Anna Faris, Scary Movie 4 Interview

Starring: Anna Faris, Craig Bierko, Regina Hall, Leslie Nielsen, Simon Rex directed by David Zucker

ANNA SCARES UP A STORM FOURTH TIME AROUND

by Paul Fischer in Los Angeles.

Virtually an unknown when Anna Faris burst onto the screen with the original Scary Movie, the beautiful blonde comic actress continues to diversify with roles in the likes of Lost in Translation and Brokeback Mountain, as well as the Scary Movie franchise, Waiting, and the upcoming My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Smiley Face. Faris talked exclusively to Paul Fischer.

Paul Fischer: Now every time I talk to you, you swear to me that you are not going to do another Scary Movie.

Anna Faris: No, I dont. Do I?


Paul Fischer: Yes, you do.

Anna Faris: Oh, no. Im a liar. Im very bad. Im very sorry.


Paul Fischer: Apparent so

[Laughter]

Paul Fischer: Why DID you decide to return to this territory?

Anna Faris: Well, I have to tell you I liked to say that I do silly, fun projects like Brokeback Mountain so I can do heavier projects like Scary Movie 4 that was a joke. Was it bad?


Paul Fischer: No, Im laughing on the inside.

Anna Faris: Oh, well. First of all, theyre really fun for me to do. Its sort of like putting on an old pair of jeans. Its the only environment now that I can approach film-wise where Im really comfortable. You know? I mean were all friends up there when we shoot these movies and, I feel a sense of ownership now over the franchise which is a really good feeling. I also think that there just arent that many out there for women, even though this isnt exactly a comedic role.


Paul Fischer: What do you think youve learnt the most doing these films as an actress and a comedienne?

Anna Faris: Well I think Ive learned that theres no vanity in comedy. And also Ive learned how to do a lot of physical comedy - just the gags, the falling, the tripping, getting hit by things and falling back and that stuff sort of requires a certain amount of skill.


Paul Fischer: did it take a while for casting people and producers to take you seriously, because youve done some really wonderful stuff beyond these movies.

Anna Faris: Thank you. ye, I think, that it certainly wasnt like all doors were open after Scary Movie made a lot of money. Im not so much the Scary Movie girl in the eyes of Hollywood, Im more the funny girl, and Im not quite sure still why, theres such a division between peoples eyes between comedic actors and dramatic actors, so I think that thats more of what Im dealing with now, not necessarily being attached to the Scary Movie franchise, but just trying to maybe do more dramatic work. Because to me, and I think to most people - doing comedy is quite a bit harder in a lot of ways, so its been a sort of an interesting journey in that realm, but I feel like as my sort of body of work continues to grow, it its become a lot easier.


Paul Fischer: How shocked were you by Brokeback Mountain and its Oscar glory, etc.?

Anna Faris: Well, I was only on set for three days and I really felt like it was going to be a special project. I thought the script was amazing, the crew was really small and very select and everything was done with so much care that it felt like it was bound to be, a really beautiful movie. But I wasnt too surprised. Its tough for me because I didnt have that much involvement in it. Im not sure if Jake, Heath and Ang and everybody were really surprised or not. But for me as just sort of a little bit of an outsider, I didnt feel too surprised.


Paul Fischer: Youre remarkably busy. I mean you just finished shooting My Super Ex-Girlfriend with for Ivan Reitman, right?

Anna Faris: Yes.


Paul Fischer: What was that experience like, and who do you play in that?


Anna Faris: Uma Thurman stars as a superhero thats dating Luke Wilson. She ends up being sort of a crazy girlfriend. And so he breaks up with her and then we start dating and she gets very jealous, very annoyed and takes her anger out on us. Then, hilarity ensues.


Paul Fischer: Talk about working with Ivan.

Anna Faris: Ivan was great. I was really thrilled to work with such a legend, of comedy. And hes a really, really smart man, and I was honoured. I mean he saw me in stuff and so and offered me that role instead of me fighting for it and auditioning for it, which was a huge honour for me.


Paul Fischer: Now youre also filming Gregg Arakis new movie?

Anna Faris: Im shooting that now. I go back to work on Monday.


Paul Fischer: Smiley Face, right?

Anna Faris: Smiley Face, yes.


Paul Fischer: So you play a girl who eats pot brownies?

Anna Faris: I eat a lot. I eat 12.


Paul Fischer: Wow. Did you have to do any research on this at all?

Anna Faris: [Laughter]. Well I did go to college.

[Laughter]

Anna Faris: but you know its a really great role. Im really having the best time and I feel so lucky to be a young woman and being able to play a role like this. I feel like theyre always written for men.


Paul Fischer: What happens to her as she eats these12 pot brownies?

Anna Faris: Well, she goes to an audition and she tries to sell weed to a casting director and then after shes she gets really paranoid she ends up finding the original manuscript thats a communist manifesto by Karl Marx and tries to organise a union in a sausage factory - and many other adventures. Its really fun. Im just its just a very offbeat comedy and, Im really having such an amazing time on it.


Paul Fischer: Are you signed to do another Scary Movie? Do you think youll do one more?

Anna Faris: I would love to do one more. I really would - especially if Reginas signed on. Of course, I want to do other things, and Id love to be able to balance things out, doing some more serious work and then being able to come back and do a Scary Movie. It sounds pretty ideal to me.


Paul Fischer: So you never know, right. Do you have anything signed up after Smiley Face?

Anna Faris: No. Im just going to, take a break. Ive been working since September so Im looking forward to, to a little bit of down time, and then well sort of see what happens. Ill start trying to peddle myself around town, if anybody will hire me.


More Female Interviews: www.femail.com.au/interviewsfemaleactors.htm
More Male Interviews: www.femail.com.au/interviewsfemaleactors.htm
DVD Releases: www.femail.com.au/dvd_video_releases.htm