Annette Bening: A Private Star

Q: Were you at all intimidated working with Anjelica Huston?

A: I don't remember being intimidated by Anjelica. But when I worked with Meryl Streep, oh God, I was so intimidated.

Q: I read that you did the nude scenes in The Grifters because you felt they were comedic rather than dramatic.

A: I thought I could do them because of the context it was in. It made sense to me. It was appropriate to the part, it wasn't exploitative. I'd also just been in Europe and they have such a superior attitude about nudity, so much more relaxed about it. So I was feeling very liberated at the time.

Q: Could you do such scenes now that you're married to Warren?

A: It's pretty unlikely.

Q: Would you have to talk it over with him?

A: I discuss everything with him, sure. Ultimately, I would make up my own mind. I'd say, "What do you think?" And he'd say, "Don't do it!" [Laughs] No, he wouldn't say that. He would say, "You should do what you want to do." But he would give me his point of view.

Q: Which would be reasons you shouldn't do it. After The Grifters you were called the "thinking man's sex symbol." How does that sit with you?

A: Are you kidding? That's really nice.

Q: You were nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Were you disappointed you lost out to Whoopi Goldberg's performance in Ghost?

A: I wasn't that disappointed because I felt like such a luck-out. I didn't really expect to win. Of course, at the last moment when they're saying it, you're thinking, Will they say my name?

Q: After the awards, did Whoopi take all the nominees to dinner?

A: Yeah. We got together before the ceremony and we said, "Let's get together next week and whoever wins, pays." I was working on Bugsy at the time and I got a big bouquet of flowers in my trailer from Whoopi. She did it all so well. The card said, "Meet at the such-and-such restaurant." Whoopi's great. So Mary McDonnell, who had done Dances With Wolves, and Diane Ladd, who was in Rambling Rose, and I had dinner with her. She gave us little chocolate Oscars and gardenias. So classy.

Q: Did you eat your chocolate Oscar?

A: God, good question. No, I don't think I did. I saved it.

Q: You played opposite an often-nominated actor, Robert De Niro, in Guilty by Suspicion. Was he scary to work with?

A: When I was up for the part I went in to meet with him and I was very nervous. I thought I didn't do a good job. I spent a lot of time trying to break his concentration, which is so impeccable and I have such a lack of it. I kind of goof around a lot when I'm working, as a way of getting my mind off it.

Q: Harrison Ford thought you were easy to work with in Regarding Henry. Were you surprised the movie didn't do much business?

A: I suppose I was disappointed, sure. I really liked working with him.

Q: When you worked with Warren and writer James Toback and director Barry Levinson on Bugsy, did you feel like the odd lady out?

A: No, I never felt like they were trying to exclude me. I didn't participate as much before the shooting, but once we started I did.

Q: Laura Dern said, "Bugsy really annoyed me when Annette Bening got off on Warren Beatty making that guy bark like a dog, there's just no reason for that."

A: Maybe it's a politically incorrect thing for a woman, but I think it's human.

Q: Bette Midler was recently quoted saying, "Women are treated like dog meat, they get the worst roles, the shittiest parts, and it's only going to get worse... the movie business has been hideous to women." Do you agree with her?

A: No.

Q: Do you agree with Glenn Close, who said, "The recent roles for women have been horrendous, they are hookers or mothers or harridan wives"?

A: To a degree she's right. But Glenn is extremely smart about her career. She plays all kinds of different people. But it's true, there aren't a lot of parts and the older you get as an actress, the fewer there are. I don't have anything terribly original to say about that. Yes, it's terrible, and it's a double standard. But I also feel hesitant to complain about it, because I feel: If you believe this, then why don't you think up a story? Men are supposed to write these for us? Why are they responsible?

Q: What does money mean to you?

A: Freedom. When I didn't have a lot of money I wasn't unhappy, so it kind of doesn't scare me in that way. But having money, I feel very fortunate.

Q: Do you have many regrets?

A: Yes and no. I won't say what they are.

Q: What about not playing Catwoman in the second Batman because you got pregnant?

A: No, I have this gorgeous two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. I would love to have played that part, but I also really wanted to have a baby.

Q: Was the baby planned?

A: I hate talking about it in that way. It was not an accident, no.

Q: Do you want more?

A: Maybe.

Q: It must be tough being an actress in demand, as you are, wanting to still have kids. One must find the right times.

A: There's never a good time, if you're an actress, and if you're fortunate enough to have parts that are available to you, as I feel I am. But I also have a strong desire to have children.

Q: You've worked twice with Warren in the movies, ever think you might work with him on a political campaign where he might run for office?

A: I don't know if that will happen or not, but if he chose to do it, I would completely back him up. He's got great political sense. He has a very studied and unique perspective. If he ever chose to do it, I would be good at being with him.

Q: Are your political leanings similar to his?

A: Sure. Although I was raised in a much more conservative way than he was. His parents were more liberal than my parents. We really didn't talk about politics much in my house.

Q: How's Warren with your family? Is he a close or distant brother-in-law to your brothers and sister?

A: He's a great brother-in-law. He's interested mainly because of our children--in their having cousins and an extended family. Also, Warren loves medical issues and my sister is a doctor in Orange county.

Q: She's a gynecologist, isn't she?

A: Yes.

Q: Do you dream much?

A: I'm a deep sleeper and I don't tend to remember my dreams. I dreamt about my first agent the other day. Why I was dreaming about him, I don't know. I read Jung's Memories, Dreams, and Reflections and was just thinking about that when you asked about dreams. His memories and dreams were so vivid.

Q: What else have you been reading?

A: A couple of books about raising children. I read Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, which I'm considering doing. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, which is very good.

Q: Who's your favorite author?

A: Truman Capote.

Q: Do you like to write yourself?

A: I do, but I don't like to talk about it. It's purely for myself. It shows me what I think, that's the value.

Q: How complicated do you think you are?

A: It depends on the day. The more I get to know myself, the more complicated I feel. But I feel like the more I can simplify my life and my own attitude towards myself, the easier it becomes.

Q: Are you stubborn?

A: I'm not aware of how stubborn I am, but I am very impatient. And I can be very emotional. Very.

Q: What would be sinful to you?

A: To have a cigarette. I've smoked on and off. I'm not smoking now.

Q: Five years from now, where do you see yourself?

A: Probably disorganized and trying to juggle children, a husband and work. Similar to what I'm doing now.

Q: Not moving into the governor's mansion?

A: I don't know where we'll be living. I kind of like that feeling. Not knowing exactly where we'll be... or what I'll be pursuing.

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Lawrence Grobel interviewed Alec Baldwin for the May Movieline.

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