Jessica Biel Easy Virtue Interview

MoviesOnline sat down with the lovely and talented Jessica Biel to talk about her new movie, “Easy Virtue,” a lavish adaptation of Noel Coward's play directed by Australian Stephan Elliott and shot entirely on location in the UK.

Jessica Biel has become one of Hollywood’s most coveted leading women. She was most recently noted for her critically acclaimed performance in “The Illusionist” alongside Oscar nominated actors Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti. She has just completed filming “Nailed,” a comedy directed by David O. Russell and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, James Marsden and Catherine Keener about a waitress who gets a nail accidentally lodged in her head causing unpredictable behaviour. Biel will next be seen in the dramatic film “Powder Blue” starring opposite Oscar winner Forrest Whitaker, Patrick Swayze and Ray Liotta which follows the lives of several Los Angeles strangers who meet by chance on Christmas Eve through a shared tragedy.

In “Easy Virtue,” the twenties have roared... the thirties have yet to swing. John Whittaker (Ben Barnes), a young Englishman, falls madly in love with Larita (Jessica Biel), a sexy and glamorous American woman, and they marry impetuously. However, when the couple returns to the family home, his mother Mrs. Whittaker (Kristin Scott Thomas) has an instant allergic reaction to her new daughter-in-law. Larita tries her best to fit in but fails to tiptoe through the minefield laid by her mother-in-law. The war-weary head of the household, Mr. Whittaker (Colin Firth), however, is sympathetic to his new daughter-in-law’s predicament and takes pleasure in watching the avante garde young woman take the Whittaker family by storm.

Jessica Biel is a terrific actress and we really appreciated her time. Here’s what she had to tell us about her new movie:

Q: You've heard "the past is a nice place to visit but you wouldn't want to live there". After doing this film, did you feel like it might not be so bad [film is set in 1929]?

Jessica: Yes, definitely. When you're living it for two months, kind of on and off, it's fabulous. You want to live there. You want to dress in the beautiful, glamorous, incredible clothes and actually get dressed in the morning to just do anything and have beautiful parties and it seems so fun and frivolous but life was clearly very difficult, living back then. So, yes, it's fun but I'd much prefer to live now. There were so many restrictions, especially for women of course. It was so difficult to do what you want, have a career. You couldn't really do that very easily.

Q: How did you relate to Larita and what did you have to pull out of yourself that is unlike you in order to play her?

Jessica: I related to her in that kind of ‘fish out of water feel.’ I think I've always felt that way growing up just in general. I went to a lot of different schools. I was always the new kid. You're on television and when you go to college you're the kid on television who is at college. Everybody knows you and you don't know anybody. So, I really connect with her kind of stoic, ‘I'm gonna survive in this situation’ attitude. What was very different for me to really grasp was her incredible comebacks and her really clever.... I wish I was like that. I'm just a little too nice. It's so boring. I want to be more like her in that sense.

Q: Can you talk a little about going to England and shooting there?  Did you feel like a fish out of water doing that and were you intimidated by doing Noel Coward and knowing you'd be working with all these British stars?

Jessica: Definitely intimidated by that. I wasn't that familiar with Noel Coward. I was more familiar with his music than his actual plays but yeah, I terribly look up to Kristin Scott Thomas and love Colin Firth and everybody there had been through such intense drama school. Kind of initially, I felt like I didn't fit in and 'gosh, I hope I'm good enough to pull this off.' So, it was scary and it is nerve-wracking to go and live in a new place in a different country. Thank goodness I speak the language. Makes it a lot easier. Let me tell you.

Q: But you could use that for your character couldn't you?

Jessica: Yeah, absolutely. You do feel like the outsider. You can't help it. You're 'the American.’ You don't know what a crumpet is [laughter], you know? You're sticking out like a sore thumb. But, it's kind of invigorating and kind of wonderful and it's good to get out of your comfort zone. I love that. I like to do that; get out of my comfort zone and experience some other things.

Q: Can you talk about singing in the film, recording some of the songs?  Was there apprehension about doing that?

Jessica: That happened in the middle of shooting. Ben [Barnes] was singing, doing something in a scene and Steph [Stephen Elliott, the director] said, “You have such a great voice. You should sing the lead track. We want to do 'Mad About the Boy’ and you should sing it.” They were actually moving forward with Ben singing it and what they found out looking into Noel Coward's will and things he wrote about for his particular music, that he'd said that “no man can ever record that song again.” I guess he was in love with somebody and that was it. No man was gonna record that again and so you can only find women singing it and recording it. Then he heard me humming around or something and said, “No.  You should do it.” So, it was really very random and I hadn't planned on it and it was such a treat to get to do that because I know nobody really knows this about me but I really started in music, with musical theater and “Annie” and “Sound of Music” and I wanted to be Whitney Houston. That was my dream. I don't know how it took a left turn. I don't know what happened and I sort of got into this acting world but it was really fun for me to go back and do that.

Q: Aren't you doing some singing this summer at the [Hollywood] Bowl?

Jessica: I am. I'm really thrilled. I never knew that the Hollywood Bowl does this kind of summer stock almost summer show. I got a call about auditioning for “Guys and Dolls” at the Hollywood Bowl and I thought “Well, I'm not a soprano anymore. Maybe I was at one point but I guess I'll go in for this” and I literally walked in there and said “Okay, we're going to have to drop this down probably three notes at least. I'm not sure.” I got in there and I auditioned and it actually worked pretty well and I auditioned for a second time I think in New York and I did pretty well and I got it. It was just one of those... I was really surprised. It's been really fun. I've been working with a voice coach and training, working the muscle. It's just about working the muscle again.

Q: How long will it run?

Jessica: Only three days. It's kind of perfect. You get your feet wet, see what it would be like to be on stage again and do something live again and not have to have a commitment for six months or a year.

Q: Which role?

Jessica: Sister Sarah.

Q: What was it about this film that attracted you to it?

Jessica: I think initially, I loved the script. Stephan sent me a copy with a really nice note saying, “I'd love for you to play this part. Can you look at it?” So I looked at it and I just thought it was such a unique experience for a period movie.  I thought it was almost, at times, a romcom. It had all these elements, squashing the dog. Does that happen in 1929? You never get to see that stuff and, of course, it happened. So, there were some unique elements and I just loved her. I loved Larita. It was one of those things that, after I read it, I wanted to be her. I wanted to have the comebacks that she had and the strengths that she had and the vulnerability and I literally said to my agents “I have to do this. I have to!  Figure it out.”

Q: Are you the type that would get along with the mother-in-law or would there be some conflict?

Jessica: See, that's where I want to be a little bit more like her because I would probably mould around to make her more comfortable and not really stand my ground as to who I am and 'I'm not going to do what you want' and this and that.  That's what I mean about being a little too nice. So boring.

Q: You've said that you've tried to get certain auditions and people have been resistant to even having you come into the room. Are you at a point where you are trying different things that appeal to you and has it been frustrating to get people to change their image of you?

Jessica: I'm always trying to do new things, different things, simply for me to not become bored. I want to do something that I haven't done before. I want to try something that's scary or challenging so, yes, I am constantly looking and searching for something hard. “What is gonna literally scare me to death? Okay, I should do that.” Yes, sometimes I don't get in the room and that's frustrating to not be seen for whatever reason, that's very frustrating. I always feel like “I just want one chance, I want my time in court. This is what I've got. You don't want it? Fine, that's cool. I understand that but at least let me have a shot.” I think it is funny that you do maybe one or two things that are somewhat similar and then people see you as only doing that. I think everyone is always trying to break out of the last box you are in. If you were in a comedy, gotta do something different. If you do too many things in a row, people's imagination in this business, is just not as open as you would think.

Q: Stephan was saying that everyone tied him to “Priscilla [Queen of the Desert”]. Had you seen that and what did you expect?

Jessica: I loved that movie. I just thought it was fantastic and I think that's another reason why I really wanted to do this because, clearly, not knowing him very well at the beginning but knowing that that's what his previous work was, that he was going to do something interesting with this. It would be different if you gave this script to somebody who does these period pieces, these kind of rigid, emotion bubbling under the surface types of things. But if you give it to this belligerent, crazy, Australian guy who has a terrible mouth and is extremely funny...

Q: He said that one of his tests for actresses is to say the crudest, most vulgar thing he can when they walk into the room to see how they react.  Do you remember him doing that with you?

Jessica: Oh, he's such a big talker. I don't think he did that but he definitely will hit you with some stuff that you did not expect to come out of his mouth. But that feeling, that kind of person needed to be the director, the boat master on this type of a movie to give it that fresh feel, to give a unique twist. He just turned it on its head which I think was really important.

Q: How do you feel about your current ranking on Maxim's Hot 100 list?

Jessica:  I actually don't know my current ranking. I don't care.

Q: I think it's eleven. 

Jessica:  Great!

Q: Can you talk about working with Ben Barnes?

Jessica: He's so great. He's such a nice guy and is just involved in the process and cares so much about it. I think he was pretty new at the moment when he was working with us. I think he'd just done the Narnia movie [“Prince Caspian”] and had probably spent a lot of time in front of a green screen so was itching to work with people and get his hands dirty and have a really good time and he was just a ball.

Q: How do you handle stress? Larita seems to have a cool head. Do you handle it by being positive?

Jessica: Definitely. I'm very positive. I feel like I handle stress very well. I kind of just let things roll off and always look to 'what can I find positive in this situation and how can I resolve it in a logical way?' I'm probably not as cool under pressure as she is. My heart would be pounding a million miles an hour if I were having a confrontation like she was having with that mother-in-law but I definitely can see the positive and get through a tough situation pretty well.

Q: What do you think of the job Justin [Timberlake] does on Saturday Night Live and what about his acting abilities?

Jessica: I think he’s fantastic on SNL and he can do anything he puts his mind to.

Q: You just worked with Patrick Swayze [in Powder Blue] and a lot of people are concerned about him right now. What was it like to work with him?

Jessica:  He's definitely beloved for me because I grew up watching Dirty Dancing. I watched it every day after school, every day. I've seen it probably eighty times or more. No joke. He was wonderful. He was involved in the process and literally coming to set when he wasn't even working and coming up to our director Tim saying “Here's my idea for the scene for tomorrow. I've rewritten everything. What do you think?” He's just so kind and such a warm, supportive person to work with.

Q: You look in the film like you were born to wear those clothes. Did you feel that way when you were wearing them and have you adopted any of the styles?

Jessica: I definitely did feel pretty wonderful in those clothes every day. But the thing about those clothes is that they're built for women's bodies. They're built to accentuate your waist and give you room in the hips and the legs and let you wear a loose, beautiful, satin/silk blouse. Everybody would feel beautiful in something like that. It was such a wonderful time for women's clothing, I think to suit a woman's body.

Q: You do have that walking down the staircase moment when all conversation stops. When you see that in a script, do you think “How do I make this real?” Or is that every woman's dream?

Jessica: [laughs] When it's written in the script it just says “and she pauses at the top of the stairs. Everybody stares in awe and she walks down.” You never think it's going to be ten seconds of a pause [she poses as if suspended at the top of the stairs]. I think that just really worked well in this movie because it was a little tongue-in-cheek and those few moments are really where Mrs. Whittaker is just dying inside that this woman is in her home and taking over her golden boy. Is it every woman's dream?

Q: If you look good.

Jessica: Yeah, if you're wearing that dress. Those dresses were amazing.

Q: Did to change your work-out to have a body closer to that era?

Jessica: Definitely. I did. I actually just stopped doing what I normally do and I didn't really have any time. Working out in London, I found, was very difficult. It wasn't easy like in L.A. or New York when you can just walk to the gym and do your thing. I literally felt like I couldn't get my routine together so I just kind of let it go. I think we spent so much time being so cold. We were freezing. It was so cold and we were wearing silk blouses of really thin flax and I think that's what helped keep us all in shape after I found out what a crumpet was and had them every day because they are good! [laughter]

Q: Was this your first time in England?

Jessica: First time working but I'd been there before.

Q: Were you a fan of race car driving before playing this role and are you now?

Jessica:  No not really. I'm not that into cars or speed in that sense. It was pretty wonderful to drive that car though. That car was a beauty. She was something special.

Q: Can you talk about riding the motorcycle and doing the Can Can?

Jessica: I didn't actually ride the motorcycle I'm so sad to say. I love doing my own stunts and I request to do it but the insurance wouldn't allow it unfortunately. But the Can Can, is so hard. That is a really aerobic dance. It's just relentless and the knees are up to here [indicates chin] and the abs.. it's pretty serious. It's really fun though. That's one of my favorite scenes. The first time I saw that and Kimberly with her skirt [up] and the whole thing, it kills me every time I see that scene.

Q: Stephan said that he wanted you to have Amelia Earhart in mind as a role model even though you weren't playing her.  Is it helpful for you to have someone where you can look at their pictures or pick up their attitude?

Jessica: Yeah. It's usually not one person in particular. For this one, it was Amelia, Katherine Hepburn and a couple of other women from that era and it helped watching their stuff and listening to their voice or just how they deliver their sarcastic, amazing put-downs with a smile, how they do that wonderful thing. It is helpful, especially when this character is quite different and you really have to embody this kind of a person in a different time and the speech is different and how do we do that without it being an affected speech? It is very helpful.

Q: How would you deal with a mother-in-law like the one in the film?

Jessica: Well, there are two ways of thought on this one. You just be confident being you and “if you don't like me, you don't like me. Too bad.” Or you do what Larita tried to do. You try. And I think that's what I would do. I think I would give it my best effort to try to be accommodating and respectful but I would definitely maintain my idea of who I am and I'm not going to be pushed around by someone in a ridiculous sort of scenario. But, I also don't think I would start a war with somebody's mother [laughs].

Q: Ever had any friction with the relatives of anyone you've dated?

Jessica: Oh sure, yeah, long, long, long time ago but you can't please everybody and I think you have to remember that.

Q: How long did it take you to train for the Tango scene?

Jessica: If you can believe it, we literally had three or four rehearsals. Colin and I danced together three or four times. I don't know how we did it. I really don't because that is a really difficult dance and it's very sensual and, most of all, we wanted to create that feeling of sensuality and mystery which is what it is. But, we couldn't cross the line in any sense because of the relationship that we have in the movie but it's an incredible dance. I wish that I had kept taking classes because it's so much fun. It was such a ball. That was my first Tango experience.

Q: Stephan says you really worked extra hard on the film. Why were you so committed to prove something to the director, to go so above and beyond with the performance?

Jessica: It was a big opportunity for me. It was all on the page. This woman is so interesting and complicated and vulnerable and strong and all the things that you dream of in a character or at least I dream of. And I don't get many of these opportunities. I don't think anybody gets many of these opportunities. I just wanted to take advantage of it. I knew it could be something really special in the sense that we would make a great movie and we did. I wanted him to know that I appreciated the opportunity, that I wouldn't let him down, I wouldn't let myself down, and I would work as hard as I possibly could to create the best version of her that I could do. I think that's the way that I always work. That's just important to me to be that way.

Q: How much freedom did he give you in interpreting this character?

Jessica: Lots of freedom. He guided me a lot, gave me a lot of different movies to watch. Like I said, Katherines, the Jean Harlows of the world, kind of looking at those women and their careers, watching those films. He was the one who had the idea about the blonde hair. So, it was always a nice guided situation but anything that I was feeling or wanted to include or exclude he was always open to hear and listen. But, truly I just trusted him. I needed and wanted his guidance and he's just way funnier then me. He had such a nice ability to explain to me how I would be feeling, what I'm doing internally to say this line the way it should be said.

Q: Did you have rehearsal before the shoot?

Jessica: Not a lot. We didn't have a lot of rehearsal. We didn't have a lot of time. We had a read-through, Ben and I worked on our stuff together. I worked with Steph privately and then it was just “Go. See what happens.”

Q: Was it different working with British actors for the first time?

Jessica: It's not too different.

Q: What did you learn from Colin and Kristen, being such acting heavyweights?

Jessica: It's so funny. When you're working, you're all kind of on an equal plane although, secretly, you're in your trailer going “Oh my God!” [laughter] or I was always. But it's not like I asked them for advice or sat down and said “What do I do? How do I maneuver through this crazy world? How do I manage it?” It never really happens that way. You're sitting on set and you're watching someone. There's such a natural, organic quality to Kristen. She's very within herself, connected to the earth in a way. That's probably very esoteric-sounding but she's very honest. I didn't ask her and she didn't tell me that. It's sort of what I took from sitting across from her on the couch and having a scene with her.

Q: What are you looking forward to doing once this is all wrapped?

Jessica: When this is all wrapped, I looking forward to some traveling and also the prep for “Guys and Dolls." It's really fun. I'm really enjoying myself and I'll get to do some dance rehearsals and things like that. I'm looking forward to that.

“Easy Virtue” opens in theaters on May 22nd.