Independent Film Guide
Oh 'Baby' What a Year:
Q&A With Maggie Gyllenhaal
Sherrybaby
Directed by Laurie Collyer
Theatrical Release Date September 8, 2006
Released by IFC
Run time 95 min.
Genre Drama
Rating NR
Theatrical Release Date September 8, 2006
Released by IFC
Run time 95 min.
Genre Drama
Rating NR
Moviefone: There's so much intensity involved in playing a recovering drug addict. How did you prepare?
Maggie Gyllenhaal: Usually when journalists ask me how I prepared for something I end up feeling like "I don't know. Did I not do my homework?" It's never the kind of classic preparation. It doesn't feel like school. It doesn't feel like doing a book report. But in this case, I did do more classic stuff at the insistence of the director. I went and met with a lot of women at halfway houses in (Manhattan), in Brooklyn and Jersey. I would spend days there.
MF: There's quite a bit of Oscar buzz about your performance. Do you believe the hype?
MG: I certainly try not to get caught up in it. It's much easier being about to have a baby; I have so many other things to think about. I'm really proud of the movie. I've been really lucky. At this particular moment I have all these movies coming out, which I made over such a long period of time. It's funny that they're coming out at once.
MF: Six movies in one year, that's huge!
MG: I know. I've been trying not to think about it as six. I think about it as four. Of course there are six, but 'Monster House' is just my voice. And 'Great New Wonderful,' I worked on that movie, even though I have a lot to do in it, for six days. In a way that one felt like it came out already in '05. But it's true: 'World Trade Center,' 'Trust the Man,' 'Sherrybaby' and 'Stranger Than Fiction.' I'm really, really proud of all of those movies -- the movies themselves and of my work. I'm really excited about them. I feel like any attention that 'Sherrybaby' is getting from anywhere, I support. It needs that attention. It needs people to be talking about it and writing about it. It's not a movie like 'World Trade Center' where there'll be ads on TV, and everyone will hear about it. It's a movie that needs to be loved and coddled a little bit to get seen. Like, I saw 'Half Nelson' the other night.
MF: Wasn't it fantastic?
MG: Oh my God. I thought Ryan Gosling was fantastic. I thought that was such a flawless performance. And I don't know if he'll get nominated for awards or not. Who knows?
MF: Have you seen 'Little Miss Sunshine' as well? My colleagues and I have been debating which movie is better. Which do you prefer?
MG: I really liked that too. But I haven't seen a performance like Ryan Gosling's performance in ... I can't even think of a time when I've seen something so, so good. I'm trying to find his e-mail and write him an email about it. When you see something like that and you do the same work, you have to say something. I just couldn't believe how good he was. But that's another movie where who knows if anyone will see it, if it somehow will get attention and people will get to see it before it comes out on video. I certainly hope so.
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Maggie Gyllenhaal: Usually when journalists ask me how I prepared for something I end up feeling like "I don't know. Did I not do my homework?" It's never the kind of classic preparation. It doesn't feel like school. It doesn't feel like doing a book report. But in this case, I did do more classic stuff at the insistence of the director. I went and met with a lot of women at halfway houses in (Manhattan), in Brooklyn and Jersey. I would spend days there.
MF: There's quite a bit of Oscar buzz about your performance. Do you believe the hype?MG: I certainly try not to get caught up in it. It's much easier being about to have a baby; I have so many other things to think about. I'm really proud of the movie. I've been really lucky. At this particular moment I have all these movies coming out, which I made over such a long period of time. It's funny that they're coming out at once.
MF: Six movies in one year, that's huge!
MG: I know. I've been trying not to think about it as six. I think about it as four. Of course there are six, but 'Monster House' is just my voice. And 'Great New Wonderful,' I worked on that movie, even though I have a lot to do in it, for six days. In a way that one felt like it came out already in '05. But it's true: 'World Trade Center,' 'Trust the Man,' 'Sherrybaby' and 'Stranger Than Fiction.' I'm really, really proud of all of those movies -- the movies themselves and of my work. I'm really excited about them. I feel like any attention that 'Sherrybaby' is getting from anywhere, I support. It needs that attention. It needs people to be talking about it and writing about it. It's not a movie like 'World Trade Center' where there'll be ads on TV, and everyone will hear about it. It's a movie that needs to be loved and coddled a little bit to get seen. Like, I saw 'Half Nelson' the other night.
MF: Wasn't it fantastic?
MG: Oh my God. I thought Ryan Gosling was fantastic. I thought that was such a flawless performance. And I don't know if he'll get nominated for awards or not. Who knows?
MF: Have you seen 'Little Miss Sunshine' as well? My colleagues and I have been debating which movie is better. Which do you prefer?
MG: I really liked that too. But I haven't seen a performance like Ryan Gosling's performance in ... I can't even think of a time when I've seen something so, so good. I'm trying to find his e-mail and write him an email about it. When you see something like that and you do the same work, you have to say something. I just couldn't believe how good he was. But that's another movie where who knows if anyone will see it, if it somehow will get attention and people will get to see it before it comes out on video. I certainly hope so.
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