La sera di lunedì 11 maggio, presso il “SAG Foundation Actors Center” di LA, Sasha è stata protagonista di una sessione di Q&A moderata da Debra Brinbaum, di Variety.
Qui il link all’intervista, circa 40 minuti in cui Sasha risponde a moltissime domande, con il suo spirito solare, la sua saggezza, la sua dolcezza, la sua allegria, la sua voglia di raccontare e condividere esperienze ed emozioni.
La sua risata contagiosa 🙂 Intervista imperdibile!
Il vestito è di Jason Wu; scarpe Manolo Blahnik.
Di seguito trovate la TRASCRIZIONE dell’intervista a partire circa dalla metà (la prima metà è incentrata su domande riguardanti Shameless e molte delle risposte di Sasha riprendono quello che aveva già affermato nelle prime interviste uscite lo scorso marzo su Yahoo Beauty, TV Fanatic e The Hollywood Reporter).
***** Conversations with Sasha Alexander of Shameless *****
Of all the roles you’ve played, d’you have one that’s your favourite? [min. 18:55]
(some seconds to think before answering)
I really.. I really loved the role that I played in Presidio Med, which was this Dr. Jackie Colette. We only did 13 episodes but– she was just a really– I always look back at her very fondly and wished it had gone longer so that I could have just hang out with her a little bit more. She was really just– she was a protege, she was a plastic surgeon, so she was you know, way too young to be kind of working with the people she was working with, so she had like social issues, but yet she was really really bright, which is a little similar in some ways to um Dr. Isles, who also has social issues but she is bright, but she is more mature to me than Dr. Colette was. And so it was really fun to find, to work in a way that you are not really hearing other people, like you’re totally out of tune with other people’s real life conversation– there’s a kind of immaturity that was going on and I just thought that was really fun to be able to do and say whatever was on your mind and– I don’t know, I really liked her. This one. But I like all of them. I don’t really say yes to roles unless I love the character. You know, I find something to love in all of them.
What do you look for in a part? What makes you say yes? [min 20:26]
I think you just have to connect to it. I read it. Do I connect to it? Do I understand it? Do I see myself doing it? Do I– what– you know, then you sort of say “Am I..” “Do you–” if it’s television, “Do I wanna do this for seven years?” If it goes, this is gonna allow me to play around and do different things um – and if not, if it’s a shorter period than “How can I expand?” I think now I’m in a phase where it’s I don’t wanna take a job if it’s not kinda grow or step forward or change in some way what I have done before. I just wanna do new things. So, I think I really have to connect to it. Has to, has to– hit some point of my emotional muscles and, and– ya.
How do you find your way into a character? How do you prepare yourself? [min 21:19]
Each character is different. Of course. And so, I think first it’s reading it and– Your init– My initial feeling when I read something is always the last feeling. That I end up coming around to. I read it and– whatever instinct that I get about the person is usually the one that I wanna stick to. But then it’s kind of honing that. You know, I– I– if I have to do research on a character, what she does for a living, which is what I did with Dr. Isles – I didn’t know anything about being a medical examiner. So, I went to work with a medical examiner and did all that I could do with that and learnt as much as I can so that I was very precise about it and that I understood the mentality of somebody choosing to do that profession.– And then it’s clothing, it’s her make-up. With Shameless, with Helene, I wanna to- we wanna to change my look a bit but not too much, so it ended up in cutting my hair, changing colour of my hair a little bit, you know there’s nothing glamorous about her, there wasn’t a lot of make-up or anything like you know, she’s– she’s a teacher. So, the clothes are very simple yet, I found them much sexier on the screen than they were in real life, which is really interesting, ‘cause Lyn Paolo – who’s a costume designer on Shameless and she also does Scandal, she is really really talented – and so when she picked this things I thought they were really actually rather simple and she knew what she was doing, because when I saw the first scene I went “Wow, that looks a lot- a lot more–you know, sexier than I thought that it did at the time.” So, clothes have a big, big thing to do with it for me. Really, what would we wear, you know and… it’s just a lil bit of everything.
Did you always want to be an actor? [min 23:26]
(some seconds to think before answering) I think so. [Debra: you seem so sad! (laugh)]
(Sasha laughs) It’s not sad, but I do think so! Um- when I was 5 I did write down in my kindergarten class what you wanna be when you grow and I wrote an actor or a teacher. And so I think I always dreamt about it but then there was a period where the business of acting was very daunting to me. And I wasn’t- I didn’t see myself going out everyday and pounding the pavement and I just- I just- I don’t- I’m too- I’m like “I’m not gonna- I’m not gonna do well with this.” Like I’m gonna be unhappy and you know, feeling rejection all the time, like all of it it just really- it just makes me feel what kind of a life is that, there are other ways that I can find to um- enjoy this art and to express myself. I went to film school U.S.E., I studied directing and producing and I really expanded my knowledge of film and television. And so, I cultivated other parts of my life in hopes to Not come back to acting (laugh). But then when I graduated, one thing led to another and there was an acting class again and I though “I’m gonna give myself, you know, till I’m 30, to Really just do this; and then if I don’t get a job, and I can’t make a living, I’m still young enough to go pursue something else. And you know, in that time, what I learnt was everything in this business is really hard and you have to do the thing you love the most. You just do it. And I love acting the most.
So, every time I think it’s my last job or- I go “I don’t know, maybe this is it. So just enjoy it.” I find myself falling in love with a character, or a piece of material and then being drawn right back into wanting to do it. So- I’m grateful to get to do it and um- but ya, it’s interesting ‘cause it is such a- it’s not a business that you have A, to B, to C- you know, when it’s gonna- what, what the road would be. And that’s something you have to just give yourself over to.
How did you get your big break? [min 25:39]
[Big break = (slang) grande occasione]
Ehm- well, I did a lot of theater growing up, so I did really think that acting was that, was theater. But TV and film acting is not doing theater, it’s very different. And um- I had a short film, that I made with a friend of mine from USC, it went to Sundace, it got us both signed with an agency and he got like 3 picture deal with Dreamworks and Spielberg at the time was fantastic. And I got to go on pilot auditions (laugh) So, wait a minute! Your seems like a much better deal!(laugh) And so, I went out that here and I landed a show called Wasteland, for Kevin Williamson. And it was a big deal, you know, the Weinsteins [Bob e Harvey Weinstein sono produttori esecutivi], and ABC and– So, here I was working for that year and it was really fun, but a real learning experience. And then John Welles and their team gave me really kind of my really big break with Presidio Med. I’d say that was—but before that I did do a film called Twin Falls Idaho, with the Polish brothers, and that was my first first job, it wasn’t in television. That was my first film job and– and that was really fun. But it’s different in films because I feel like you create this character but it has an end. So there’s something different in the experience of knowing there’s a beginning, a middle and an end. While in television it’s, it’s unknown. You don’t even know the people you’re gonna be working with, you know, you have one episode to go off of for the character.. it’s more difficult of the choice to make. For me.
If you had your choice, would you do film, or tv or theater or just pic the best role? [min 27:20]
I like ‘em all. I think it’s just the role. They’re different–You get different satisfactions from them. I like them all. There’s something really satisfying about doing television and be able to be connected with people week to week. And to play a character that you get to see growing and do different things. I love that. I think it’s a really cool thing and now, with even limited series or some of these shows, I think it’s really– I think it’s really interesting, ‘cause some characters are more interesting the longer you get to know them or watch them and.. So, I like it all. But I also do- I love film, I love- I love knowing what the story is and you can prepare that character for that particular story and.. and it ends. Which I like as well.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever gotten? About acting. [min 28:15]
(some seconds to think before answering)
HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE OF IT. (laughs from the audience) Never really have a life outside of it. Do things. Dance. Take yoga. Meditate. Travel. Paint. Have a life outside of it. Because as an artist, what are you going to bring if you’re only relying on what somebody else wrote, that’s a part of it. But HOW MUCH MORE can you bring when you have more life experience, when you have experienced heartache, when you have experienced pain, and you have seen poverty in the world, and you have gone to help other people who are in need and– you know, all of this things help put things–put our lives in perspective and if you have perspective then you can look at a job, or a character or– you know, even when you are on set, and you’re dealing with the drama and the politics of any set, you can pretty much calibr– you know, calibrate yourself into understanding where you’re fitting into it. And that’s really healthy. And we all wanna be healthy. And we all wanna love what we do. SO acting is life. And so have a life. You have relationships. Your relationships can’t just be the people you meet on set. That’s sad, ‘cause in the ends you all go different ways and- then what? You know, you have to have somewhere to go at the end of the day, that is a safe place for you. So I think it is important to have a life. That was really a good advice, ‘cause it allowed me to- not feel pressured when I decided to have a family, and I wanted a family. I didn’t feel like “Oh, my goodness, my career is now not– it’s gonna stop because I’m having a child. As a matter of fact I felt like “Wow, I’m gonna be that much more interesting for it! (smile) And mature and…” You know. So, I never- I wasn’t afraid of that, whereas I know a lot of actresses friends of mine are afraid of that. That they will change. And I feel like it’s more powerful, it just gives you much more insight. And understanding.
I imagine it would form your acting? [min 30:37]
Absolutely. I cry like THAT, now! (snapping – laughs, Sasha together with the audience). It used to be very difficult for me. I’d sit there and had to do all this things and you know, conjured memories, of my dad or whatever it was and it will be all this stuff. And now it’s like I think of my kids. At any time, that’s it! And I’m ready to cry. Like I wanna cry! It’s- You know, it’s fun to cry now. Now, who has time to cry!! I feel like Helen Hunt in– I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Holly Hunter in “Broadcast news”. Always. I get my five minutes. Get it out. So now I love crying on screen. And I really let the tears go. I don’t wipe them away anymore. I used to be that you just, you know you wipe them and then I’ll go “Why, you worked so hard to get them down. Let ‘em be!” (laugh)
What would you have done differently if you were not an actress? [min 31:33]
(some seconds to think before answering)
Well, maybe years ago it would be teaching. Something. But NOW I really like art, I like interior design, a lot. I think I would probably do something with that. I like architecture. I like building. Like redoing homes. Ehm- I really do like that. Ehm- And also producing. Which I want to do. Just really focusing on producing projects and working– you know, as an actor we’re some– I’m working a very different muscle and producing is just– you know, really I love the idea of finding projects and then bringing them to life. And putting together the pieces. And calling wonderful friends – who are directors and actors – and saying “You’ll be amazing” and listen. Having them all come together. I really love that and I definitely see myself doing more of that in the future.
If you can share a funny experience on the set. [min 32:32]
Funny set experience? Oh, there are so many! Uhm! (super cute smile)
Can I be naughty? Can I tell you really like dirty ones? (absolutely) OK! (laugh) A Shameless one? A funny Shameless one- gosh, there’re so many funny shameless ones. I mean.. Alright, I’ll tell you one Shameless one and there’s another one, don’t let me forget, it was on Presidio Med, that was kind of funny. Ah-well, one Shameless one was.. I would say we were shooting this one love scene and you know, I had it basically be on top of Jeremy and my husband watching from a corner [Debra: (laugh) just another day in the office] Yes, just another day in the office. And I literally got the DP on one side in the bed with me and then, you know, one of his camera assistant on the other side and I’m not kidding, we are All like VERY cozy… poor Jeremy is lying there for 4 hours, you know, I’m getting weird and gettin- ‘cause it’s a very small room, and it’s hot and it’s just– I just started laughing, I couldn’t stop laughin’ (laugh), because it was just so WEIRD! It’s one of those surreal moments where you go “What am I doing for a living?!” I mean, if you do it quickly, if you shoot it very fast, you sort of forget what happened but this was taking a while. You know, and.. and I was really happy that Michael Reilly was playing the husband in the corner ‘cause he was getting a full view of things I- you know, and I just- I was so happy it was him ‘cause he’s so cool and like- you know, whatever about it all. but it was just kind of one of those really weir-funny experiences (laugh). So that was a really funny one.
And… there is one when I did Presidio Med where I had- my character was running into each room and opening doors.. See, what I find funny is a lot of times background players make me laugh. Because (laugh) if you just observe – and you get to know people when you do shows ‘cause it’s like the same group – If you just observe what they’re doing and then like when they eat and so far, it makes me laugh. And I know, I know every-, I know everyb- a lot of the ones I work with. But there was a gentleman and he was like, you know, seventy years old, Asian man, who’s hysterical, and he this one day I had to be running and opening each door looking for a doctor. So I opened and go “Doctor” -brumbom. Are you there? “Doctor” -brumbom. And so they’ve placed different doctors and patients in these rooms and the ca- and the steady camera on my face it’s running with me (laugh) and it’s there on me and they sort of look in the room quickly and one of the doors I opened there’s a doctor and this gentleman and he is wearing a gown and the doctor is lifting his leg like he’s giving him a physical.. and he is literally naked under it. So, I get like a fuuull frontal, everything. And so, I opened and go “Doctor bru- Oh my God!” All right. The director goes “What happened?” I go “YOU go look what’s in there, you go take a look of what’s happening in there (laugh). It’s– And what was funny is cut two, a few minutes later, we’re behind– we’re just standing around between shots and that gentleman has a plate of scrambled eggs like this size! I mean, like just chowing away with his gown, after I’d seen everything and the scrambled eggs, I was “This is the funniest business.” Like- isn’t it funny? Like I just think I wanted to follow him home, I wanted to see like if he had any pets, where he lived, what was going on his life– that’s the stuff that to me is the funniest. Just that– you know, those kind of..Wacky moments. Where reminds you what you do and.. and that one was really funny. That’s a set moment.
And we have lots of funny moments on Rizzoli & Isles, too. With the um– with the bodies. [Debra: I’m sure] Ya. Looot of moments. [Debra: corps humor] Corps humor. There’s a lot of that. You can’t help it! You just can’t help it. Because you’re giddy and you know, they’re laying there and I always tickle them (laughs from the audience). I go- I go “Listen, you go to play dead. You can’t move anything, you can’t move your eyes. It’s very hard not to like- you sort of have twitches you don’t realize you have. But then I always kinda do that (pokes finger) BING BONG BONG (general laughs) Ya, BING BONG BONG – “Ok, I’m just kidding, I got it out of the way. Ok, now we’re gonna do it seriously!” And they.. It’s kinda of loosen them up. (laugh)
How liberating was to play this character? [min 37:22]
Think we answered that, didn’t we?[Debra: Ya, I think we kinda covered that]
How was it different working for a cable content provider like Showtime versus network? [min 37:32]
Yes, I think we talked about it a little bit, in terms of the network is– you know, when you make so many episodes they definitely have to fit within a certain– you know, within the same box what you’re making. And I think when you make less, you have less boundaries, you can push the envelope more. Whether that’s with nudity or with language or content um– you just you go into different places. So, I think that’s the big difference. I’m curious to see where networking is gonna continue to go. You probably know better than anyone. Ehm, I’m curious to see how content is going to shift and change, because– I don’t know, I mean, how do you– not that everybody wants to– you know, tune into something that is edgy. But on some level where you draw the line and– it’s kind of interesting to see. I just wish the will make less. That’s what I wish. I just wish that network could make less of them because then they could just– the people on the show can have a little bit of a life, and the quality of them can always stay good. I think it’s hard to make so many of them year after year. It becomes a bit of.. of factory. In a way. That part’s not fun.
How do you maintain your balance in your career and personal life as an artist? Any tips? [min 38:58]
Balance? Ehm- ya, I guess it would be having a life. You know, um– ya, you know. I exercise. I dance. If I’m really having a bad day I dance a lot.. I like to travel, I like to step away from the bubble that we live in and.. you know. Just- I think like anybody else, just find a way to do things that I love to do and spend time with the people that are really my real life. That know me in and out and- and that I can be myself with. I think that’s really important, because the world we live in, especially when I step on set, I’m not myself. I’m already in the mind of the character that I’m playing from the moment that I kinda wake up. You know, I star to get into the zone, the emotional space of the character. And.. I do stay there. I do stay there while I’m working. So.. so, you know, when that’s over, you wanna be able to shake it off, and- you know, reconnect with who you are and then look at the next thing. So, you know, it’s– you know, it’s a funny business that we are in.
Wise words from a wise woman. Thank you very much. [min 40:20]
(Sasha laugh) Thank you. Thank you so much.