THE SKINNY FROM GWYNETH PALTROW (part 3)

Do you think your own business probably reinforces some of those stereotypes? ^ Definitely. What I love about this movie is Jack, who isn’t technically your basic leading man. I mean, he doesn’t look like Tom Cruise, and he’s the star of the movie.
Tell me more about working with Jack Black. He seems to be funny in an annoying ironic way – some comedians are always that, and you just want them to shut up. But he’s just unbelievable. ^ He’s sweet more than – first and foremost, he’s a really good person. And he’s not like an ego-y person and super insecure person. I think a lot of comedians take on that persona because they are insecure but he’s just such a solid guy, and he’s so funny that he doesn’t have to shove it at you. He made me laugh all the time.
How do you still feel so grounded? ^ I’m able because I have a very highly developed sense of denial, and I’m very good at it. So, I don’t – I never recognize the fact that I’m famous or take it to account unless I have to. But I really don’t believe it, and I don’t read anything about myself, and I try to keep it completely separate.
Have you known any shallow men in your own experience? ^ Yes, definitely.
What was the worst experience with a shallow guy? ^ Well, you know, to be honest, I think that most men are shallow, and … most men tend to be, and I think it’s a Darwinian thing, you know, it’s like – well, we won’t get all into that, but anyway, I think men … what has developed as what we consider attractive has developed in the way it has, and men assume and think that if they produce offspring from all of these attractive people, their offspring will be attractive therefore insuring the propagation of their DNA, and that’s the whole point.
Have you ever had in your own life any experience where you tended to be really shallow? ^ Not really, I don’t think so. And I wanted to fall in love with someone who wasn’t attractive at all by other people’s standards, so. I have dated some very attractive men, but they were really nice people, too. They were really good people.
What is the first thing you notice – is it the eyes, his hair. ^ I think eyes, first. Always the eyes.
How would you compare this experience from your next film The Royal Tenenbaums? ^ Oh, it’s completely different. I play Margo Tenenbaum – she’s the middle child, she’s adopted, she’s the only girl, she’s a playwright, and she and her siblings all failed in life. They think it is because their father is kind of mean and not present and leaves. So when they grow up, they were kind of incapable of sustaining their lives or livelihoods for one reason or another, so they all end up moving back in with their mother, Angelica Houston, in order to try and heal. It’s really good.
It was brought up with Jack that certainly some people who are challenged with their weight might take offence at this movie. Do you think they should be? ^ Not at all. I think once they see the film … I can understand sort of taking offense at a concept or in fear that maybe it will be offensive. But I don’t think it’s offensive at all. I think the message is very pro-overweight people, it’s very pro-inner beauty, and …
You don’t think the film’s message is thin is best? ^ I think the message is beauty for me.
What were some of the physical difficulties of working within that suit. ^ Well, if you can imagine someone crazy-gluing apparatus to your whole face so that your skin has no contact with air – over your ears and around the back of your neck, and then a wig on over it … it was very … it took three hours to get it on, so I was getting up at 4:00 in the morning to do my yoga practice before going to the chair for three hours to get this thing on, and an hour to get it off, and it was …
What are the challenges that you have in acting with things that excite you in terms of your profession? ^ Well, I feel like – I don’t know. I get challenged by things … not knowing what they are going to be. I ready something and think this will be interesting or challenging or something I haven’t done, and it will be something I haven’t thought of to do. I’m just very open and open to whatever comes, and open to doing different types of projects and, you know, it’s better to keep learning and working. I feel like there’s a lot I haven’t done yet.
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