INTERVIEW WITH JULIETTE LEWIS
HBO
So first of all, how did you become involved in "Hysterical Blindness"?
JULIETTE LEWIS
Well, I think it was kind of cosmic because I was out at one of these parties I don't go to very often, and I run into Uma, and it was my first time I ever met her. And we said, hello. And ... she mentioned this play that she had just got the rights to and wanted me to do a reading of it.
That was the early stages of "Hysterical Blindness," when it was just a play. And then later, I got the offer to do (the film), but it was from this meeting with Uma, way back when. I was glad they still wanted me a couple of years later, it was pretty nice.
HBO
Can you tell us what the story is about?
JULIETTE LEWIS
It's about these two girls from New Jersey. The lead character is named Debbie I like to call her Deb. My character's name is Beth, and Uma Thurman plays Debbie. And it's her relationship with her mom. She's living with her mom, who's played by Gena Rowlands. And it's kind of these girls, who haven't ... evolved yet out of high school, what was successful for them in high school, you know, certain behavior, going to bars, hanging out, being looked at by guys.
They're still hanging onto that behavior, and they're nearing 30, and they're wondering what's missing here. So, it's kind of that slow process people take, but it's sort of indescribable because it has a lot of humanity in it. It's heartbreaking, yet funny. It's very funny.
HBO
You play this character Beth, who's a single mother. Tell us about her.
JULIETTE LEWIS
Oh, I want to say, it's also more driven by the characters in the movie, which is rare. It's not driven by big story plots, you know, some big arc that takes place. It's just watching these fascinating, ordinary people live their lives and make poor decisions, make bright decisions.
And it's just so exciting to watch, and you have Gena Rowlands and Uma and I. And I think we have some spectacular chemistry ... [CHUCKLES] playing best friends, 'cause we really felt that way about each other. So that was nice.
And then my character Beth, she's ... she's more ... the outgoing, relaxed one. Relaxed is not the right word, but she's sort of like hey, I just want to have a good time you know? I say this like three times in the movie. "I'm just trying to have some fun, Deb."
And Deb is the more neurotic, uptight, insecure one. So I'm always trying to go like oh, just relax, it's no big deal. And those two ... contrasts are so funny to watch.
And the other exciting thing is, I've never seen friends written so well, female friends, this dynamic where you kind of have the more submissive one and then the domineering one ... and they both look up to each other. So, it has that in it too.
HBO
So this is a women's movie on a certain level, but do you think men are going to relate to it?
JULIETTE LEWIS
Yeah, I always hate this, the generalizing of the sexes, because I find people when they're played by really competent, interesting actors to be compelling. And also this writer, she's not stereotypical. So for the boys, it's interesting to watch because I know they've seen the odd behavior of women in their own life. And I've never seen it written so well, like Deb's character, she sort of wants the attention of the guy, says all the wrong things. And it's painful to watch.
And there's this guy played by Justin Chambers and he's ... he's not very articulate, he's silent and he, he's not a bad guy, but he doesn't know how to gently tell her like ... ease up, just don't you know, don't be in my face so much. [CHUCKLES] You know what I mean?
So it's kind of painful to watch both these dynamics. I think men would totally enjoy it because it's real. They'll relate to it because they've had those experiences too.
HBO
I'm going to skip a beat and talk to you about your character being a single mother. Do you feel Beth is a good mother? How do you think she sees herself?
JULIETTE LEWIS
I've seen this in young mothers where they become a best friend to... it's sort of like Beth has gained a new pal. You know, it's like oh, honey, why don't we wear matching belts today, you know what I mean? It's this thing where they never want to be alone or feel lonely.
And I think a lot of women grow up with that, that search ... fulfillment from a relationship rather than self-fulfillment. So ... I think ... becoming a single mother, it's kind of like ... yeah, you didn't get the little fantasy package. But that's never the case even when you do have the other half. It's never just a fantasy. It's always work. So, I do think she's a good mother. I also think she has a change in the movie because you go, oh this awful mother. She's going out to a bar at night and letting her ten year old watch TV and not be there for her.
But that's what she realizes. And everyone goes through changes and it's the ability to, to realize and learn from those things. And be able to change that is beneficial. If you're constantly the same, then there's no progression. So I think, of course at her core, I think she's good.
HBO
There's a sad moment which you brought up about Beth's going to the bar on a regular basis, and her daughter being mature enough to call her Grandma.
JULIETTE LEWIS
It was the most painful scene for Beth, it was actually her point of kind of revelation, but because Laura Cahill is such a good writer, it's a slow transition, it's like ... God, what am I doing here? I can't keep doing this to her. But it's a slow realization. It's done in human being time, not movie time.
But that scene ... yeah, it was so sad because ... it was also her as a teenager. It's almost like when she gave birth at 17, she was stunted from that point on because she's now having to look out for another person and she can't learn from that. She's sort of stunted in that time.
And that's what it takes because she doesn't want to be broken down and, and belittled. And ultimately, you know, mom's they speak a bit of truth sometimes, and they kind of can ... get into you right here. So, she re-evaluates and thinks about what she's been doing and ... and realizes she should change her ways a little bit.
HBO
Beth's relationship's with Deb, you described it earlier on as being best friends.
JULIETTE LEWIS
Yeah.
HBO
But there's complexity there.
JULIETTE LEWIS
Yeah.
HBO
... and there's an honesty there also that's just kind of raw, but that you really don't see too often.
JULIETTE LEWIS
Yeah, it's not always harmonious with friendships. You can hang up on each other one night and then, hey, come on let's go, we're eating breakfast. You know, she leaves her at the bar and then picks her up the next morning, honking outside her door to have breakfast.
It's like we've known each other for all of our lives. It reminded me of friendships I've had growing up. Because I've been on the Beth side, you know more like - God, here she goes again, getting mad at me. You know where your friend is always the one like oh, my God. Do I look OK?
But I've also been Deb [CHUCKLES], you know what I mean? Me and my sister were just in New York, and I was like, OK, we need to go over here. You know, acting like I know it all. And she's like, actually we're supposed to go over there. And you know, she was right.
And that's kind of like how Deb and Beth are ... I think Beth kind of lets Deb lead a lot because Deb needs to feel like she's leading. So, Beth kind of is the quiet leader. But it's complicated, and it's so well written, it's not just these two little kewpie dolls doing the same thing.
HBO
Do you feel there's a jealousy ever between these two?
JULIETTE LEWIS
It's funny because with girlfriends, yeah, you don't want to say rivalry 'cause it's almost ugly. But even with my girlfriends, you know, you're always like, oh what are you wearing? Gosh that looks really cute. And then it's like, do I look OK? ... [CHUCKLES] You want to make sure no one is cuter, but you're on the same page. You want them to look good, but not too good, you know, to outshine you, God forbid, it's just such a funny- I think it's more a female, well of course it's a very female dynamic there.
I don't know jealousy, that sounds too ugly. I think it's more friendly rivalry or something. It's the courting ritual though, to be desirable. They're still behaving like teenagers when that's at the center of your universe to be desirable, it's not at the center of mine.
HBO
Through this movie, it seems that in the very beginning that they are best friends. They dress alike, they get in the car, they go out and they have a routine. But then it starts to break.
JULIETTE LEWIS
Exactly. Because they're trying to stick to that old routine, but they have grown. The world has changed. They're not going to high school. So, it's painful because until they start, specifically, on that journey of self-discovery, this little minuscule um ... you know, trying to pick up guys, that's not going to be as fulfilling as it was when you're 17, 'cause you could talk about that all night, all week. You could plan for it.
And so I think they're conscious that something is missing. But they're trying to hang on to what they know, that little routine that they do and that's what's kind of ... heartbreaking. And it's about growing because even ... I've, I've um ... realized just the teenage years, that's done. So [CHUCKLES] you can't sort of justify certain behavior, although they are kind of doing that. But yes, they're changing.
HBO
Can you describe the bar for us, what Ollie's is like?
JULIETTE LEWIS
That strikes me as a bar that's been there since the beginning of time. It's that small town feeling in that no one's really left. People have gone on and married or gotten into lines of work that they do, and you discuss that. But no one really leaves, and the people who do ... they become sort of mythic.
And so this is where they go to, you know, blow off steam. And Beth, my character, she's a dancer, she likes dancing, whereas ... I think Deb's a little too uptight to you know, feel free. She tries it later in the story and it's, sort of disastrous.
But yeah, they just go ... to think about nothing. And I think that's kind of what bars serve... nothing significant, blow off steam, see their rivals - Caroline and her friend, you know, what are they doing. How's the relationship going with the fiancé.
And they've been there enough. They know the bartenders. They just ... they own the place. It's a place they're confident in, maybe in the outside world or at her job, like Deb's job and, and my job, that you don't see on screen. They don't feel secure, like even motherhood for Beth, she doesn't have a manual and she ... she tries.
She wants to be a good pal but they go to the bar, and they just feel kind of on top, and it's 'cause they know, they know everybody there and they, they've done it a million times to gain their confidence.
HBO
Do you feel that by the end of the movie Beth has found happiness?
JULIETTE LEWIS
See, that's what I love again about Laura's writing is it's a slow transition, and even at the end, it's not... there's no real closure, it's just ... it's a subtle shift. They're probably not going to go to Ollie's as much. They might even get into some other activities that are more productive, like the line I say, I think I'm going to quit smoking at the end. It's to just show something new, they might become vegetarians who knows? [CHUCKLES]
And I think that's what's brilliant about good writing. I saw "The Anniversary Party" and this is how it ends. And for the audience yes, it's annoying 'cause you want the closure, but it ends just like ... it's going to go on. So, you can just picture what became of them. It allows you as an audience to contribute your ideas. It doesn't wrap it all up in a bow for you.
HBO
One more I question: the writing is smart. These are real characters. These aren't movie characters. These are real people. Do you think this type of movie could have been released theatrically instead of on HBO?
JULIETTE LEWIS
I don't know. I'm such an optimist but apparently it's a really frightening scene out there in the movie world [CHUCKLES], with what studios will make or what they'll release, what they think the public will watch.
So that's what so exciting about HBO is that they have faith and belief in good projects, and in artists that they'll be interesting because truth is actually interesting, and complexity is very interesting and exciting.
So I think that's where HBO gives a chance, an opportunity to artists and directors and writers with different ideas. It's a good venue. But I don't know. It's such a weird climate right now for cinema. So, thank God there's HBO. [LAUGHTER]
HBO
How was it working with Mira Nair?
JULIETTE LEWIS
She was a revelation to me, she's so incredible. She's so visual. She has a real eye for what the style of this film. See, this film is tricky 'cause it takes place in 1987. You have characters that we've already seen be very over the top. You know, Jersey girls 1987, so you could have done this piece so kitchy and campy.
And she chose a real definite kind of documentary style. It was just shot so well, it felt very real, very intimate, so you're close to these people rather than seeing these cartoon characters. When me and Uma first saw dailies, it was the bathroom scene, when they're like OK, what should we order? And they're primping in the mirror. It felt like you're in the bathroom with two girls, very intimate and real.
And so I was really blown away by Mira's style, her cinematic style. Because you get some directors who're all in touch with the emotional content, but it's cinema. It's an artistic medium, you got to have an interesting visual look of your film, so I was really impressed with her, with that, as well as her energy.
I was calling her the female Scorcese because [CHUCKLES] she's starts the day just like Scorcese, they start at 6am and maybe wrap 17 hours later with the same amount of energy. So she's just amazing, her energy and her will. And she just barrels through it and, and she's invigorating. And it's so exciting when a director has that kind of energy. It permeates the set.
HBO
Let's talk about Uma a little bit.
JULIETTE LEWIS
Yeah ... it was a thrill for me to watch Uma work. And people use this word, oh yes, they're very inspiring. Well, that's what we search for as actors. That's hard to come by, so ... to watch Uma work was so exciting because she has been connected to this material for years now.
And some of the scenes, to watch what Deb goes through, it's just heartbreaking to be next to, even though you could laugh at it, it's embarrassing and it's painful and ... it was just so incredible to watch Uma bring that to life.
HBO
How did you guys prepare?
JULIETTE LEWIS
I think the material is so good so that as long as you just invest yourself in it, and you know your parts and become it, then this chemistry gets created. But I think on top of that, me and Uma are kind of similar breeds in that she's very expressive. She's funny. She's articulate, she's strong and she has a great sense of humor.
And these are just things I connect with. There's no pretense. So, I think when you have that foundation, there's this friendship on top of that, we're really investing in the characters. This magic comes to life. I was just so thrilled to work with her because you can find really brilliant actors, but they got a world of hang-ups sometimes. Some are very introverted. I don't know I just, I just, really connected with Uma.
HBO
How about Gena Rowlands?
JULIETTE LEWIS
Gena Rowlands - I'm pained that I didn't have more scenes with her. See, I only had a couple times that we were in the same scene. So Uma got all of the fun there, working with Gena. But it was so nice for us to just work with her and to have her in the movie because ... she's one of a kind.
She was never lost in vanity, which males and females can get lost in this business, you know, and hindered as a talent. She's just explosive. She's one of a kind. And it's just amazing to be in the same project with someone like that.
HBO
What draws you to a character? Like Beth for instance?
JULIETTE LEWIS
Well it's a combination of things. I look for three different elements: the material, the director and the character. And then there's icing on the cake of who's involved, the actors. And for me it was about Uma, Mira and Laura Cahill's script. Oh, the other thing I always look for is to make sure the character offers me something different to do than I've ever done.
I love that she's a single mom. She's mature but she's not ... she's very vulnerable, she's a little older, 'cause mind you, I did a lot of my work before I was 22. And I've been waiting to get to this age, where the parts can open up for me. So, I'm just excited about playing women. And even though Beth, she's a woman, yet she's a highschooler in her heart. [CHUCKLES]
I love the contradictions and contrasts. And the other thing about Beth is, on the surface, the writing looks very simple. It's just like, hey, how you doing? You know, it's very simple talk. But you fill that with all kinds of hesitancy, emotion, you fill it with what you're not saying. This is subtext. [CHUCKLES] Whatever, this is what I love. I live for.
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Uma Thurman
(Executive Producer, Debby)
Juliette Lewis
(Beth)
Mira Nair
Laura Cahill
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