November 29, 1999

by Veronica Mixon

She is best known as the gun toting partner of Gena Davis in 'Thelma & Louise,' the sexy baseball fan in 'Bull Durham,' the seductive vampire in 'The Hunger,' and the nun consoling a death-row killer in her Oscar winning role in 'Dead Man Walking.'

However, this New Jersey born beauty has also appeared in the cult classic, 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' and Louis Malle's 'Pretty Baby' and 'Atlantic City.' She proved that mature women still could raise temperatures in 'White Palace' and 'Light Sleeper.' In the upcoming musical comedy, 'Cradle Will Rock,' the actress plays a chic Italian Fascist directed by her life partner, Tim Robbins, who directed her and Sean Penn in 'Dead Man Walking.' Sarandon sat down with The Film Gazette to discuss her latest film, 'ANYWHERE BUT HERE' and her life's work.

THE INTERVIEW

This is the best film you've done since 'Dead Man Walking.' Did you grab the script?
Thank you. People have been giving me the book for years. But, it's a very difficult book to get a script on. There were many attempts because there are many different voices. It was a very hard script to get even more so after playing Sister Helen. You're always fighting against the business that limits the palette that you can choose from as an actor and all this icon talk that comes up. You know, with the HBO movie, 'Earthly Possessions,' there was such a reaction that I could be frivolous. I thought how fabulous to get my eyeliner back and the clothes with this film. The challenge to be completely over the top and also trying to fill it. People think Adele is so obnoxious and nothing happens. But, I always thought something happened and so did Wayne [Wang, director].

So, you look forward to playing Adele?
Gender wise, I think it's one of the best roles for women - like a Tennessee Williams role. I've worked with women who I thought were mean-spirited and mean to women while we were working. [Laughs] They shall remain nameless. Wayne Wang gets women, loves women and it was a chance to have fun and be a dress rehearsal of what not to do with my own daughter.

Has your daughter seen the film?
We saw this the night before we went on a road trip. She's fourteen and we're meeting for lunch after this interview. She thought it was funny and she said, 'if you're having problems with your mother, you probably don't think it's funny. You'd probably have to wait until you're older.'

Do you fight?
We do but it isn't the same. My sons, though, were completely embarrassed. They thought - Adele was so embarrassing! He was like 'don't ever where any of those clothes!' He's at that sensitive age.

Did your mother do anything to mortify you?
I think it's your job to mortify them. You just kiss them at the wrong time. My feeling is 'I'd rather err on the side of loving them too much than too simply back out of their lives at a certain point. The one thing about Adele that I really like is the fact that she doesn't lose her personality when she becomes a parent because you're tempted to do that. Your mind is filled trying to do everything right. You become such a bore because you're intent on doing all these things.

Did you feel that your personality slipping away?
Yeah. You forget that you can enjoy them.

Is it true that Natalie Portman was reluctant to do movie because of the sex scene?
What's interesting about that sex scene is that she was in charge. The scene ended anyway when she got naked. There are some really good young women actors out there but, what Natalie has that most of them don't is a core of intelligence and grace and health that just comes naturally. I know that other people could have held their own with me on screen but I just wanted you to know that despite Adele's huge untapped denial that gets her through everything - out of Wisconsin - that's founded in a love for her daughter.

Have you ever said no to a nude scene?
Sure I have. I didn't do a love scene until 'The Hunger,' if you think about it. They have to be specific and this scene stayed in tack. What's interesting is what's before and after. There was no reason for Natalie to do something that she was uncomfortable with.

Did you watch A&E Biography show about you?
You know my family was not interested in watching that. I saw it after it was on.

How did you feeling seeing your life condensed?
I thought it was a pretty boring life actually. I remember it as much more difficult than they showed. But, it didn't insult anyone in my family so I was relieved. I was very grateful that it was as accurate as it was but no one's going to get your life in 45 minutes.

I can't believe your kids didn't care?
Yeah. My feelings got hurt.

Do you like looking back?
I'm interested in the future - or in the present. I'm struggling day to day to get the kids out the door with their lunches. Anyone who is a working mom needs a housekeeper. As an actress, you're only working two or three months. My kids come and hang out at the set. I have a car at my disposable.

Does your daughter want to act?
She's in it. She's in the soap opera but she was too young for this role. The question came up in 'Step Mom' but she didn't want to miss school. She did a great thing in the HBO thing - a little cameo - 'Earthly Possessions.' She's a modern woman and she definitely wants to have more control over her life. She's interested in costume design and she's a very gifted writer. I would assume that she'll end up in some artistic thing rather than the stock market but I could be wrong. But she doesn't have a burning desire to do this. It's been a little demystified for her. She's very good. She's very beautiful and smart. She wants to go to college.

Do your kids have a problem with your celebrity?
Ok, so they have people stopping me every two seconds to say nice things to me and every now and then, I get arrested. [Laughs] They get into the Rangers Games and my daughter got to the MTV Awards - excuse me! It's got its ups and its downs. She got to meet Van Der Beek when we were at MTV-whatever. I'm not interested in raising normal kids. I'm interested in raising kids who have access to a lot of different things and they can see where they are in the scheme of things. They know that they're privileged, they know the responsibility that comes with that and they consider themselves lucky. They've been to a lot of different countries. They're exposed politically to a lot of different information that they don't get. Great people - they go to a job where its non-gender designated in cables and shootings.

Do they ask you for advice?
Do they worry some time if people might like them because of who I am? I say, 'your whole life is about finding out if people could love you for who you are and not because you have nice breasts, a great car, straight teeth, a good job. There are some many different reasons why people could be attracted to you that are the wrong reason. Your life's job is to sort out and find the people who understand who you are and bring out the best in you, and support who you are. There are probably a lot of people who dislike you because of me so it balances out.' This city is a good city because it's not about the industry. It's economically diverse. There are doctors, lawyers, people who take care of kids for their living; so they understand. My kids know that they're lucky they're not in a box on the sidewalk. They see people living in boxes.

Do you feel lucky?
Couldn't be luckier. Every bad thing that's happened has made me who I am. I've got healthy kids - they're bright. I've got a good man who keeps me laughing. I get to work. Are there parts that I'd like to do? Probably! It cramps me that I don't leaving during the school year. Could I get paid more? Are there people who get paid more -absolutely! But I get paid plenty.