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Serious Moonlight

Coverage by Nobuhiro Hosoki

 

Actress and Director Cheryl Hines

Q. How’s everything going?

A. Fan-tastic! I am happy to be here.

Q. Did you keep up a relationship with Andy after “Waitress”?

A. Good question. I really didn’t know Andy Ostroy(Husband of Late Adrienne Shelly)very well when we shot “Waitress” but I got to know Andy and Michael Roiff(producer) more when I was promoting “Waitress” so I guess so. This project came pretty soon after we just came out because I was in Paris promoting “Waitress” at the time when I was approached for this project. It was pretty soon after that. Yeah, we became good friends--Andy and I.

Q. Did he immediately think of you when he decided to be part of this project?

I don’t know if he immediately thought of me. You’ll have to ask him. I know he interviewed several directors. A lot of people wanted to change the script and it was very important to Andy that they didn’t make changes

Q. How does it feel to switch to the other side, not only from television to film, but being behind the camera?

A. It was intense. I’m not going to laugh. I found myself working 16-18 hour days and I knew it was going to be hard work and all of that, but when I was actually doing it, it was eye-opening, yeah. But it was exciting, too. I mean I felt like I was really creating something extraordinary so it was very—

Q. Personally, or in the whole film?

A. Not personally, not that extraordinary personally. As far as the film goes—first that it was written by Adrienne Shelly, and she wrote this great script. And then to work with these great actors and to work on these themes and this story—it was really extraordinary.

Q. Did you feel a tremendous sense of responsibility, like you were carrying the torch…?

A. Yeah, I feel a responsibility to the project because of Adrienne. But what was really good was working with Andy and Michael. They never made me feel pressure about carrying Adrienne’s torch. We really didn’t sit around and say “What would Adrienne want?” which I think was very helpful because I think truly what Adrienne would want was for us to make a good film. I think you get yourself in trouble asking “What would somebody else think? What would somebody else want?”—I felt that wasn’t the right space to be in.

Q. Could you talk for a minute about Adrienne’s voice? Is there something totally unique about the story?

Adrienne was so gifted at capturing drama and comedy at the same time, and “Serious Moonlight” does what “Waitress” did in some ways where you’re watching it and thinking, “I know this is a comedy—I can’t believe hat this happened, because that’s not funny.” Then you get a little confused: “Is this a comedy or drama? I thought I was coming to watch a comedy.” And then you let go of the idea: “It doesn’t matter what it is —I just want to watch the story. I just want to see what happens next.” One of the things that was great about “Waitress” was that one minute you’re laughing and the next minute you’re gasping because you can’t believe he just hit her. And the same thing happens in “Serious Moonlight.” It’s a totally different vibe as a film. It’s a little darker actually, but there are moments where you feel like “Wow—that’s across the line ‘cause I’m uncomfortable.” There are those moments, and it‘s good. I think that’s what attracted me to the film; I think she was good at capturing that particular tone that you don’t get to see very often.

Q. Do you feel Meg Ryan plays--? She makes things that appear ridiculous seem as if they could really happen?

She’s very good in this film. She plays a character that can very easily be disliked. Her character does some desperate things but she as an actress brings something to Louise that makes you want to root for her even though you think she’s really off-base.

Q. Two things. First of all, did you even for a split second see yourself doing Meg Ryan’s part in the film. And b) do you think the story can actually take place in real life.

A. When I read the script I loved the role of Louise. I read it thinking, “Oh my god, this would be such a great role to play.

Q. Did you read that as a director or an actor?

A. I was only approached as a director. It’s a good question because I didn’t have the opportunity to read it seeing myself as an actress in that role. It was a great role, and certainly any actress would be thrilled I would love to do it

Q. Do you think a story like that could take place?

A. Could it take place? That’s what’s interesting about the story, I think. Have you seen the film? You know what it’s about? I think if it takes place, that‘s what is interesting. It could take place. What’s great about it is it’s one of those things that you feel like watching it—“Oh my God, I could do that to someone, or could I?” Or maybe I could—you see yourself in those different characters. And that’s the beauty of Adrienne and her writing: Sometimes you forgive logic a little bit with her writing, like in “Waitress,” because of the story she’s telling. I don’t know if you sat there and picked apart “Serious Moonlight.” There are probably things where you‘d say, “Wait a second—why would they have…?” But you don’t, because it’s a good story—that’s the point.

Q. Did you get a better sense of what was possible in the story?

A. I think I’m more the logic police when I go watch a film than I was 15 years ago, Fifteen years ago I was excited to be in the air conditioning. Now I say, “Do we take this literally or is this a sign—is there a reason why there’s blue light in the background?” I start looking at things differently.

Q. You mentioned before this is a great role for any actress, but it’s particularly a good role for Meg Ryan because we’ve missed her, she hasn’t been around lately. Can you tell us a little more about that?

A. It’s nice to see Meg in this role because she a woman who’s come undone a little bit and is losing control a little bit. In a lot of her work, we always see her in control, and to see her come undone and still find the levity in the character—it’s good to see Meg doing that—

Q. Did she have a sense of that on the set, of how she was approaching the role?

Yes, yes, I think it’s a difficult tone. The tone of the film is difficult. One minute it’s very dark, and the next minute you might have a laugh-out-loud moment. We did a lot of rehearsing and talking going through it beat by beat with Meg and Kim. Hopefully we found all the beats.

Q. Can you tell me about how significant it was for you to involve Adrienne with the foundation?

Andy Ostroy set up the Adrienne Shelly foundation to support female filmmakers. Andy felt there was a need to make an extra effort to help women make films. It is interesting that we are quite the minority out there, so yes, any sort of contribution in any way to the Foundation is very much appreciated.

Q. Did you feel it was a coincidence in any way that both you and Larry David has a film in Tribeca Film Festival?

A. It is a crazy coincidence. We were just sitting in LA last week looking at each other, going “This is so weird and great.” If you told me five years ago, ”You and Larry are going to be in New York, Larry doing a Woody Allen movie and you directing Meg Allen…” Yeah, so it was crazy, what are the odds of that?

Q. Is there anything you can tell us about the “Seinfeld,” what’s going to happen?

A. (Laughter) Nothing. Sorry, there’s nothing I can tell you—you have to watch it. It’s going to be a pretty amazing kickass season. That’s what people are going to be watching, saying “Wait a second? What?—“

End.