Amy Adams Enchanted Interview

You may not recognise her name but that's only a matter of time. She made her film debut in 1999, (Drop Dead Gorgeous) and since then Amy Adams has been slowly but steadily building up an impressive resume; Cruel Intentions 2, Catch Me If You Can and Junebug are just a few of her films to date. In her latest film however, the 33-year-old is the star and one clearly on the rise. Enchanted is a delightful, modern day fairytale with a kick. While it sounds like another sugary sweet tale, it's not. It's a wickedly funny send up of many of the films (and stereotypes) that have become Disney's stock-in-trade. It's pure unadulterated fun and clever to boot (see how many film references you can spot). The film also stars James Marsden and Patrick McDreamy Dempsey. Gaynor Flynn caught up with Amy at the recent Rome International Film Festival.

Gaynor Flynn: This is quite a strange love triangle for Disney, and quite daring don't you think?

Amy Adams: This is a very bizarre love triangle and of course I only think of the New Order song when you say that. That's how important music is to me I can't have a conversation without making the musical connection. I think its daring, I think its very modern but I also think its done in a way that's very realistic to life in a fairytale sense.


Gaynor Flynn: Did you find inspiration from a specific fairytale princess?

Amy Adams: I grew up watching these fairytales so it was something that was very much ingrained in my memory and who I was and I use to be a dancer so I always approach roles from a physical angle. So for me it felt really natural. I probably do it too much in life but I used inspiration from all of the classic Disney tales and modern ones and there's so much inspiration out there for this character for me.























Gaynor Flynn: Which is your favourite fairytale and do you think the story of Prince Charming set unrealistic expectations for many women?

Amy Adams: I like Cinderella's the best. She had a good work ethic and I loved the idea that anything is possible that you can come from nothing and there was so much magic in that movie. I know what you mean about the idea of Prince Charming. I imagine it has been a challenge for some women that ideal but I think that's what I like about what we've done. We've shown Prince Charming in the way he's been presented to us and then made him three dimensional and then realised that he isn't three dimensional, he's meant to be two dimensional and a three dimensional man is much more preferable and will help you as a woman discover who you really are.


Gaynor Flynn: The director chose you because you're not that well known. Can you talk about being the lead in this role, was it stressful to carry a film?

Amy Adams: I think I'm only beginning to realise what it means to have this role. When I was shooting it I treated it like I treat anything and never really thought about the scale of the film. Now as we're travelling around I'm becoming intimidated but I'll have to have some time to think about it.


Gaynor Flynn: What is your idea of love?

Amy Adams: Someone who will rub my feet.. That's only partially true. I think it's when I can be with someone who I can be comfortable with who I can be genuine with who I can laugh with and cry with and who accepts me and is kind. I don't do well with people who are not kind.























Gaynor Flynn: In reality, which one of these two men would you choose?

Amy Adams: (laughs) I'm not choosing between Patrick and James. It's too hard of a choice but between their characters I would pick Patrick's character.


Gaynor Flynn: Are you worried that you'll now have this sweet, innocent image in Hollywood?

Amy Adams: We shot this about a year and a half ago and since then I've done very diverse films. But if I get cast as sweet people for now I can live with that for now, there could be worse casting I could be a part of.


Gaynor Flynn: Several actresses who grew up in the Disney world have ended up going off the rails. Why do you think that is?

Amy Adams: I'm very lucky because I'm much older than they are and I think sometimes when you have a lot of pressure thrust upon you and you haven't found yourself yet its really hard to find yourself in the public eye. I can't speak for them. I don't know them. I wish I did them I'd give them a hug and tell them it'll be okay but I'm fortunate that I had a long time in Hollywood before I had this presented to me so I just feel that age and maturity help you deal with pressure.


Gaynor Flynn: And having genuine people around you who give you real advice. Do you agree?

Amy Adams: Yes. I do. I have a very big family that always has not been very impressed by me so they're very honest with me and a great team of people that always support me but I don't really have a tendency to misbehave its just not in me. Maybe a long time ago but even then if I'm going to break rules I want them to be for the betterment for myself not to the detriment to myself. So I'm not really tempted to misbehave.

































Gaynor Flynn: So you don't have a dark side?

Amy Adams: I have a dark side but you just don't feed it then you starve your dark side a bit but its there.


Gaynor Flynn: This year has been High School Musical, what do you think about it. Given your dance background would you like to be in a musical?

Amy Adams: I would. I think we seem to be returning again to a more wholesome presentation to our young girls so we don't have the bare mid drift and the promiscuous behaviour being sold to 10 year olds. So I'm happy that those films are doing well and also I would love to do another musical. I would love to do a stage musical. I think I'm a little old for High School Musical 3 unless I'm the perky counsellor but I would love to return to musicals yes.


Gaynor Flynn: In the Charlie Wilson's War you worked with Tom Hanks. What was he like to work with?

Amy Adams: I had worked with Tom Hanks before in Catch Me If You Can so I wasn't completely speechless in his presence I did a lot of scenes with him and he's everything you'd think he would be. He's just wonderful and he plays a totally different character than he's ever played before and it's so much fun to see him be this kind of suave playboy politician and I got very nervous because he's always perfect and I was afraid I'd mess up every take because he never misses a line.


Gaynor Flynn: What do you play?

Amy Adams: I play his congressional administrative assistant I sort of run the office. I'm his gal Friday is what we call it in the states.





























Gaynor Flynn: What else do you have coming up?

Amy Adams: I'm getting ready to shoot Doubt with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman and I play a nun in school whose caught in between the conflict of sexual abuse accusation against a priest.


Gaynor Flynn: So things are really beginning to happen for you, do you pinch yourself. Is this a fairytale for you?

Amy Adams: Yes. I just want to make sure and appreciate what I have when I have it and try to work as much as I can and hope that that pays off in really interesting roles. I try not to think about it because I'll get too overwhelmed if I think about it as a whole picture so I try to take it as one day at a time, kind of like Scarlett O'Hara, I'll think about that tomorrow so I just try to deal with each day as it comes.


Gaynor Flynn: Are you worried about your growing profile and the suddenly becoming of interest to the paparazzi?

Amy Adams: I don't have a very interesting life outside of film. (laughs) I don't go to famous places. I know that they can hound you anyway but I think they get bored if they only get pictures of you taking the garbage out and walking your dog. So we'll see.

Enchanted

Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Susan Sarandon, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel
Director: Kevin Lima

A classic Disney animated fairy tale meets with the modern, live-action romantic comedy in Walt Disney Pictures' ENCHANTED. Featuring an all-star cast, the film follows the beautiful princess Giselle (AMY ADAMS) as she is banished by an evil queen (SUSAN SARANDON) from her magical, musical animated land and finds herself in the gritty reality of the streets of modern-day Manhattan. Shocked by this strange new environment that doesn't operate on a "happily ever after" basis, Giselle is now adrift in a chaotic world badly in need of enchantment. But when Giselle begins to fall in love with a charmingly flawed divorce lawyer (PATRICK DEMPSEY) who has come to her aid -- even though she is already promised to a perfect fairy tale prince (JAMES MARSDEN) back home - she has to wonder: can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world?

ENCHANTED is directed by Kevin Lima ("Tarzan," "Eloise At Christmastime") from a screenplay written by Bill Kelly ("Blast From the Past") and will feature original songs from the reunited team of acclaimed composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz ("Pocahontas," "Hunchback of Notre Dame"). -- © Touchstone Pictures




Enchanted only at the movies 26 December -

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