Julianne Moore Exclusive Interview for Savage Grace

 

Last week, John Polly spoke with the unbelievably brilliant actress and total gay hero Julianne Moore for her upcoming film, based on the tragic true story of the ultra-wealthy Baekeland family. To quote J.P. who selected Savage Grace for his Summer Hot Picks:

It’s a f*cked-up story of a mother (Moore), her gay son, their lovers, a freaky (to put it mildly) Oedipal relationship, murder and crazy-rich Americans jet-setting and humping around Europe in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.

The movie is made by Tom Kalin (remember the gay indie Swoon?), and it’s a twisted, gorgeous mess with another fearless turn by Moore.

Don't miss the Q&A - and the movie trailer - after the jump. John & Julianne spoke about getting into the role of the deeply disturbed Barbara Baekeland - and why the gays love her so much...

 

 

I loved the book. It's so juicy ... and crazy!

The book is fantastic. And I hadn’t heard of it, but apparently it’s very well-known. I remember being at a party and hearing, Oh my god, I love that book. It's really well-put together - all these recollections and interviews...

… Just the level of candor and frankness. And [Barbara Baekeland] seemed so open, just talking amongst her friends, about sleeping with her son.

It’s interesting because … I had someone come up to me and say, As a mother, would you have done something, Would you have said something, Would you have prevented this? She was … from a tabloid … I said, Uh, if you read the book, everybody knew.

Everybody knew everything and people did nothing. We don’t do what we think we’re going to do. We’re shaped by film: The hero comes and says, I’m gonna right this wrong. But in real life, behavior is manifold and extensive and messy – and stuff just happens.

If this were a fiction, I think you’d feel like it was just sort of salacious. Like, Come on, really? But what is compelling about it is that it actually happened, and it seems so outside of what we are capable of. But in fact, we’re capable of almost anything.

 

 

Did it make it easier for you to take it on because it was real? Did you ever think, Oh, I can’t play this...?

No, I didn’t. No. You know, people have been talking about that a lot lately … I don’t have to identify with the character. I never identify with my characters. I have to bring their behavior to light, but I don’t worry something could happen to me because … I’m pretending. That’s what’s challenging and interesting to me: If you are portraying this kind of behavior in a connected, real way - you just find a way to figure it out, to get inside it.

That’s why, at the end of the day, you do something like this, because, really, how could this have happened? How do they do this to each other?

How was working with [director] Tom Kalin? It had been a long time since his last feature...

Yeah, it had been a long time. He certainly knew what he wanted. We had a long time to make this movie; it took almost five years to get the financing. And he was very specific about what he wanted to tell. He’s interested in these crime stories. His father was a parole officer, I think, so he was interested in the same kind of thing. It’s like, Who are they?

It’s not camp. He found the tragedy. When you watch it, you’re not detached from it.

 

 

What do you think about Barbara’s attitude toward her son’s homosexuality?

Oh, she refused to acknowledge it. It simply didn’t exist for her - the fact that he might be gay. I don’t know why ... Except the time she lived in, it was probably just a lack of ... knowledge. Yeah, she would not acknowledge it.

But even when she’s there when he’s with Jake, you’re like, Oh, look how relaxed she is with this...

She wasn’t relaxed with Jake at all, actually; she hated Jake. And Jake was kind of a local drug dealer too. But they were all high; there was a lot of drug-taking, all of them, and a lot of drinking.

But she wouldn’t mention her son’s homosexuality. And then she did say to some people her sleeping with him was her attempt to cure him. Kind of a home remedy...

 

 

I know you were presented with a GLAAD Award about a year ago. You’re a big, gay hero!

[laughs]

And I was telling my friends and colleagues about coming to talk to you, and everyone’s response was: [gasp!]. They were so excited. I know this is kind of a weird question, but how did that happen?

I don’t know! And I don’t know when it started happening either. I do remember once I was in London doing An Ideal Husband, I had this huge golden outfit on and this Lucille Ball hair-do - just this ridiculous outfit. And the gay pride parade was going by - everybody saying, We’re here, we’re queer! Get used to it! - and it changed direction, it started coming near me ... Finally there were all marching toward me.

It just started happening in the ‘90s. I don’t know where it came from, just that everybody’s always really liked my movies. It’s a compliment, frankly! The gay community has always been known for having fantastic taste in film and performances.

 

 

And you’re sort of linked with people like Todd Haynes and a lot of gay writers and directors, so it makes sense! Now, the movie looks gorgeous. Was that a fun element?

It was a great element. What Tom did - these chapters, these snap shots over time - we went from, like, 1940 to 1971. And in each period, you have the Balenciaga sailor suit, then the Dior - the slim silhouette - then it’s Givenchy, then it’s Chanel... Half the time, you’re telling them where they are by what she’s wearing, which is kind of a fantastic way to do it. A very ... arty way of giving information to an audience. Not to mention the fact that it was just phenomenally fun.

And this was also somebody who was very interested in what things looked like; she’s interested in the superficial. She talked about being a painter, but she was a dilettante. She went to Hollywood for a screen test, and it was too much work for her. She just wanted to be a socialite.

And did you keep anything from the movie?

The Chanel suit that Karl made me - made me a couture - I kept that. And there was an Andres Sarda that I wore when she was supposed to be a New Yorker. I have those two things, and that’s really it. But some of the stuff was on loan - like the pink Givenchy dress, they lent us - which was amazing. I loved that dress.

And again, you're such a gay hero: I was watching the Oscars a few years ago at Fez, this big, draggy Oscar party, and when you appeared for your nomination, everyone cheered and freaked out.

That’s so nice to hear! Like I said, it’s a great compliment. As communities go, you have the best taste.

Thanks!

As soon as I said that, Your people! Your people! [laughs]

 

 

Comments

[junior]

I love Moore and wanted to like this movie, but I was unimpressed. It was a little vague and didn't really make much sense. But Moore was mostly very good!