with
six hot rollers. Take 'em out, shake it upside down, and you're done.
Speaking
of beauty tips, you're the new face of Revlon. Does that make you more aware of
your appearance on a day to day basis?
Unfortunately,
I think I still wander around the neighborhood looking like bag lady. (Laughs)
This is when you think to yourself, 'Madonna doesn't look like this, Gwyneth
Paltrow doesn't look like this. Why is it necessary that I look like this?'
But
we love you for looking like a bag lady.
Oh,
that's nice. (Laughs) Well, thanks.
In
addition to World Traveler, you shot two movies in which you play 1950s
housewives which will come out later this year: Todd Haynes' Far From Heaven
and The Hours, based on the novel by Michael Cunningham. Do you plan to
act again soon?
No.
I'm going be home taking care of my children and being a Revlon girl for a
while.
I
think you should put "Revlon Girl" on your tax return under
occupation.
That's
sort of excellent. I love that.
Far
From Heaven is directed by Todd Haynes. When you last worked together, on Safe,
you were a relative unknown and now you're a movie star. How was this time
different?
It
wasn't. We've both come a long way in the business but it was like, 'Wow, all
this time and it's still the same.' Todd and I are both kind of nice people,
which I appreciate. His sets are nice, comfortable places to be. It's so funny,
because I can remember my audition for Safe. It was in the Chase Bank in
Soho and every time I walk by there I remember how nervous I was. I wanted that
part so badly, and I couldn't believe they didn't cast a movie star in it. That
movie was a kind of seminal event for me. Todd didn't know my work at all, and
he really cast me on that audition on faith.
Going
back to being nice, how much are directors willing to overlook bad on-set
behavior, if an actor delivers when the cameras are rolling?
They're
absolutely willing to overlook it. There are people who are unbelievable,
unbearable pains in the asses that continue to work. I don't like it when people
really act like movie stars, when some pigs think they're more equal than other
pigs. I just get exhausted by it. It makes me crabby. Film is a collaborative
effort and everybody is important.
I
loved the ending of Hannibal with Ray Liotta's brain being cut open. Was
that all done on computer?
Not
all of it. They did some amazing things with an animatronic head that was just
like Ray's but with cow's brain in it that they could cut into.
A
literal cow's brain, like someone would call out, "Can we get the cow's
brain on the set?"
Yeah.
Then poor Ray would sit there with a green screen beanie on for the computer
stuff. I remember saying to him, "That's the wonderful thing about acting.
It's so very dignified."
From
what I've read, neither you nor Anthony Hopkins care to talk much about the
intricacies of your craft. You just shut up and do it.
Absolutely.
Some people love to talk about it and that's fine. I would really rather talk
about what I'm gonna have for lunch. It's funny. Bart was watching the dailies
of World Traveler and there's one scene where I'm driving, and Billy
Crudup's in the back of the car. We'd reached the end of the scene as written,
but Billy just kept ad-libbing. I turn around, like, "Are you still acting
back there? We're done, come on." I'm on to lunch.
While
you were shooting Hannibal, you and Anthony Hopkins had dinner at the
White House with President Clinton. How was it different than what you were
expecting?
The
rooms are smaller than I imagined. It was actually very informal. We all kind of
sat out on the porch, and while we were there I could see people hundreds of
feet away stopping to take pictures of the White House and probably thinking to
themselves 'Who are those people on the porch?' I was like, 'Holy cow, I'm one
of the people on the porch.'
You
had a stunt double on Hannibal. Someone I know once said having a stunt
double like having a superhero who's you.
It's
kind of true, and I loved my double, Cynda. She's fearless, she taught me how to
do things, and she's even thinner than me, which I love. You wouldn't want
somebody who's twice your size. (Laughs)
Have
you ever thrown a good star tantrum?
I
yelled at a producer on Far From Heaven because there was a scheduling
conflict. I just kind of lost it and I yelled at him, and my makeup artist with
whom I'm good friends was like, "Holy cow?!" I apologized to the producer later.
What
do you love about your job?
I
love just about everything about my job. You get to meet really interesting,
exciting, creative people. I also love the blue-collar aspect to the job. I like
that you get there and people are sawing and there's a big physical effort that
goes into it.
Do
you ever show up on a gorgeous set and think, 'Now it's my turn, I better not
blow it?'
All
the time actually. You think, 'Look at all this effort. I better pull it
together.'
My
favorite compliment to get about something I've written is that I made someone
laugh in a public place, like an airplane. What's your favorite compliment?
I like to hear that people cried. (Laughs) This sounds horrible but the
greatest moments are when people come up and talk to you about something they've
seen, and then they start to cry while they're talking. You're thinking, 'Oh,
that's fantastic.'
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