Winona Ryder-Interview

Winona: I wanna go to Australia so bad!  I’ve never been!

Why?

Because I’ve almost done movies there but then for whatever reason they’ve fallen apart.  Like, I was hoping on this movie we’d get to go there but because of Vince’s baby we can’t do a trip like that but I can’t wait to go there.  I’ve got a lot of friends from there

So why are there so many films these days starring chubby men and hot women?

(laughs) Oh… I don’t know.  I feel like I would sound a bit sexist but I do think there is some truth that women fall in love with the person inside, someone who’s gentle.  I think there are all different kinds of women and some women don’t think this way but looks aren’t as important to women as they are to most men.  I don’t know what the exact percentages are but I’m sure there are men who feel the same way, but Kevin James is a real charm and has a real sweetness about him that draws you in and so I can totally see Geneva [Ryder’s character] being swept off her feet by this sort of mad scientist really sweet shy guy. I get it. I get it (laughs)

We haven’t seen you in a while – other than Black Swan – why this movie? 

Well, just to work with Ron Howard was huge for me.  I’d always wanted to work with him and I’ve so much respect for him and he’s also – everything you hear about him in terms of being the nicest guy in Hollywood – that’s all true. And he’s a real actor’s director.  If you have a question or are working something else, he won’t just shout at you.  He’ll take the time and come on over and that’s very rare these days because everything is on such a tight schedule.  Ultimately, it helps the movie because you can keep doing it and it’s better to fix it early on and he’s so wonderful. And Vince I’ve always been a huge fan of and I love his humour and I’ve always wanted to work him.  I was just really drawn the story.  I was drawn to the idea and the question and would you or wouldn’t you tell your best friend something bad?

So, would you or wouldn’t you tell if you’d seen your friend’s boyfriend with another woman?

You know what, luckily I’ve never been in that position and I think that it’s probably so complicated. I can’t imagine my best friend – I can’t imagine not telling my best friend but I think there are certain friendships that you could become the bad guy by being honest so I think it’s just a case by case thing.

Are there any situations where you think a white lie is preferable?

You know, you certainly don’t want to hurt people’s feelings but I think there’s a way to do it instead of saying, ‘You look terrible!’ You could say, ‘Why don’t you try this on?’  There are ways to do it when you don’t’ have to be brutal about it.

What do you like doing in your spare time?

For the past few years, or maybe more than that, I’ve really tried to construct and a life so that when I go off and make a movie I’ve got something to come back to that is meaningful and full of support and friendships and relationships so I can feel as normal as possible.  So I can go and work on a film and sometimes you’re gone for a long time so I go and do that. I wouldn’t know what to do, I feel like I have no life, and where am I going and what time is it?  And now I feel a calmness because I’ve sort of planted some roots. It’s important for me to live as normal of a life as possible if you’re going to do all this drama in your work you don’t want it at home (laughs)

What music do you like?

Tom Waits, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell.  Nothing too exciting.  Exciting to me but…. (laughs)

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