The Brothers Grimm (2005)

Die Gebrüder Grimm

Interview with Monica Bellucci

Monica Bellucci started her career as a model to finance her studies at the university of Perugia in Italy. Her first international success as an actress was a bit part in in 1992. Since then she was able to establish herself in various kinds of films from the small like L'appartement to Hollywood Blockbusters like Matrix Reloaded. She's married to the french actor Vincent Cassel. Together they have a daugther called Deva. When she invited OutNow.ch to her hotel room there were unfortunately also about four other journalists and the only thing we could do, was talking. Nevertheless she charmed us with her wonderful Italian accent and an incredible dress.

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OutNow.CH (ON): Terry Gilliam just told us, that he hired you, to bring the gruesome element of the faiytales into the movie.

Monica Bellucci (MB): No! He never had a special idea about my character, we decided all on the set. And I thought, it might be better not to be just mean, because that would have been too flat. So we tried to do something more intelligent, more sweet, more special. And for me, I accepted, because of the dual character - the young and the old queen. I had to play both of them! The make-up was very hard, it took me many hours. And the old voice, the young voice. And the character came out very strong and iconic. And that is why I said yes. And also, because I wanted to work with Terry Gilliam of course. I love his work. And I love this film. Because it is a mix of fairy tales, a combination of fantasy and fear. And because of that, we can recognise the Gilliam-Trademark, like Brazil or Baron Münchhausen, which are my favourites actually. And I love this evil queen who cursed herself into immortality, and unfortunately forgets to ask for eternal youth and beauty. For me, this makes the film very modern, because it is a metaphor who touches anyone who believes, that he is only the image he sees in the mirror. And when the image, the myth is destroyed, the person gets destroyed along with it. And in a different way, we are all victims of vanity.

ON: If you could choose between every single fairy tale creature to play, which one would it be?

MB: I do not know, there are so many. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, little red riding hood. You know, I grew up with the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. By the way: What I also like about Terry Gilliam: Although the film was full of special effects, he gave the actors much liberty to act, to perform. Sometimes, when a film has got such strong images, the actors get crashed by the imagery.

ON: While you were shooting Brothers Grimm, did you experience any moments when you felt "Wow, this is Terry Gilliams Magic"?

MB: Always. Just already when I came on the set, and when I saw the forest, the tower and the costumes. Everything was so beautiful and so magical already. Prague was the perfect city for this movie, because it is very mysterious and beautiful. It has the perfect atmosphere for a film like that.

ON: Was it hard to understand his vision?

MB: No, no, no. Terry is very intelligent and he even wants you to come up with ideas. I accepted, even though it was just for twenty minutes. Sometimes I play big roles, sometimes small roles. For me, acting is not a matter of minutes, but a matter of roles.

ON: Were you afraid at all to work with him? I mean, you know his reputation, you have probably seen Lost in la mancha, the documentary.

MB: Terry Gilliam is a problem for the production, not for the actors. All actors love Terry. You know, he is one of the few directors who love and respect actors and their work. And then of course, he is, visually, a very intelligent and eclectic person. For the production, it is not easy to deal with that, because he is such a free spirit, almost like a child. For me, it is an honour to be part of this movie, because I am sure that this is going to be another movie that students are going to study at school. Because it is such a strong and beautiful movie.

ON: Heath Ledger made it pretty clear, that he supported Terry at the conflict between him and the Weinsteins. Was that the case with all the actors?

MB: We all support Terry (laughs). Oh no, Terry is so loved from all of us.

ON: So, how did this conflict touch you?

MB: I did not feel it, actually. All I had to do, was being on the set and giving my performance. My relation was just to Terry. So I did not feel any pressure. It did not interfere in my work. And anyway, this kind of conflict happens all the time. It is always the same with big and difficult movies. These problems between the money and the artistic section.

ON: Which of your other films do you think will be studied at film schools?

MB: Malèna, Irreversible...these two for sure.

ON: Have you had any contact with Gaspar Noé since Irréversible?

MB: Oh, Gaspar. He does so many things. Short films and stuff, you know... but he is preparing another feature movie. Really soon I think. About very young people.

ON: How many times have you seen Irreversible? Can you stand to see it?

MB: The film means so much to me. In France it is like a cult-movie, it is so strange and small, but so special. I am happy that I have done it, because it is so different compared to all the other things I have done. I have seen in twice, but it is difficult to watch for me.

ON: What about The passion of the Christ? Are you still glad, that you did this movie?

MB: You know, I am not catholic. I am agnostic, so I cannot talk about things, that I cannot explain. But from Mel Gibson's point of view, it is an honest movie and as I say all the time, the life of Jesus is violent. The film could not be any different. And I wanted to play Mary Magdalena, because I think it is a classic.

ON: It is a strange combination to do both films like Irreversible and The passion of the Christ. The only thing they share is the...

MB: ...violence, yes. This is why I like fairy tales by the way. Through them you can explain reality. They have got everything, love, hate, jealousy. Life is terrible, you know.

ON: An important quote from your character in the movie is "Reality is worse than fiction". Do you agree with that?

MB: I think, people often say "Films are violent" or "this film is too violent", this is what happened to The passion of the Christ or Irreversible. But I say films always take their inspiration from the reality and I think nothing is more violent than reality. Films are better than reality, even though when they are violent, they are never as violent as reality.

ON: What kind of roles would you like to play in the future?

MB: Different things. I am lucky that I have to possibility to play for Italian, French and American directors. And for me, the experience with all these different people is not just an experience as an actor, but also as a person. Right now, I am shooting an Italian film with an Italian director, called Paolo Virzì and the film is called N - Napoleon, with Daniel Auteuil, who plays Napoleon. And I am going to play the role of Emily. Afterwards I am going to shoot a French movie, called Le Concile de Pierre, based on a French novel. Just different things all over.

ON: It must be great to be asked to play Goszinny's Cleopatra and the Grimms' Mirror Queen...

MB: Sometimes I play icons of course, like Persephone in Matrix Revolutions, the witch in this film or Cleopatra, but sometimes I play the opposite. I have to say, I am very lucky for that. You know, to have the possibility to do many different things at the same time. I know, that I have so much to learn and each time I make a movie, the talented directors give me the possibility to be better This is why I like to work with director like Spike Lee, Terry Gilliam, Mel Gibson.

ON: By the choice of your films, it is pretty clear that you are looking for creative directors whose first criterium is not the box office. On the other hand you are always the beautiful woman on the cover of the magazines which is a more shallow part of your career. How do you look at this combination of those different preferences?

MB: I think this is something I cannot control. I can control my choices, but nothing more. Then, covers of magazines, the images you propose are something you cannot control really. Sometimes, I am on the cover of magazines that I do not even know.

ON: This issue about fertility...

MB: Oh yes, there is a big thing right now, because there is a new law against artificial insemination, which is a horrible thing, especially for poor people. Rich women can go to Paris, or all over Europe or even to America, but here it is going to be impossible. It is stupid, because it is just a political game whose victims are the women. They just want the votes from the Christians. I tried to do something, and so did a lot of other women, but nothing changed. Which is terrible.

ON: Would you consider to be some kind of a political spokeswoman?

MB: No, I am not a political actress. I am just a woman who said something like many other women.

ON: Do you like the fact that you have to travel all around the world to play the roles you want to play?

MB: I think it is the only way to exist as an Italian actor. I mean, we have good directors, many talents in Italy. But the problem lies within economic and political reasons, we just do not have so much support. I love to come back in my country to do things once in a while, but in the same time I need to work in France and in America.

ON: Your child always travels with you?

MB: Yes, always.

ON: Is it hard to find a balance between work and family?

MB: We are actors. We travel all the time. So we get used to this kind of life. Actually it is the only life we know. And my child is always with me, and I realise how lucky I am to be an actor. Because in my job, you can have the baby with you. If I was a lawyer or a doctor, it would be impossible to bring my baby with me. While I was shooting in France, I did the film with Bertrand Blier, my baby was three months old. I was breast feeding on the set every two hours, it was just great. It is a good work for that.

ON: An actor I know, he is 85 Years old and is still making movies, told me that a face gets more interesting with every other year. Do you agree with that?

MB: What can I say? I think that the evolution through my work is going to be better and better, I hope. But to get old is not really something that makes me happy. To get old means to die soon (laughs). And I love to live, I would love to live forever - like the queen. But it is impossible, I do not have any magic beans, and so I have to deal with life. But I love the idea to have a baby, because a baby keeps your feet on the ground. You are more attached to reality.

ON: What do you think about this quest for eternal youth and immortality?

MB: Eternal youth and beauty is impossible! But I have to say, you know, I am more lucky to be a European Actress than to live in Hollywood.

ON: What aspects of Italy do you like the most, what aspect can you not find anywhere else?

MB: The big quality of life. People go in vacation in July and do not come back until September for example. When I speak to American people, they have one week of holidays per year. They only concentrate on work, money, obsession, career and everything. In Italy people live more day by day. We call it "il bel paese" you know. It is a beautiful country which is true actually.

10.09.2005 / mazemaster, andri, rm