November 15, 1999

by Veronica Mixon

The actress sat down with me to talk about her latest film, 'MUSIC FROM THE HEART' and her life.

THE INTERVIEW

Had you heard about Roberta before you got the script?
I didn't. I'd heard of 'Fiddle Fest' because they had a couple of things in Central Park. They sent the documentary and I could see why Wes [Craven] fell in love with her story and the possibilities of the film. I was ignorant before this.

So, what was she like?
Roberta was nothing like that. She was really tough. And, I did thought 'what the hell is she doing?' But, she feels firmly that this approach is the only structure that the kids she teaches have in their lives. The kids need architecture of consequences. She's hard on them and she's deliberate about it because she believes that it must be there because some things are hard and if you get them, it's worth it.

Did you buy that?
I bought it because the kids bought it. They know that she loves them. They adore her and they step up to what she asks of them but when I first saw it in person, it scared me.

Didn't the challenge of playing the violin frighten you?
Well, that's why I turned the job done in the beginning. [She laughs]. I guess Madonna had dropped out and they had everything all set up and ready to go. They had all the kids who had been Roberta's students in classes with three different teachers helping out. They had a start date - in a month and I said, "I can't start in a month. I really don't know the violin and how you I could do this movie without knowing how to play the violin?"

Why did you change your mind?
Wes wrote me a letter. I knew he had directed a lot of scary movies and just before he wrote me the letter, I heard an interview of him on the radio. Here was a man who spoke nothing like I thought a horror director would speak, talked about things that were really interesting, talked about having been a teacher, and then this letter arrived from him. He laid out what the project meant to him and why he'd waited twenty years to buy the creditability and the box office power to break out and move out of the genre. Why it was important to him and why he was passionate about making the film? He said, 'I'll give you another month. Please just make the film.' I can honestly say, I've never gotten a letter like that from a director who was passionate about their work. This felt really important in his life. And, that's all you need from a director. It's not a job. You're not just coming in to fill in. I said, ok!

How long did it take to prepare?
He gave me eight weeks. We started rehearsals and then shooting. I was terrible. But, I knew that in five months, I had to play the Bach Concerto on stage at Carnegie Hall with Izach Perlman and Issac Stern. Fear! That was motivating. Fear is go hearty fuel. So, I loved it. I loved it. I'm so glad I did it.

What was it like playing in Carnegie Hall?
It was like the thing where you get goose bumps. When I walked out on that stage, I almost burst into tears. It was overwhelming because music has been important in my life. But, I never dreamed - that was really a Walter Mitty moment. [Laughs] Leading Issac Stern.

He was really looking at you? He was impish.
He was really looking at me! He was trying to break my concentration. He was really on my side. He did make me come into the maestro suite and play the concerto for him. I thought I was going to be all right because I'd be in the great wash of seventeen violins but he made me come. He said, 'you will be all right. Don't worry about anything.'

You must have been very unpopular at home in the early rehearsal days?
Yes! Yes! It's true. It didn't bother me.

Was the music distracting from acting?
It was intimidating to me so I was focused on that and I think it was probably good because I didn't have time to plan anything out or theorize on this character. All I would have was the kids and the immediacy of their acting. When I watch this movie, it has a different feel from the other things that I've done.

What was it like working with kids?
I liked it. It's hard. It's wearing. The day is tough and they get tired especially with violin. I always felt like I was mediating between the crew and Wes on this side and the kids - like two opposing armies. It was a lot of wrangling. I used my mothering skills.

Did you ever worry about getting work?
Right after I had my son. You stay out and you think no one will ever hire you again. That everyone has forgotten what you've done - and that was when I was young and pretty. I really didn't need to worry about that. I'm more relaxed about that. But, I also think I've bought a certain amount of creditability. I don't have to do anything I don't really want to do, no matter how many interesting people are attached to it. If it doesn't resonate in a certain place for me, I don't feel I have to do it.

Did you ever take something you had second thoughts about?
There was "Still of the Night" right after my son was born which was a noir film by Bob Benton. A beautiful film. I didn't know why I was in it - while I was in it. I didn't have anything to do. I just had to look beautiful, mysterious. It felt like a job every day.

What's next?
I don't know. I want to take a break.

Is it still a thrill when you're nominated for the Oscar?
It's appalling. The actors must be so sick of me.