|
- Mark Schwed Interview -
( Personal Life )
You've done a lot of sitcoms for kids.
 Yeah.
I love sitcom work; the live audience is such an adrenaline rush.
My manager worries, but nobody looks at this stuff and says, "Oh,
well, we'll never give you another shot." I don't think there's
anything you can do, except porno, that's going to hurt you down
the line now. I mean, every day they're giving new shows to people
who lost their old shows because they sucked.
Let's make your manager happy. Tell us about American
Pie.
It's a cross between Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Animal House
and Porky's—I think mainly because they were all teenage sex
comedies. I play the Czech ballet dancer exchange student. I approach
Jason Biggs's character to help tutor me.
Nice ...
..and I tell him I'm coming over to his house, but I have to
change because I'm coming from ballet class. So all his friends
say, "Hey, dude, she's changing clothes at your house—set
up a Web cam!"
So what happens?
I look at myself in the mirror, start going through some of
his things—stuff like that. I don't want to give away the ending.
Are you naked?
Partially.
Was that hard for you to do?
Yeah, but I was prepared. I tried to get my body really ready
for it. I spent a lot of time at the gym. Cardiovascular, weights—everything.
Tell us about Dish Dogs. The first movie's the
hardest to get, obviously. How'd you swing it?
I went to the audition, and they said, "You'll be reading
with Sean Astin." And I said, "Really?" It was kind
of intimidating, because I'd grown up watching him. But I went in
and he really liked me, so we worked on our dialogue ourselves before
we brought it in to the producers. And I got the job.
Ever have to kick someone's ass?
No, but I threatened to a lot. That stuff happens daily in high
school. You gotta talk it, but you never have to do it.
You're obviously very health conscious. What don't
you eat?
Oils, unless it's olive oil. Butter, cream, sugar. And I try
not to eat red meat.
But you're a Texas girl! It's a sin not to eat
beef.
I know. I ate it all the time when I was growing up, but now
it's like once a year.
Can you make a pie?
With a recipe in front of me. I'm not the greatest cook in the
world—I'll just buy stuff I can heat up easily and stick in
the toaster oven so I don't have to get all the pots and pans dirty.
Besides pretending to be interviewing you for a
men's magazine, how should a guy go about hitting on you?
I hate it when guys hit on me every time I go to the gym. It's
not a pick-up joint—it's a gym.
So what should we do?
I like guys who are sweet—to parents, older people, kids,
animals, anything like that. I think that's much sexier than a guy
coming on to me. I'm much more attracted to the shy guy in the corner
than the guy sitting next to me trying to be cool.
What kind of guy are you looking for?
I like sweet, scruffy boys. No macho guys, no bodybuilders,
no pretty boys, although I've dated a couple of those. Just the
average, cool hangout guy.
Physical type?
He's got dark hair, light eyes, dark skin. I've never dated
a blond—no reason, I just haven't. He doesn't have to be tall,
but a little taller than me. I'm 5' 9". Long hair, and maybe
a goatee, tattoos and body piercings.
What about you—would you ever do any body
modification?
I always wanted a tattoo, but because of modeling and acting,
I could never put it somewhere where it wouldn't show. I used to
take my old boyfriend's hoop earring out and press it into my belly
button and pretend I had one.
How do you dump a guy?
Just start fighting with him all the time. That way you have
something to look back on and say, "I remember why I hated
you."
I don't know if you're qualified to answer this
since you don't drink anymore, but what's more effective on men:
liquor or lingerie?
 Probably
the lingerie.
And on you? Oysters or smelly candles?
The candles. I'm really into scents and fragrances. I love vanilla
and rose. I have lots of dogs, so anything that covers up the dog
odor is great.
Speaking of dogs, if men weren't dogs, what would
they be?
Slaves! (Laughs) I have a great guy. He does everything for
me. I wouldn't say he's my slave, but he might as well be my assistant.
He'll do everything I need him to do. He's the perfect boyfriend.
He's a slave.
I wouldn't call him a slave. I don't whip him when he does something
wrong. Just when he does something good. (Laughs)
When you become famous, what deep, dark secrets
will your angry ex-boyfriend tell the tabloids?
Probably that I'm overly obsessed with my weight—specifically,
with my stomach. I hate my stomach. I'll complain about it until
the day I die.
Your current boyfriend must think you're insane.
Yeah, he does. He likes my stomach. He's fine with it.
What's your most irritating habit?
That I'm always looking at my stomach.
Please, please show it to me.
You won't think anything's wrong with it. But I have to point
out exactly what bothers me and why, and then you'll be like, "OK,
I see it, but why?" I don't have an hourglass body; I have
a really boxy figure.
So how do you keep getting cast in movies as a
babe goddess? Babes don't have bum stomachs.
Because everyone is crazy but me.
- Carmen Electra and Shannon Elizabeth interview -
( Scary Movie )
Carmen, how was the big opening scene of the film
for you?
 Carmen:
I have the opening scene of the movie, which is Drew Barrymore’s
scene from ‘Scream’. It was fun because horror movies
in themselves are so ridiculous, so to make fun of that and to play
that part was fun. People always think I’m really stuck up
or I don’t have a good sense of humour about myself, so that’s
why I really wanted to do it. When I’m with my friends, hanging
out and having fun, I have a good sense humour. I love to make people
laugh. I loved doing it.
Where did you film it?
Carmen: In Canada. There’s a scene where I’m running
away from the killer and he rips off my blouse. I’m in my bra
and panties. The water sprinklers come on and I get soaking wet
and I was freezing. You wouldn’t know that by watching it but
it was in Canada and it was really, really cold. Keenen Wayans [director]
was really sweet: he had huge heaters and lots of coats, so we got
it done in a few takes and I didn’t have to suffer too much.
Shannon, what’s it like being beheaded?
Shannon: That was actually my favourite scene! It was a scene
Keenen used as an audition scene for all the girls’ roles,
for every girl that came in, because it’s such a physical scene.
Carmen: I had to do it to!
Shannon: It was so much fun. That was the main scene
that I wanted to do. We spent the whole day working on it piece
by piece. By the end I had on a blue suit to pull off the gag, and
a prosthetic head that I now have at home in a glass case to greet
people at the front door. It was just a fun scene to do because
Keenen and I worked on it together and it was fun.
What was the atmosphere like on the set?
Carmen: Everyone keeps asking me about practical jokes but I
didn’t get any practical jokes because I didn’t get to
work with the rest of the cast. It was basically just me and Keenen.
So it was just really professional, just a job, then I’d rush
back to my hotel and go to sleep. So I didn’t get to have any
fun – I mean I had fun, don’t get me wrong, it was a lot
of fun. It was fun doing it and laughing but Shawn and Marlon Wayans
weren’t there. They are the ones that pulled all the jokes
and were so crazy on the set.
Shannon, do you think it was because of the amazing
success of ‘American Pie’ that you were cast in this movie?
Shannon: I don’t think that hurt. I’m sure
that helped me somewhat. I know Keenen originally wanted a blonde
for my character and a brunette for the character of Cindy. Anna
Faris, who plays Cindy, is blonde and he dyed her hair black. I
had red hair at the time and I can’t really go blonde, so at
the end of his casting he just compromised and went with who he
felt were the best actresses. He compromised what he really wanted
for each character and did what he felt was right for the film.
I’m sure being in ‘American Pie’, and it being a
comedy, was a big help for me getting the role.
Carmen, obviously the film is a spoof of other
movies, but it gets more personal with the Prince thing. Were you
happy to do that?
Carmen: Actually, when I read the script, it said that it would
just be a boyfriend, maybe a guy dressed like a football player
or something. So I shot my half of the scene not knowing, or assuming
they were going to use this football player-looking guy. I guess
Keenen went out and found a Prince look-alike and used him for the
part. So I thought it was really funny and I hope that Prince has
a good sense of humour about it and knows that I had nothing to
do with it. It was all Keenan! Prince is wonderful and gave me my
first opportunity to do music. I thought it was funny, so hopefully
he’ll laugh.
Shannon, what would it take for you to do ‘American
Pie 2’?
 Shannon:
Just a good script. I know they are working on the script now. The
writer talked to me and asked me what he could write for me that
I would want to do. I know he’s trying to put something together
so that we can all get back together and do it.
Would you like to keep your clothes on this time?
Shannon: It’s actually not a choice. They know that. They
have no choice. If they want me in it, I do!
‘Scary Movie 2’ is scheduled in the States
for May. Both your characters are dead but is there a possibility
you will return?
Carmen: I don’t know. I guess when Keenen and Marlon [Wayans,
co-writer] turn up, I’ll have a little talk with them. I die
so I don’t know what they would do. Maybe I didn’t die.
Maybe…
Shannon: …it was all a dream.
Carmen: …it was a dream or maybe I have a twin.
I’ve been thinking of all these things, so who knows?
What are your favourite spoof films?
Shannon: I don’t like spoofs! When I read the script for
this it was the first time ever that I actually thought anything
spoof related was funny. I really have never watched all the others
straight through. I tried to watch them and hated them. So now I
know what goes into making them, I can probably go back and watch
them, but I just didn’t like them growing up.
Carmen: And I love them. There are some really bad
ones that have been out lately. It’s been a long time since
there’s been a really good spoof. What’s my favourite
one that Keenen did a long time ago?
‘I’m Gonna Git You Sucka’?
Carmen: No not that one, before that one. With the pimps.
The one that’s based on `The Boys in the Hood’?
Carmen: No, not that one. Wait…you know what I’m talking
about. Nobody knows? With all the pimps…
‘Don’t Be A Threat To South Central’?
Carmen: No, before that. I can’t remember.
Anyway, it’s a spoof and it’s about pimps
and that’s the one you like.
‘I’m Gonna Git You Sucka’?
Carmen: Yes! That’s the one.
Matthew Lillard, who was in ‘Scream’,
went on to do ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ with Alicia
Silverstone. Would you come over to England and do Shakespeare after
this?
Shannon: Well, I’m not very good at Shakespeare. I’d
leave that to my fiancé: he’s brilliant at it. He’s
the best. I never really studied it so I don’t think I would
do it justice. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t want
to do it. I’d just have to study a lot in order to be able
to do it.
 Carmen:
Oh, same thing! I know people who are so into Shakespeare. I just
can’t get into Shakespeare at all. I remember memorizing a
little in school. No. No interest at all.
You’re both starting out on your film careers.
What sort of work do you aspire to?
Carmen: With me, I’m a dancer. I started dancing when I
was five years old. That’s my passion. I was in a ballet company
when I was 12. My dream was to dance on Broadway. Then I got a job
at MTV. I didn’t want to be an actress. I never thought about
it. Then I just started to get offers so it was really weird. I
felt like I couldn’t turn them down, so I just decided to go
for it and see what happened. Now I’m starting to like it more
and more and I take classes now. Honestly, I would like to continue
doing films but I want to get back to music. It’s my passion.
Shannon: I just finished a film that’s a romantic
comedy. It gave me a chance to do a little more dramatic stuff.
I’m really leaning towards that direction, since I’ve
already done the two big comedies and this third one was pretty
much a comedy. It was a different type. For my next film, short
of ‘American Pie 2’ or something, I’m really looking
for a dramatic role or a thriller. I’m turning down all the
comedies right now because I really want to stretch in other directions.
I’m just kind of bored with the comedy because I’ve done
it so many years in a row that I want to look for some other things.
I’ll come back to the comedy when I’m bored with the other
stuff. I want to keep doing new things and stretching and growing.
How do you both deal with celebrity?
Carmen: For me it’s different everywhere I go. People react
different. For me it’s crazy because I had a really insane
year. My Mom had cancer; I married Dennis Rodman. It was really
bizarre and that’s when the press went ballistic. I married
this controversial person and all of a sudden I’m in the tabloids
and I’m dealing with this completely different life. It’s
weird. Certain places I go, a lot of people will come up to me.
For the most part everyone’s very sweet and cool. It’s
exciting. I love it. You know that when you get into this business.
You accept the bad with the good, the tabloids and the positive
side of it.
Do you regret the Dennis Rodman thing at all?
Carmen: Not at all. I don’t regret it because that’s
where I was, at that time of my life. I learned a lot from it. I
realised that with losing my Mom I had so much pain that I wasn’t
facing, so I was doing things to hurt myself. I thought I was this
tough girl – and I couldn’t face the loss of her. During
that time I met Dennis and it was fun and exciting. It was this
distraction from actually facing things I needed to face in my life.
I learned a lot. Stepping away from everything and him, I think
I understand him more now. We’re friends and we get along great.
It’s much better that way.
Shannon: Sometimes I get mobbed depending on where
I am, and sometimes nobody has any idea. When I go with no make-up
and a hat on and my hair’s back, people don’t really recognize
me and I can get away with going places. But when I go out to a
party or something it can get a little crazy. The main thing that’s
been hard has been more for my fiancée worrying about keeping
me safe – security issues. There have been incidents where
people have jumped on the car and tried to write down our license
plate and videotaped the car. There were times when he couldn’t
sleep because he was worried about protecting me and worried just
because you don’t always know what somebody could do to you,
even though you think they’re harmless.
You just never know. That’s been the main thing
that we’ve been learning how to deal with, and learning that
maybe I shouldn’t drive my own car certain places. I’ve
always driven my car to premieres when I’ve gone. Now maybe
I shouldn’t or maybe it’s better to stay home and not
go out. I’m not a big party person anyway. For the most part
things have been pretty safe. I’ve been some places when it’s
been a little difficult, but we always find ways out and everything’s
fine. I love the fans when they’re true fans. They are so sweet.
When they are guys that want to sell your autograph, that’s
a whole other issue.
Carmen, have you any music plans?
Carmen: I’m actually negotiating a deal right now. I just finished
doing a movie with Omar Epps. It’s called `Perfume’. It’s
hip-hop meets fashion. So I was busy doing that. And then I did
a little cameo in a movie called ‘Getting Over Allison’
with Kirsten Dunst and Sisqo. So I’ve been busy doing that,
doing the acting thing, but I’m definitely going to take off
time and get back to music and go into the studio.
Shannon, is singing one of your talents?
Shannon: I did sing growing up. I was in the city choir, which
was something you had to audition for and work on. I love to sing
but I don’t know that I’m good enough at it to do, you
know, what some of these people do. But I’ve always loved the
idea of singing and dancing and performing in musicals and things
like that. If the time ever comes when I would be able to do that,
I would really like to, but for me to pursue it right now…my
heart is just in the acting itself.
Carmen, has it been difficult to persuade casting
directors to see beyond the glamorous image and realise that you
can act as well?
Carmen: It’s interesting because being a dancer, I’ve
never been ashamed of my body and my sexuality. I posed for Playboy
and that was a choice that I made and something I wanted to do.
I went on to do ‘Baywatch’ and shows like that, knowing
it would be harder, because it’s just what I felt – and
I just followed whatever I felt what I wanted to do, against my
agents, against what everyone said to do. I do think it’s harder.
You really have to prove yourself, but then if you do it’s
great. It can be a positive thing.
Which actresses have influenced you?
Carmen: Personally I love old movie stars. I love Ann-Margaret,
Sophia Loren and just the women that could sing and dance and act.
That’s what I love; being on stage and being in front of an
audience. I respect that they could so much back then. You don’t
really see it that much anymore.
Shannon: I love Michelle Pfeiffer. I’ve loved
her since I was a kid. I love the career direction and the choices
Cameron Diaz has made in her career. I’ve always loved Audrey
Hepburn since I was a little girl. Even Julia Roberts. I like the
way she just lights up the screen and shines. She has a warmth about
her. Whenever I smile really big on camera I always think of her
smile and just hope I can light up the screen the way she does.
She makes me feel good when I look at her. So there’s something
I think I try to take from each person I admire.
What was it like working with the Wayans?
 Shannon:
They were the nicest guys and I not once ever saw them get in a
fight or argue. Keenen is very Zen-like; he is very calm all the
time. There was only one time that I thought he was going to get
really angry at Marlon. Marlon was just like, “Come here a
sec”, because he was trying to write some stuff and he came
out and Keenan just walked up to him, talked to him, gave him a
kiss on the forehead and that was it. Every day they were like that.
They would come to the set, give each other a hug and a kiss, give
us a hug and a kiss. They were a very close-knit family.
Do you think beautiful young actresses still have
to fight to be taken seriously in Hollywood?
Shannon: I think they definitely have to fight, especially if
they are just known for their looks. I think any time that you do
a role that’s either a smaller role, or that you play just
a really pretty girl, like what I did in ‘American Pie’.
I didn’t do anything that really proved to people that I can
act. So now I’m trying to find roles that have a lot of meat
to them, that I can prove to people I can act. I’m trying to
find roles that people will let me do that aren’t the pretty
girl roles. I want to play things that are completely opposite of
that. I want to be a chameleon and do different things. I think
a lot of girls in Hollywood have to prove to people they can act
in order to get some of the better roles that they may want. Otherwise
they might be stuck in just one type of role, one stereotype and
one-genre acting.
Carmen: Definitely I agree with her. You really have
to prove yourself. It’s hard because coming from stage I love
make-up. I’m not going to lie. I love getting dressed up, I
love it. That’s what’s so much fun to me. Then sometimes
you do have to go in with no make-up on your face, with you hair
pulled back. Once you do go in and you meet people you can show
people you have another side to you. I definitely have a stereotype
and so to get rid of it, it’s hard, it really is. But I knew
getting into it, what I was getting myself into. I knew if I was
posing nude for Playboy I knew that was going to happen and I knew
that was going to happen with ‘Baywatch’ and other shows
like that. So I just take everything one step at a time. Thanks
to Keenen, it’s helping!
- Interview from drDrew.com 2001 -
( American Pie )
 Years
from now, when film historians look back at the most memorable movie
moments of 1999, they'll talk about John Cusack being dumped onto
the side of the New Jersey turnpike in Being John Malkovich, The
Blair Witch Project's grainy and ambiguous final shot, and the Kevin
Spacey/Mena Suvari rose-colored dream sequence in American Beauty.
Thousands of sex-crazed male teens, however, will most likely recall
Shannon Elizabeth's steamy, scene-stealing performance as Nadia,
American Pie's naughty Czech exchange student. In a scene that opened
the floodgates to a river of pubescent wet dreams, the luscious
Elizabeth strips, lays semi-naked on the bed, and casually "reads"
a few porn magazines (talk about an indelible cinematic image).
When Jim (Jason Biggs), Pie's virginal hero, arrives to nervously
"lend a hand," Elizabeth seduces him in a classic scene
that's equal parts lust and laughs. So what will she do for an encore?
Well, after making her privates public in Playboy and gracing the
current issue of Maxim, the sexy-model-turned-scrumptious-starlet
can be seen in the upcoming Keenan Ivory Wayans' comedy, Scary Movie,
the first of her three-picture deal with Miramax. After that, who
knows? Elizabeth, who once dreamed of becoming a pro tennis player,
now finds herself knee-deep in film offers, the bonus for a job
done right. "I want to play a good, strong female character,"
she says. "I want to get away from the high school thing and
do other types of roles. And," she adds, "I'm not doing
any more nudity."
In a recent interview, you talked about the lack of direction in
American Pie's famous "seduction scene." Did you discuss
the shot with Jason Biggs beforehand?
Jason wouldn't talk to me [laughs]. He was terrified.
That was one of the first scenes we had done together, so we still
didn't know each other very well. He actually talked to Joe [Reitman,
Elizabeth's boyfriend, and an actor himself] more than he talked
to me. They already knew each other, so I think he felt more comfortable
around him.
Do you think Joe's presence made him uncomfortable?
Yeah, I think he was a little nervous that Joe was there,
but so was everybody else [laughs]. Everyone was like, "Your
boyfriend's here?!? Is he okay with this?!? Is he gonna be cool?"
They all started catering to him because they were afraid he was
gonna freak out. It was like, "Hey man, do you need some water?
Can we get you anything? Here, take these headphones!" Finally,
I was like, "Hell-ooo? I'm the one getting naked here! Nobody's
helping me!?
How long did it take for Jason to finally relax?
Well, that scene took more than half a day to shoot. We did
it in a warehouse and it was really hot and we were all dying from
the heat, so I don't know if he ever did get completely comfortable.
I thought it was kind of weird when I lay down on top of him and
kissed him and he didn't kiss me back. I couldn't figure out if
he was staying in character and just didn't want to, or if he was
still really terrified.
You took your parents to the film's premiere. Did
you have to sit them down beforehand and brace them for the big
scene?
 I
had been preparing them for awhile, giving them little hints here
and there. By the time they saw the film, I think they knew what
to expect.
What was it like to sit next to them and watch
it?
I wasn't sure how my dad would react. My friends and I kept glancing
over at them, but they loved it. There was an agent sitting behind
them and he told me he was embarrassed to watch the scenes because
he knew they were in front of him. My parents have always been very
open and they trust my decisions.
Does Joe get jealous when you kiss another actor?
Joe is so understanding. He knows that it's all part of the business
and that there's nothing he can do about it. Besides, he knows I
love him.
How do you handle it when the roles are reversed
and he's the one kissing a co-star?
I haven't had to deal with anything like that yet, so I don't know.
I do know he loves me and we come home to each other every night,
and if there's anything either of us feels weird about, we discuss
it. At the end of the day, you have to learn to deal with it. Besides,
it's just acting.
|
