'Captivity' and Controversy: Q&A With Elisha Cuthbert (Continued)

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RS: When you're doing torture scenes in a film like 'Captivity,' do you need to come to the set every day in a bad mood?

EC: I've never been much of a method actor. I feel like with every project I go in extremely prepared and I like to have a good time. I like to have a good atmosphere on the set, especially when you're doing something as intense as this. If you saw the stuff that goes into making the movie, you wouldn't help but laugh either. I mean, there's a moment in the movie where I had two grips above me throwing red food coloring mixed with cottage cheese on my face. We're joking and we're laughing about it. But then there's moments where ... we did the whole sand sequence, where I was really getting buried alive in this sand and that was really intense. I kind of pull in and out of it. I find that it's not so much of a process. If anything, I think that the romantic comedies are harder for me.

RS: Why is that?

EC: I don't know, it's just preference. I think with comedy I get very sort of critical of myself and try and do the best I can and it doesn't come as second nature. I work at those kinds of films. It doesn't mean I can't do them -- I've done two now, and I have a great time doing them, but I just find myself a little bit more neurotic. But when I'm doing these sort of physical roles, I guess because I get out so much energy throughout the course of the day, I come home and I can sleep, you know? I can sort of go "wow, I did the day and I accomplished it." I don't know -- I can't really explain it all -- it's just a preference, I guess.

RS: With this and 'House of Wax,' is typecasting a concern for you? The horror genre is notorious for that, obviously.

EC: Yeah, I mean I love horror films, so I guess it's one of those things where I find myself interested in the script. 'Captivity' is a bit of an interesting situation, because I think it was really wanting to work with Roland Joffe that triggered my interest in the film. But you know, I have such a great time making them. I do try and stay away from the stereotype and getting typecast. I do find myself trying to make the right choices, and avoiding that, but you know, I've got the romantic comedy coming out at the end of the year, and I've got a cool, dark indie film, and then this one, so I think hopefully that's enough to show the public that I've got a lot of different things going on and am capable of that.

RS: So if another great horror project came along next year, you wouldn't turn it away.

EC: You know what? I certainly realize that not only do I like the genre, but I'm getting really good at it and I'm having a good time making them, so if they came along and it was the right time, yeah, for sure. I'd be totally into it.

RS: Can you describe the tone of 'Captivity' for me a little? Is the torture your character endures more physical or psychological?

EC: It's a bit of both. Roland Joffe really works with a lot of smoke and mirrors. There's elements of pure gore and there are moments of psychological terror, and in the midst of that, there's a love story. So it's really all over the map, and I think it's just a fun ride. I finally saw the final product, and I'm just so pleased with it. I was in a group of friends and everyone was just sort of covering their eyes and screaming and having such a good time, and that's really why we made the movie. That's all I could ask for, you know?

RS: Were there any big changes to the script after you got onto the set and got going? Any changes from the original concept?

EC: Well, yeah, the original set shooting was in Russia, and we went to the page and then got back and screened it and changed the ending a ton of times. Nowadays you can screen films for people and you can judge what works and what doesn't. So we sort of modified and then also, selling it to Lionsgate and After Dark, they had their own opinions about the film and went in and changed that, too, so it was a bit of a collaboration with a lot of different people -- unfortunately and fortunately -- because I think the end product, all the changes were worth it and made sense. It was a bit of a process, but the original filming took place in 2005, and we stuck to the original script.

RS: Did you find working with Roland enjoyable?

EC: Yeah, you know he's so quiet, but for some reason he demands so much respect in the way he works. You can't help but sort of be in awe of him. He never raised his voice once -- such a sweet, sweet man, and had so many ideas and a lot of visions for the film, which was amazing. Every scene in the film was so epic, and he cared a lot about the lighting and the visual aspects of it as much as the performances.

RS: I've noticed you tend to choose roles that prompt some odd criticism. Long before the whole 'Captivity' controversy, Roger Ebert famously pounced on your porn-star character in 'The Girl Next Door,' calling her "the most unpleasant movie character I've seen in some time."

EC: Well, I'm not here to play characters that are one-note and boring, you know? So if that generates controversy in my roles, then fair enough. I think, as an artist, whether you're making people laugh or cry or be frustrated or excited -- the fact that you're generating some sort of emotion out of an audience is, to me, worth it. To sit through a film where you're just unmotivated to be interested in a character is probably the worst thing that could ever happen. I find myself maybe just pushing myself to create characters that are a little outside the box, and if that sort of gets the critics talking, then I can take it.

RS: Is there a role that you wait for? Maybe a great villain role, something like that?

EC: No, not specifically. I mean, things are always changing. You get scripts daily that are all completely different. It would be impossible for me to say 'this is the exact kind of movie that I want,' but I do tend to switch it up as far as the genre goes. Once we finished 'Captivity,' I was really gung-ho about, you know, doing a romantic comedy but holding out for the right one. You try and make some choices along the way, but it's art -- it's impossible to be on the nose.

RS: So what's up next?

EC: Next I'm gonna go off and do a movie with Tim Allen. It's a comedy and it's got a huge cast. Coming off of 'Captivity,' where it's pretty much only me in the film -- with 'Sassy Girl,' I'm playing opposite Jesse Bradford -- I sort of wanted to find an ensemble film, and this one happened to come my way. It's called 'The Six Wives of Henry LeFay,' and it's a really fun family film about a girl who has to organize her father's funeral in the midst of dealing with six ex-wives. It's so funny. It's so much fun, and it's gonna be great to work with six different actresses. It's gonna be a great time, so I'm looking forward to that.

RS: What about the '24' movie? When is that gonna happen?

EC: Your guess is as good as mine. My whole theory is that I've got the phone waiting by the bed, and I'm just sort of waiting for it to ring and them to tell me "hey, we're gonna go do the movie." You know, that would be the ideal situation, but I think Kiefer is so busy getting these seasons done that it's almost impossible to get anything going. But we've been talking about it since the first season. I think it's on everyone's mind, but it's got to be good. Their standards are so high over there that if it happens it's gonna happen at the right time and have the right script and all the elements have to be in the right place, obviously.

RS: So is there actually a script? Is someone working on that?

EC: I don't think so, but I could be totally wrong, so you can't quote me on that. But they're so sneaky over there, I bet they've got all kinds of things on the go.

RS: You went out for Mary Jane in 'Spider-Man,' right? Are you a big fan of the superhero genre?

EC: Yeah, I guess so. It's interesting because that was the first audition that I had when I first moved to California, for 'Spider-Man,' so it was kind of an interesting story, but I'm not here looking for it. I definitely think that I'm strong enough and would love to play sort of the "action hero," especially as a female, you know. It would be so much fun. I'm not really looking for Lois Lane. I'm kind of looking for someone who has got the guns, you know what I mean? I would rather play a Lara Croft than sort of play Lois Lane.

RS: Maybe if Angelina Jolie opts out of a third 'Tomb Raider,' they'll come to you.

EC: [Laughs] The blonde version.

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