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Mr. Nice

Coverage by Nobuhiro Hosoki

Story : Oxford University student Howard Marks (Rhys Ifans) becomes an international drug smuggler with alleged connections to MI6, the IRA and the Mafia.

Opens June 3, 2011 (Limited 6/3)

Runtime:2 hr. 1 min.

 

Interview with Actress Chloe Sevigny

 

Q: Even though the book is based on "Mr. Nice" by Howard Marks, Judy, who also wrote a novel. Did you read it as part of your research?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): Of course I read that. I'd be a real lazy actress if I didn't (laughter). If you're given something like this, of course you're going to read it. It's the best research to have. She sways her story and direction as most biographies do but it was invaluable.

Q: Was there any elements that you found intriguing while reading her novel and Howard's novel?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I feel like she distanced herself from the criminal activity where she really was a big part of it. I think she did get caught up in the lifestyle, the money, and really enjoyed it, especially the clothes. I think she downplayed a lot of her criminal activity out of guilt because she endangered her own children's well being while this was all going on.

Q: What attracted you to the role of Judy?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I was more attracted to Rhys Ivans. Not attracted as in I wanted to get in the sack with him. But attracted as an actor and human. I've met him several times. We have the same manager in Hollywood. I was just always charmed by him and think he's so talented as an actor. I felt that in this picture he could bring so much more to Howard.

He was friends with the real person and I just knew that he would elevate it to another level. Then I had a meeting with the film's director, Bernard Rose, and he brought all these sequences and images he already edited on the computer. He has so much energy. He's always moving his hands wildly. You just can't help but get swept up in his enthusiasm.

Q: Would you say that Rhys has a rock star quality?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): Oh yeah. Rhys has a good vibe. He's really cool. He's super mellow. He's definitely very professional and a terrific actor. He's nice to be around. You always want to work with people who are good people and so often you hang around people who aren't but I knew Rhys was a good soul and is a good person to be around.

Q: Did you get to meet the real Howard and Judy Marks?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I did. Howard came to the set a few times with some of his children. Unfortunately I didn't get to meet Judy until the very end. It was one of our last days of shooting in Spain and she came. Bernard didn't want me to meet her and I always respect the director's wishes. Now in retrospect I wish I had met her earlier because it would've given me more ideas to play with and humanize her even more.

Q: MR. NICE is a film reminiscent of "SCARFACE" and "BLOW" in showcasing drug dealers. For fans of those films, how you would describe MR. NICE to them?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I feel like it's a friendlier version of those because it's about marijuana so it doesn't seem quite like as violent and destructive. I don't find anything wrong with marijuana. I don't smoke it but if you want to, go ahead. I feel like it's more carefree than those.

There is the whole explaining of how to do the deal and hustle and of course there's some funny drug lords but it's more silly. They're bumbling in a field in Ireland trying to figure out how to send these packages. It's not as intense. It's a softer version of the cliched drug movies. I feel like it's a movie about love and marijuana.

Q: Did you have a guy on set?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): What do you mean by that?

Q: You know how the avenues work?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): Oh do I? I can't smoke pot because I get paranoid but I feel like some other cast and crew members were partaking. There was more hashish than the bong.

Q: So you're not a Method actor?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): No, no, no. I smoke cigarettes and work. I can't drink and work. There's too much stamina necessary.

Q: What do you think about the debate to legalize marijuana?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I try not to get political as an actress. I don't get involved in those types of issues but I'm all for everybody else talking about it.

Q: Did you ever talk with Howard about why he only dealt hashish and didn't deal with hard drugs?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I think at that time that marijuana was his market. It was a big drug. I also think he was against harder drugs. I know he talks about it a lot in the book. I don't remember what his exact reason was but he was very anti-cocaine, anti-heroin, and he just loved hashish. He had a huge market in the UK. He was the main supplier and he was pro-marijuana.

Q: The quality of the film looks like it was shot in that time period. Were you surprised when you saw it cut together how it looked identical to the footage of the time?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): When Bernard and I first met one of the reasons I was so excited about the film was that he showed all of the old footage and how he was going to incorporate the two. Then he told me his ideas of how he was going to shoot it. He is a real auteur. I had seen his other movies.

He has a great taste, has a real eye, and had so many great ideas. I wasn't surprised by the look but I was happily surprised at how good it all came together. I did kind of know it while we were filming. He was operating the camera the whole time and wanted to keep everything natural in the lighting. He made me look better than anyone else in a long time so I was pleased.

Q: One of the most emotional parts of the movie is when Judy talks to Howard in prison about the kids. What were you able to get out of talking with the children and how that experience affected them?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I think it was different for different children. Some have fared better than others but they all seem to be okay. One of the daughters is now a lawyer and was on screen in the court scene. I think they now have some perspective and I'm sure it was jarring and scarring to lose your father for a number of years.

I'm sure it had an emotional toll on them but now they're father is considered to be an icon which has a lot of baggage but they try to deal with it the best they can and I know both Howard and Judy loved them very much.

Q: Did you read the articles that Howard wrote for GQ and Time magazine?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): Actually I didn't because I tried to focus on their live before he got out of jail because that's what the film focuses on. I know he's become more of an icon since he's been released because he wrote the book, goes on speaking tours, and gives lectures. I think by that time the relationship deteriorated and his fame was a part of it. I felt it was best to stay away from all of that.

Q: Howard has a line in the film, "I have this, that, and everything, and I couldn't be more bored." Having met him, do you think he still feels bored with everything he's doing now?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I don't want to speak for him because I don't know him well. Rhys is very close to him so he would have a better idea. He seemed super mellow to me but he could've been stoned the whole time. He seemed happy with his place in the world. His kids are excited about him, his story, and he's trying to do something good with it.

Q: How was it developing a British accent?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): That was the scariest part. They didn't have a real coach work with me. It's so technical that I would have been more confident if I worked with a dialect coach. I was working with the Assistant Director and the PA girls who were trying to teach me.

There was also a lot of improvisation as well. If we kept with the dialogue on the script, I would have been much more comfortable. Improvising was so hard because I was so concerned about keeping the accent, I was afraid I would not have anything good to say. It was very intimidating. I'm not big doing accents.

Q: How much improvisation were you allowed?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): So much. We didn't even rehearse scenes. Bernard would just block it and shot very off the cuff. He wanted everything to feel fresh and natural. It was extremely intimidating. Rhys was incredible at it. David Thewlis was even better as you can imagine.

He knew of Bernard's style and when he came in, he had done so much research that he had an arsenal of different points to make and clever things to say in terms of the context of the scene. I was so impressed with David that I was in awe of him.

Q: TV series "BIG LOVE" just ended its run and the finale. Did receive a lot of buzz. How did you take the fan's response to the finale and do you read any blogs about the show or on films you've done?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): No. I actually avoid the internet. I don't read any of the blogs. I know everybody else get caught up in it but I've had friends and people come up to me on the street that felt they suspected what was going to happen at the end. I didn't. I had different ideas on how it would end.

Q: Could you talk about how much Judy's life changed for her and what she did while in prison?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): In her book she talks about it. She was there for him every day. She was in love with him. I still think that the film is a great love story of the two of them. And of course there's the marijuana.

Q: Has Judy seen it?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): She has. I think she's been to a couple of the festivals and premieres. It's very exciting for everybody involved in the family. I think they were really pleased with the film. Judy and I were emailing each other near the end of the shoot and afterwards. She invited me to her home in Spain. I haven't made it over yet but they were really caught up in the whole thing.

Q: Throughout your career, you've made some very brave and bold choices.

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): As a matter of fact they've all chosen me. I've never gotten a job in an audition. They've all called me offering me the role. I have turned down some roles.

Q: What is the main factor you look into that will make you say yes to the offer?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): In most cases, it's been the writer/director involved. Every film I've done has been a writer/director film with the exception of ZODIAC but that was David Fincher so of course I'll say yes to that. I think I'm more interested in auteurs and directors I admire even though the roles weren't great. Now I'm trying to find more interesting roles.

Q: Any director you haven't worked with that you'd like to?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I have a very long list. Anyone I feel like who is a real master of the craft, I'm interested in them. I can't wait to see Paul Thomas Anderson's next film. I'm interested in those kinds that are real artists working inside the studio system bringing a bigger voice to movies. I'd like to be a part of that.

Q: What's coming up for you?

(CHLOE SEVIGNY): I'm working on a fashion show, then I'm going to England to do a miniseries. I don't know if it's been announced yet. I will be playing a pre-op male to female trained assassin. It's fucking awesome!

 

 

End.