LOS ANGELES—Elegant in a tangerine colored cocktail dress, the enchanting Penelope Cruz, Oscar nominee for her supporting role in Woody Allen’s “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” took the stage last Monday night (Feb.2) at the Directors Guild of America, apologizing for being overdressed as she had just come from an Academy luncheon and party.
Paul Haggis (director of “Crash”) moderated the Q and A. for an enthusiastic audience following the screening of the movie, where Cruz spoke about her career, working with iconic director Woody Allen, and her celebrity.
In “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” Cruz, who plays Maria Elena, a fiery impetuous painter, and ex-wife of the seductive Javier Bardem, was concerned that she was over doing the drama. She tried playing the character with more subtlety, but Allen helped her “to be more brave and bring the character out” she said.
She recounted how Allen directed her, assuring “You don’t understand, there are woman like that, I know them,” getting a laugh from the audience.
Cruz talked about Woody Allen’s unique style as a filmmaker of maintaining a level of dynamism by forgoing formal rehearsals, “a strategy,” she explained, “to keep people in present time.”
There was one scene in particular with Scarlet Johansen that Cruz felt unsure about and as she said, “Chased Woody around the set,” but to no avail as he had been fully preoccupied by a newly discovered spot on his hand. Shortly thereafter he left the set to see his dermatologist. When he returned, Cruz, confronted Allen, surprised that he really was a hypochondriac as portrayed in his films.
“I am really not a hypochondriac,” she said imitating his speech, “I am really an alarmist.” And without any time for discussion or consulting, Cruz pulled off the scene without a hitch.
Cruz compared the very different styles of Allen with director Pedro Almodovar (“Volver”), whom she had worked with many times prior. Regarding the intensive preparation of rehearsing for 4 months before shooting, 8 hours everyday Cruz said,
“I love that. I love every second of that adventure with him.”
What these two directors and writers do have in common, Cruz observes, is a quality she simply describes as the ‘best.’ “Their freedom—freedom to tell the story they want to tell in the way they want to tell it. They don’t compromise.”
Cruz explained that she’s come to a point in her career where she no longer chooses to go “from set to set,” passionately taking every role offered, but rather values her time to “relax and have a life so I have something to say when I am working.” She explained that she prefers to limit herself to one movie a year, but will break her rule “if they are very special.”
“Responsibility to myself, to be brave to myself and say ‘No’” so that she can take the time she needs to find her character, trusting that there will more offers in the future.
“It is your responsibility to protect your private life” Cruz said about her celebrity status, “I am not part of ‘that,’ I don’t put my attention there, and it’s not my favorite thing.” As an artist, Cruz wisely expounds, “You have to be in the position of observing, not the object that is observed.”
Despite a robust career from the time she was 17, the endearing Cruz confessed that she still expects to be fired by the first week when she’s on a job.
“I love that fear; and after 35 movies, I feel the same fear and enthusiasm as the first time.”
Paul Haggis (director of “Crash”) moderated the Q and A. for an enthusiastic audience following the screening of the movie, where Cruz spoke about her career, working with iconic director Woody Allen, and her celebrity.
In “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” Cruz, who plays Maria Elena, a fiery impetuous painter, and ex-wife of the seductive Javier Bardem, was concerned that she was over doing the drama. She tried playing the character with more subtlety, but Allen helped her “to be more brave and bring the character out” she said.
She recounted how Allen directed her, assuring “You don’t understand, there are woman like that, I know them,” getting a laugh from the audience.
Cruz talked about Woody Allen’s unique style as a filmmaker of maintaining a level of dynamism by forgoing formal rehearsals, “a strategy,” she explained, “to keep people in present time.”
There was one scene in particular with Scarlet Johansen that Cruz felt unsure about and as she said, “Chased Woody around the set,” but to no avail as he had been fully preoccupied by a newly discovered spot on his hand. Shortly thereafter he left the set to see his dermatologist. When he returned, Cruz, confronted Allen, surprised that he really was a hypochondriac as portrayed in his films.
“I am really not a hypochondriac,” she said imitating his speech, “I am really an alarmist.” And without any time for discussion or consulting, Cruz pulled off the scene without a hitch.
Cruz compared the very different styles of Allen with director Pedro Almodovar (“Volver”), whom she had worked with many times prior. Regarding the intensive preparation of rehearsing for 4 months before shooting, 8 hours everyday Cruz said,
“I love that. I love every second of that adventure with him.”
What these two directors and writers do have in common, Cruz observes, is a quality she simply describes as the ‘best.’ “Their freedom—freedom to tell the story they want to tell in the way they want to tell it. They don’t compromise.”
Cruz explained that she’s come to a point in her career where she no longer chooses to go “from set to set,” passionately taking every role offered, but rather values her time to “relax and have a life so I have something to say when I am working.” She explained that she prefers to limit herself to one movie a year, but will break her rule “if they are very special.”
“Responsibility to myself, to be brave to myself and say ‘No’” so that she can take the time she needs to find her character, trusting that there will more offers in the future.
“It is your responsibility to protect your private life” Cruz said about her celebrity status, “I am not part of ‘that,’ I don’t put my attention there, and it’s not my favorite thing.” As an artist, Cruz wisely expounds, “You have to be in the position of observing, not the object that is observed.”
Despite a robust career from the time she was 17, the endearing Cruz confessed that she still expects to be fired by the first week when she’s on a job.
“I love that fear; and after 35 movies, I feel the same fear and enthusiasm as the first time.”
