Interview: Gretchen Mol, Notorious Bettie Page

I recently had the chance to interview Gretchen Mol at a roundtable in Beverly Hills. Actress Gretchen Mol, joined our roundtable sporting an outfit that included a flashy white blouse by Fendi with a collar resembling a belt buckle, an amusing visual nod to one of the film’s promotional slogans, "Show some restraint." Mol, who plays the curvaceous, brunette Bettie Page in the film, is actually a radiant, attractive blonde who is poised, demure, and speaks softly but deliberately.

Asked how she got in shape for the role of Bettie Page, Mol responded, "I had just finished a stint on Broadway where I had been dancing a lot." (Mol is referring to her successful Broadway debut in 2004 when she played Roxie Hart in "Chicago.") Because of this, she was already in great shape. She added that she also ate a lot but had to be careful because you could never be sure where it would all end up. "I ate whatever I wanted, but I didn’t try to gain weight, because who knew that the weight would go to the right places?"

When asked about what made her think this was a part she could play, Mol explained that when she read the script, she felt connected to Mary’s (Harron) version of Bettie Page. "I sort of thought I had nothing to lose, so I went in and auditioned for the part." To prepare for the role of Bettie Page, she explained, "I had to figure out her moves. I focused on where she was from, her voice, and her relationship with God. She had no close friendships and no close relationships with her ex-husbands." She added, "I was given the hair and make-up and a good costume designer who worked with my body." She added, "I also had lots of source material available" which she took advantage of. She described how the wig changes anyone drastically and the dangerous curves were the tricks of skillful padding and strategic camera angles.

Mol described how Bettie’s lack of self consciousness in front of the camera was integral to the character. "This was sort of like her religion. I felt I owed this to Bettie. I wanted to put into the character as much as I could get of her whole story, of where she was going." Indeed, Mol’s exuberant portrayal of the famous pin-up model and bondage queen of the 1950s is spot on and her unashamed sexuality never tilts in the direction of impersonation. And there is definitely more lurking behind Mol’s enigmatic smile that suggests the real Bettie Page was complex and full of contradictions. Mol added, "At the end of the day, Bettie is still an enigma. But that’s just such a beautiful way of telling the story. Mary (Harron) just retained the enigma."

Asked if she’d had an opportunity to meet or speak to the real Bettie Page, Mol explained, "By the time I got involved, it was clear that Bettie Page wasn’t in touch with us. I had to respect that." She mentioned that Page had sold her life rights to someone else and wasn’t comfortable talking to the filmmakers about her life. Mol added, "The script is so affectionate. It’s a love letter to Bettie Page. In front of the camera, she unleashed the spirit of her personality. Bettie appeals across the boundaries of age and generation." In terms of approaching the role as an actor, Mol explained that you can’t force it. "At any time, if you’re trying to do or be ‘it,’ it’s probably not ‘it.’ Bettie lacked self consciousness. She was unashamed and comfortable flaunting it out there."

Mol described how in the 1950s there was a tendency to keep everything under the rug. She mentioned that in a Q&A at an event the previous night, someone had talked about how actors and performers often draw upon things that have happened to them and put it into their work. Mol explained that in the 1950s, Bettie was too busy putting the bad times behind her and not dwelling on them which may explain why her work has such freshness and vitality.

Mol was asked about who were her role models, that is, who were the people that inspired her in creating this role. Mol responded, "I looked to my grandmothers." She described how one of them was very much a country girl and a survivor, and she took that quality and built it into the character she created.

Mol was queried about how it felt to have had small roles in two high profile films ("Rounders" with Matt Damon and Woody Allen’s "Celebrity" opposite Leonard DiCaprio) and then to be chosen for the cover of "Vanity Fair." She responded, smiling, "I was young then. I learned a lot very quickly." When asked about her future plans, Mol stated, "I hope to find more great roles. It’s been so much fun. I feel so involved [with this project]. Mary (Harron) always stood by her original idea of me." When queried about whether or not she and her husband, director Tod Williams, discuss their work with each other, she explained that they do talk about their work and that he understood what she was attempting to do in "The Notorious Bettie Page" and was very supportive. Gretchen Mol’s next film is the indie romance "Puccini for Beginners" which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to good reviews.

It was fun having the opportunity to meet writer/director Mary Harron and star Gretchen Mol to discuss their exciting new biopic, "The Notorious Bettie Page." Picturehouse will release "The Notorious Bettie Page" in select cities on Friday, April 14. The film has a running time of 91 minutes and is rated R for nudity, sexual content and some language by the MPAA. For the official website and to view the trailer, go to: www.thenotoriousbettiepage.com.