Interview: GaydarNation
Lucy Lawless: Bedtime Stories
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
New Zealander Lucy Lawless became an international
television icon in the 1990s as the fearless star of
Xena: Warrior Princess. The part seemed tailor made for
the athletic actress who’d originally intended to be an opera
singer, until she’d discovered that opera singers follow a
strict diet and can’t stay out all night.
The likable and witty Lawless talks on the set of her latest
film, Bedtime Stories, about the role she plays, why
she loves wigs and how she got used to the Los Angeles smog.
So Adam Sandler is the put-upon hotel handyman. Who
do you play?
Guy Pearce is the hotel manager and I
play his wicked and twisted girlfriend, who’s also the hotel
concierge. He’s putty in her deviant hands, of course.
[laughs] The original brief description of the character
was that she was a “40-ish ex-model”, which I changed to “bitter
40-ish ex-model” because she never saw herself as ending up as a
concierge in a bloody hotel and her way of managing her
disappointment is to sink her hooks into some eligible male, in
this case Guy Pearce, who is wonderfully smooth and effete in
the role.
And how about the jet black hair? Was that your idea?
Well, it’s all about the wig! And it evolved, because I had
something like a flower pot on my head at one point, but once I
put on this particular wig we all said, "Oh, that’s the one!"
And personally, the moment I put on a wig I feel different, like
I’m Jim Carrey in The Mask. It’s very fun!
What was it about Bedtime Stories that made
you want to get back to work?
Part of it was just about getting out of the house. I
think it’s what the kids wanted. [laughs] I was in my
middle child’s room the other night, irritating him with all
these facts about chameleons, and he just asked me to leave the
room. And the youngest one has repeatedly begged me to go back
to work because he’s quite interested in television and films
and thinks I might be able to introduce him to someone famous.
So any film would have done?
No! [laughs] But who wouldn’t want to work
with Adam Sandler? I’ve always thought he’s a very solid actor,
three-dimensional and just real. It’s not a coincidence that
he’s this multi-million-dollar man. The film has also got this
great cast and it’s a big Disney production. I’m just thrilled
to be included!
Did you have to audition?
Yes, of course, and Adam Sandler in particular had to
strongly say, "I want Lucy Lawless", because I would not have
been on the list of the top 50 actresses, not even the top 100
actresses, that Disney would have thought of.
Is that because you’ve haven’t worked much in recent
years?
Partly that, and that people tell me it’s going to be
hard to get over the Xena stigma, though I can’t say I
have really given that much credence. It’s not like I could do
anything about it anyway and, you know, Xena was a
really great experience and I really lived a lot doing it and
I’m grateful for everything it gave me.
Do you ever miss it?
Xena was a lot of fun, but it was also hard
work and I had the pressure of being the star. But I love making
films and television, I love the process, I love being on set
and I never complain about being here, particularly not on this
film. This really is the best time I have ever had in my life.
Why’s that?
I think it really does come down to Adam Sandler and
the director, Adam Shankman. It’s like having two really
benevolent dictators, because they know how they want things to
go and they’re here to get the job done, but they want it to be
enjoyable too. So I think a lot of their casting is based on not
wanting to work with anyone who’s a pain.
Now you’re planning to work more, does that mean
spending more time in the States too?
It’s where the business is, yes. I’ve tried to divide
my time between the US and New Zealand, but it’s difficult, and
I suddenly realized that I like it here in Los Angeles, anyway.
Because when you first come here, especially from New Zealand,
you go, "This is the ugliest, nastiest, grayest, smoggiest town
in the world", and then your scale of beauty adjusts and
suddenly you think, 'Oh, isn’t it beautiful, not too much smog
today!' [Laughs]
And do you have any other films or television in the
offing?
The oddest thing is that Court TV wanted me to go and
fly a jet fighter and have a duel with Muhammed Ali’s daughter.
You know, a girl fight in the air! I had to tell them I couldn’t
do it for insurance reasons but when I first heard about it, I
was like, "Yes, I’ll do that", because it’s one of those once in
a lifetime things and I tend to jump at those opportunities.
Other than that, I’m talking to people about some interesting
television pilots. We’ll see! I have to say that Bedtime
Stories may have spoiled me a bit, though, because it has
been such a fantastic experience. I mean, the thing is, once
you’ve had a taste of Camp Sandler, I think it’s hard to sign on
anywhere else.
Bedtime Stories opens in UK cinemas on 26
December 2008.
Interview originally posted here
