businessman Ray Porter
(Martin) and a much less sophisticated roadie named Jeremy (Jason
Schwartzman) pursue Mirabelle at the same time, she finds that neither
suitor is what she expected. Tribute's Robin Stevenson talked to
Martin and Danes at the Toronto International Film Festival.
How does it feel to finally have Shopgirl make it to the big
screen?
Oh, it feels very good. We had a lovely screening (at the festival) with
lots of laughter and tears and applause and it really felt good because
it's been a long journey. The film's been ready for almost a year but we
wanted to wait for the Toronto film festival because it's such a nice
launch pad.
Do you feel your character Ray is
sympathetic? He does some things in the film that made me think, "you
idiot!"
You can't play a character to be sympathetic or likeable or unlikable. You
just have to play the character and let the chips fall where they may.
Last night I was with the wife of a friend of mine, please don't tell my
friend, and she said, "no, I never found him unlikable." But
I've had other people say he was unlikable or as you say, an idiot.
What was it like working with Claire?
She was fantastic. She just defined that role so perfectly, filled it up
and couldn't have portrayed the role better.
What was it about the character Mirabelle that attracted you to the
role?
She's wonderful because she paradoxical in a lot of ways. She is unsure of
herself. She lacks confidence. Then she does these surprisingly bold
things and she is actually capable of identifying what she needs and
finding it. She's passive and active all at once and I like that tension.
She's guileless, decent and searching for love. She's looking for love in
all the wrong places.
You and Jason Schwartzman seemed to
have a real chemistry. What was it like working with him?
A total joy. He's been of friend of mine for a long time. It was a thrill
to be able to, you know, play make-believe with him and to meet him as an
actor after knowing him as a person for quite a while. He's a wonderful
improviser and I'm not. He totally outshined me in that way. I was
desperately trying to tag along and keep up with him.
Was there added pressure working with
Steve because it was his character?
A little bit because I knew how meaningful a story this was for him and I
didn't want to maim it or taint it in any way. But he was also really
happy to ultimately share it with us. He allowed his story to become our
story too.
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