Interviews for Riding in Cars with Boys

BRITTANY MURPHY (Fay)

You and Drew seem a lot alike. How did you hit it off?
The first time we met was like fireworks (laughing). Love at first sight. We got along like a house on fire from the second we met. We sort of got to know each other through our characters.

You seem to have a natural flair for comedy. In this film, you have some unusual make-out positions such as up against a wall, kicking the back of a seat, etc. Do you do improv?
That was Penny. (Imitating Penny Marshall) "Get your leg up higher on the wall, okay, wait, no down, alright, put your left side, left side..." (more laughing) "Kick the chair, kick the chair, again." She did everything. I owe every bit of everything that I did in this picture, besides bringing my own self to work every day, to Penny. Anything that ended up onscreen was completely Penny's work, not mine. She just used me as a resource to her talent.

Did you study the 60s?
I did, but not extensively. Anything that I needed to know, I was informed about - but it's an era that I've already been informed about. I've worked in the 60s a few times before and was supposed to do a Janis Joplin film a few years ago, and I'd already researched a lot about that sort of stuff. I love that era and I thought it was a really cool time period to be in. It's one I really regret not being born during.

Things were different for women during that time period. Does it make you appreciate or think about what it must have been like for women back then?
It makes me appreciate the fact that these women that we played, and Beverly, Penny, or anyone born during that time, paved the way for people that are my age. Paved the way for me, paved the way for Drew. I hope it just continues going on like that. I just have to thank everyone. Look at how different things are today. It just blows my mind. I appreciate what everyone had to go through and the fights that women fought to get us where we are today.

What would Beverly and Fay be like today, if they experienced the exact same type of situations as they did in the film?
They were definitely branded with the scarlet letter, in the time period they grew up in. I don't know what they'd be going through today, but I know that things would be quite different though. Maybe, maybe not, different in certain ways, but not in others.

Your singing voice is pretty good in the wedding scene. Are you planning on doing more of that?
Oh yeah, I love that. That's another thing for me - like entertaining, it's all the same thing to me. That wasn't my style of singing. I sang how I thought they would sing. That was my interpretation of what I thought they would sound like. I would like to - it's a future goal - getting into that end of things.

People who work with Penny or Garry Marshall always seem to do impressions of them. Did that happen on the set?
No, Penny - her presence was definitely strong enough on the set that no one needed to do an impression of her. She was constantly there being herself, so there was no need. Of course, everyone always does impressions of Penny. That woman is just a force of nature.

Why is that that actors love to do their voices?
Because it's too much fun - too much fun. It's like people doing Christopher Walken, you know? It's just too great, and very particular. I don't know Garry at all, but if you've been inside of Penny's world - speaking from experience - you just can't help but want to do it. It's like doing an impression of your mom or a relative, an aunt or someone really close to you.

How does it feel to watch yourself onscreen?
It depends on the movie. It's definitely an odd thing seeing your eyeball the size of your whole body sometimes. That's really weird. Can you imagine a teardrop the size of your head? It's strange, but the more I do get an opportunity to see it, the more I can get used to it, but not really. Not used to it, but become more comfortable with it. I don't believe I'll ever be comfortable with it. Generally my big problem with watching myself is seeing the disillusionment of my own face when I picture these characters to look so differently while I was playing them. I never expected them to look like me.

When you were younger, did you imagine yourself getting to this point where you'd have all this sort of stuff going on?
I just wanted to entertain, and there wasn't really a vision of a circumstance like this. I had visions of wanting to make an impression on as many people as I possibly could. I'll just leave it at that. Not specific ones, but anything I was exposed to and liked to see, that was then put on my list of something I'd like to accomplish and do, pertaining to entertaining. It basically came from wanting to get out all that's inside me, and I get to make other people happy in the process.

If you met someone who had never seen any of your movies, which one film would you pick to show him or her?
A movie of the week that I did a couple of years ago called "David and Lisa." It was an "Oprah Winfrey Presents" film.

Why that film?
I just love that movie. It is just so pure, and a beautiful story. I guess I'd also say "Sidewalks of New York" and then "Don't Say a Word."

Have you gotten sick of hearing the phrase "I'll never tell" from the "Don't Say a Word" commercial?
No, I think it's a piece of work. I'm getting a big kick out of it.

Do people come up to you on the street and say it?
(Imitating herself) "I'll never tell." Not on the street really, because my life has been a little secluded since that film has been in the world. I've been working across the street from the hotel where I'm living in downtown Detroit. So I go to the production office, and then back to the hotel room. Sometimes I'll see a movie - and this has been for the past week - so it's been sort of limited to those two blocks.

You're filming the new Eminem movie in which you play his girlfriend. How is that going?
He's great. I adore him so far. He's an incredible actor and I do believe - and you can quote me on this - he's going to be absolutely fantastic. He's a brilliant musician. He's a brilliant musician and I believe it's the same thing - it all comes from that source of energy. I sort of understand - I never really intended on being an actor, I intended on being a performer or an entertainer in any way, shape or form imaginable. In some form I understand where he's coming from and I just know him channeling that energy in another place... He's been incredible in rehearsals, better than most actors I've ever worked with, and more honest than most actors I've ever worked with before.

What's the name of the film?
It's called "The Untitled Detroit Project."

What was it like when you first met him?
I really like him very much. He's such a cool guy. He's a good person, he's honest. He is an honest person and he's funny and talented. He's really lovely to be around.

How do fans approach you?
That's not a word that's in my vocabulary. I feel uncomfortable using that word, at least at this point in my life. I think we are all people. I use the word for myself, I'm a fan of Drew's, and I'm a fan of so many people. It seems really odd to talk about that, and use that word. For someone to be that to me - I haven't accepted that as a reality yet, so it sounds just weird. I have a friend who's famous, and she uses the words "known person" as opposed to famous, which I think is really cute. Kathy Najimy does that - she's great. I think if someone were to come up to me and remember me from somewhere, then thank you! I welcome it - I thank them, and I've always been quite friendly. It's nice meeting new people. Sometimes it makes the day longer, depending on the circumstances, but that's fine by me. I'm completely honored that anyone would remember me and feel compelled to say something.

Was "Don't Say a Word" the first film you've done that captured the box office right away?
I don't know. It's the first time I've ever been aware of it. It's the first time where I've been privy to terms like - a test screening. I mean I knew what a test screening was by people trying to get in to them, or by me trying to get into them on the street. I didn't know things about test screenings, and box office numbers, and the world of these commercial films. It's something that's very new to me. I think it's so exciting that the movie was number one and especially being the first weekend after everything that's happened, in the wake of everything, I think it's nice for Gary (Felder) the director. I'm very proud of Gary the director and I'm very proud of Michael Douglas. I'm proud to be a part of the picture, and I'm also proud to be a part of it because it's about the prevailing evil and one New Yorker's courage under a terribly stressful time, and how his courage outweighs any evil. I think that that's pretty wonderful. They didn't cut the Twin Towers out of the film, and that makes me happy.

What was it like to work with Michael Douglas?
Michael is an avid professional, a pure class act. He basically knows everything that is going on on a set at any given moment. It can take people 45 minutes to come up with an answer, but he'll keep his mouth shut and let people figure it out on their own, unless otherwise asked. He is such a classy, lovely man and obviously, a brilliant actor - that goes without being said. He was really wonderful. He's so trustworthy and honest, which I've always felt from watching him on the screen. He emits the same sort of trusting ease in person. He's kind of a really nice, normal guy.

How do you think Hollywood moves forward now in the wake of current events?
I don't know. I can only speak for myself. I was given orders on Monday by the President, because I'm a citizen of the United States, to go back to work and to be as strong and brave as possible. I think that's what we're all to do. I think that's all our duties - it doesn't separate any one of us. We are all one unit here.