Non-MX Interviews: Lauren Lee Smith ('07 Tiscali)

Pic from Kino Radio

Tiscali One Way Video: Lauren Lee Smith [A second link to the video is here.]

One Way Interview transcript

Interviewer: Okay, playing a rapist, possible one of the hardest scene for an actress, is this right, to play?
Lauren: Yeah. I mean, definitely, emotionally it's very difficult. But in a way I have to say that I think the more challenging was the revenge part of Angelina's story that to me was a little bit harder, because it's not very usual that we see that. So while we were filming that, it was very hard to wrap my head around what would be real and what wouldn't. So, you know, definitely playing the victim part is difficult, but I think it's quite often that we see women playing the victim part.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Lauren: So, yeah. I think for me it was definitely being the rapist as opposed to the rape victim was definitely more challenging.
Interviewer: What do you think about this eye for an eye principle that is sometimes promoted in the movie?
Lauren: Well, I think it brings up an interesting topic in a way. It gets people talking, which to me is always interesting. You know, my personal views? I'm not one for revenge necessarily, and when I first read the script, I wasn't 100% sure if I truly believed in what Angelina does. But after speaking to women who had gone through similar experiences as Angelina, I found out that they were all for this, and very much applauded what she does. And I found that very, very interesting, and sort of gave me a new confidence going into the role, having known that.
Interviewer: Both you playing the victim and the rapist, say there's a reason for what they do, that they lost control. So don't you think that that brings them in some way to the same level?
Lauren: To the same level, yeah. I guess in a way, it goes back to what I was saying, you know. It really does bring up a whole topic of conversation, and I think everyone who would read the film or see the film would probably have a very different opinion of what she does and a different view of it. I think some people would very much agree, and some people, not necessarily. Because, you're right. She is sort of doing what has happened to her. But it was interesting to me when I was doing some research for the film and talking to women who had gone through what Angelina's gone through, to find out that they didn't necessarily all want to see their rapists in jail or with the death penalty. A lot of them felt that what would like to see is their rapist go through what they went through. Not necessarily just for revenge, but to physically and emotionally feel the pain and the suffering and the embarrassement and the shame that they had to go through. Because a lot of them felt that that was the worst part of all of it. So it brings up a whole interesting conversation topic to me because everyone will have their own opinion about it.
Interviewer: Mm-hmm. The rape is shown quite long and detailed too, detailed for me. For what reason do you think this was necessary?
Lauren: You mean, when Angelina's being raped?
Interviewer: Yes.
Lauren: I think for the audience to give a better understanding of why she does what she does, it needed to be shown in a way that you would actually understand, you know, why she does it. Because it's very, very extreme, the revenge that she does with Anthony. So I think that it was important to show her pain and her suffering. Originally, it wasn't even in the script; it wasn't gonna be shown at all. And just sort of last minute, Sebastian, who plays Anthony, and Rito and Til said, "You know what? I think we should just give it a shot and see what happens." And it ended up, we all ended up thinking that it was the better choice to show it.
Interviewer: And was it easy to leave feelings and pictures behind after finishing the shooting?
Lauren: It's always a little bit difficult after to just sort of take yourself out of it, but you know, in a way, as an actor, you have to do that. Otherwise, you'll end up going home with all sorts of crazy feelings. [She laughs.] So, yeah.
Interviewer: Some actors do.
Lauren (laughing): Some actors do, I think you're right, absolutely. For me, it's probably not the healthiest thing, so I try to leave it behind as much as possible.
Interviewer: And do you think there are still existing taboos concerning rape? Or victims of rape?
Lauren: I absolutely think there are taboos surrounding it, you know? It's like I said, you know, everyone has such different opinions, and my opinion, that's what makes this film so interesting, because it brings up those topics. And with Til's story as well, you know, the consequences of one lie and the chain reaction of events that unfold after that. Angelina, you know, suffering quite a bit when she was younger, and then having to go through it again years later, and then getting revenge... It's all somewhat taboo in a way. So, yeah.
Interviewer: One Way is about a wrong decision of this young man that determines his whole life and her whole life. Besides this criminal topic, did you ever feel that a decision of you could determine the next 10 or 20 years.
Lauren: Yeah, you know, it's interesting. After looking at the script, it's funny, when you start looking at your own experiences and looking back. And yeah, it's funny when you start looking at it years later, or whatever, and just thinking, "Wow, I wonder if I hadn't done this, what would be happening right now?" [She laughs.] It's so true.
Interviewer: Did you know Til Schweiger before shooting this movie?
Lauren: No, no, I didn't. I didn't know Til at all, which was kind of nice, because I came into it...
Interviewer: You were like, Til who?
Lauren: Exactly! [She laughs.] I was like who's this Til and why's everyone freaking out about him? Then, of course, I met him and he was wonderful. And then I guess when it really shocked me the most was when we first came to Germany to shoot, and just the amount of people waiting everywhere for him. I was like, "Wow, yeah, all right!" [She laughs.]
Interviewer: After shooting with Til for several weeks, do you know now any German words or sentences? Did you...?
Lauren: You know, I've gotta say, Til was horrible in teaching me! I asked him from day one to teach me, and you know, he would give me things to say after every take. We would be doing a scene and he would tell me things to say to Rito afterwards, and I was thinking like, "How was that?" or "Did I do a good job?" And I found out later that everything that he taught me was dirty and mean and... [She laughs.] So, unfortunately, my German vocabulary is not very appropriate.
Interviewer: Only one example? No? Too dirty? Okay.
Lauren: Well he did teach me Du bist mein Traummann. He wanted me to say that to him.
Interviewer: Awww.
Lauren: So... [She laughs.]
Interviewer: That's not dirty, not nasty.
Lauren: Yeah.
Interviewer: You played in some successful television series like The L Word, or Mutant X. Is there still a big quality of difference between television and feature film?
Lauren: You know, I think there is somewhat of a difference. You know, with a feature film you have between a month or two months. With a television series, it's a character that you're portraying for a longer period of time. And in my opinion, to do a television series, it has to be a character that you really, really love and that can grow a lot, otherwise, to me, it gets a little bit redundant and boring. I feel that I've been quite lucky with the television that I've done. I've really enjoyed the characters that I've gotten to play. And also I think that just the quality of television, just in the last couple of years, has really stepped up a notch. As far as comparing film and television, I think that television used to be a somewhat, as far as actors were concerned, a little bit taboo. And I think now, it's becoming more and more mainstream.
Interviewer: Okay, thank you!
Lauren: No problem!