Gemma Jones
Gemma Jones is an actress who has enjoyed a career that has spanned over forty years and has taken in theatre, TV and film.
She returns this week in You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, which also stars Anthony Hopkins and Naomi Watts, and I caught up with her to talk about her movie, her career and what lies ahead.
- You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger has been released on DVD this week so can you tell me a little bit about the movie?
Well for aficionados of Woody Allen it's a typical Woody Allen film about the curious errors that people make in their lives (laughs), and he has a very compassionate view about it and a great sense of humour.
I play Anthony Hopkins' ex wife, he has gone off with an attractive young dolly and I have taken to the bottle. I go to see a psychic to see what is going to happen in my future - the psychic is played by Pauline Collins - she is a complete charlatan but I fall for her hook line and sinker.
So I am a rather flakey character bit it was a lovely part to play and the psychic predicts that I will meet a tall dark stranger... and indeed I do - well he wasn't exactly tall and dark but he is a stranger.
- You take on the role of Helena in the movie so what was it about the script and the character that initially drew you to the project?
Well it was mostly working with Woody Allen, I would have done a tiny part for Woody Allen. I interviewed on screen, I never actually met him, but I did a couple of little scenes from the script and they were sent to New York for him to look at.
And when I got the part I thought 'lovely, lovely' and I asked my agent 'will I get a script or are those the two scenes that I'm doing?' and she said 'oh no no no it's a big part' - so when I got the script, quite often he doesn't give actors the script before they start filming; but they did give me the script thank goodness because it was quite big role.
But I was absolutely thrilled and, as I say, I would have done a much lesser part to work with him.
- She is in a very vulnerable place at the beginning of the movie she turns to a psychic for some comfort - I read that you were a skeptic so how difficult was that to play? And did you do any research?
Well it's the same as playing Lady Macbeth and committing murder you don't need to affiliate with the character that you are playing - but it was a lovely thing to do and to believe this nonsense.
For research I went online and I also watched some episodes of Sally Morgan's show and it was absolutely riveting and I just thought how does she know this? And it really left me teetering on the edge of thinking maybe.
But it is very touching that people finding hugely comforting, even if she is a very very clever charlatan they do get comfort from it - you can't be entirely dismissive.
- And while to everyone this belief that Helena has in the psychic is absurd she truly believes it - in a way the movie suggests that it is better to believe in something than nothing; how far would you agree with that?
I would absolutely agree with that, if there is any message in the film. And I think that Helena actually comes off best because she has this naive optimism and everyone is so cynical.
- Despite the fact that she is very vulnerable at the beginning of the film she does seem to gather strength as the film continues and you do get the sense that she is one of the few characters that will be ok.
Yes I agree that you do get that.
- You star alongside Naomi Watts and Josh Brolin so how did you find working with them - Helena’s relationship with Roy is particularly funny?
Well it was very good to work with those American actors, we do have a different type of work ethic.
There are some scenes in the film that I do with them that are big improvised dialogue scenes and it was very exciting to play actually because you knew that if one of you dropped a line the whole thing would have to go back to the beginning again.
I enjoyed working with them very much as they are very experienced film actors so it was a challenge.
- Many of those apartment scenes were done in one shot so how technically challenging were they from an acting perspective?
Well it is very very challenging because you rehearse it not a huge amount but you rehearse the points at which you have to be for the camera and then you have to do a bungee jump and hope for the best (laughs).
It was a hand held camera so the cameraman was moving backwards and forwards in front of you -so it's very technical on one level but then you have to within the emotion of the scenes on another.
But I enjoyed doing those scenes the best for the very reason because they were so challenging.
- The film is directed by Woody Allen so how did you find him as a filmmaker?
Well initially I was not exactly disconcerted but it was just so odd to be standing in front of him because he is such an icon - so the first couple of days I was going home thinking 'god I'm working with Woody Allen'.
But I got use to it after a bit and he is very easy, he is not pressured by rehearsal - we didn't work hugely long hours because he liked to get home to see his children.
He doesn't analyse very much but I think he casts very particularly - there are aspects of my personality I have no control over that he obviously thought would be perfect for the character.
He doesn't say a huge amount but when he does it's very pertinent - I enjoyed working with him very much.
- A lot of other actors have said that he is a director that gives you plenty of space as an actor so how much is that a direction that you enjoy?
I enjoy that and it endows you with a certain confidence because initially I had this big role and I'm not a huge film actor it was a big responsibility so I was very nervous and I actually said to Josh Brolin 'he's not saying anything' and he said 'take it as a compliment if he is not saying anything he is pleased'. Actually that does give you confidence after a while.
- You have enjoyed a career that has spanned over forty years so what makes you want to continue?
Gosh, that's a challenging question. I can't imagine doing anything else, I have never done an honest day's work in my life.
But it continues to be stimulating and my work has also been my education and it's my social life, I love the camaraderie of my fellow actors; I'm doing Richard III at the Old Vic with Kevin Spacey at the moment and it's a lovely bunch of actors.
But it has been really hard work, of a very different kind than filming, I hope it will keep my brain cells working as I get older (laughs).
- And how has the way that you choose projects changed over the years?
I don't think that it has changed hugely - I do like to ring the changes and I have been very lucky as I have not been too type cast.
So I do try not to repeat my self and do a variety of roles but I suppose the luxury I have had is... not that I have had choice to do what I want but I have had choice to say no to things.
- In that time you have worked in TV as well as movies, including Spooks and Ballet Shoes, so how does TV and film work compare?
Well they are all are very different I mean for instance at the moment I am working at night - we finish rehearsals then I'm not working during the day so socially that's a very different kind of structure.
You sort of have a bit more control in the theatre over your own performance where as in film an editor can make or break a performance - you can have scenes cut or they choose shots that you don't particularly like.
I do enjoy filming but I do consider myself still to be a bit of a novice and I learn a bit everytime I do a film job and I am very admiring of film actors. But I am very lucky to have been able to have keep a foot in both camps.
- This week you are also back on the big screen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, a 3rd Potter film for you, so how did you find stepping into the big budget blockbuster?
Well I was very honoured to be part of the whole thing, I don't have a huge amount to do. Because the set ups are so huge there was an awful lot of hanging around and waiting but that was a great pleasure because there was a repertory company of actors - we all knew each other so there was a lot of sitting around in each others trailers and having a good gossip. I haven't actually seen this final film yet so I'm looking forward to seeing it.
- How sad are you to see the franchise come to an end?
It's an extraordinary event, I have known those children since they were ten years old and have watched them with great interest. And while the filming may have come to an end the films will go on to be repeated and repeated and will find a whole new generation of follower.
- Finally what is next for you?
After I finish at the Old Vic we then go on an international tour including Beijing, Hong Kong and Sydney and we finish in New York at the beginning of next year - so I'm going to be busy for the next six months. after that I don't know.
You Will Meet A tall Dark Stranger is out on DVD & Blu-Ray now.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Gemma Jones is an actress who has enjoyed a career that has spanned over forty years and has taken in theatre, TV and film.
She returns this week in You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, which also stars Anthony Hopkins and Naomi Watts, and I caught up with her to talk about her movie, her career and what lies ahead.
- You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger has been released on DVD this week so can you tell me a little bit about the movie?
Well for aficionados of Woody Allen it's a typical Woody Allen film about the curious errors that people make in their lives (laughs), and he has a very compassionate view about it and a great sense of humour.
I play Anthony Hopkins' ex wife, he has gone off with an attractive young dolly and I have taken to the bottle. I go to see a psychic to see what is going to happen in my future - the psychic is played by Pauline Collins - she is a complete charlatan but I fall for her hook line and sinker.
So I am a rather flakey character bit it was a lovely part to play and the psychic predicts that I will meet a tall dark stranger... and indeed I do - well he wasn't exactly tall and dark but he is a stranger.
- You take on the role of Helena in the movie so what was it about the script and the character that initially drew you to the project?
Well it was mostly working with Woody Allen, I would have done a tiny part for Woody Allen. I interviewed on screen, I never actually met him, but I did a couple of little scenes from the script and they were sent to New York for him to look at.
And when I got the part I thought 'lovely, lovely' and I asked my agent 'will I get a script or are those the two scenes that I'm doing?' and she said 'oh no no no it's a big part' - so when I got the script, quite often he doesn't give actors the script before they start filming; but they did give me the script thank goodness because it was quite big role.
But I was absolutely thrilled and, as I say, I would have done a much lesser part to work with him.
- She is in a very vulnerable place at the beginning of the movie she turns to a psychic for some comfort - I read that you were a skeptic so how difficult was that to play? And did you do any research?
Well it's the same as playing Lady Macbeth and committing murder you don't need to affiliate with the character that you are playing - but it was a lovely thing to do and to believe this nonsense.
For research I went online and I also watched some episodes of Sally Morgan's show and it was absolutely riveting and I just thought how does she know this? And it really left me teetering on the edge of thinking maybe.
But it is very touching that people finding hugely comforting, even if she is a very very clever charlatan they do get comfort from it - you can't be entirely dismissive.
- And while to everyone this belief that Helena has in the psychic is absurd she truly believes it - in a way the movie suggests that it is better to believe in something than nothing; how far would you agree with that?
I would absolutely agree with that, if there is any message in the film. And I think that Helena actually comes off best because she has this naive optimism and everyone is so cynical.
- Despite the fact that she is very vulnerable at the beginning of the film she does seem to gather strength as the film continues and you do get the sense that she is one of the few characters that will be ok.
Yes I agree that you do get that.
- You star alongside Naomi Watts and Josh Brolin so how did you find working with them - Helena’s relationship with Roy is particularly funny?
Well it was very good to work with those American actors, we do have a different type of work ethic.
There are some scenes in the film that I do with them that are big improvised dialogue scenes and it was very exciting to play actually because you knew that if one of you dropped a line the whole thing would have to go back to the beginning again.
I enjoyed working with them very much as they are very experienced film actors so it was a challenge.