Sherilyn Fenn: Fenn and Now

Q: I know you're not crazy about it, but I'm a fan of Two-Moon Junction.

A: I felt really exploited. I was not ready, willing or able to embrace my sexuality as much as [director] Zalman King needed me to for that movie. I thought it was a love story, because to me sex is nothing without love. To him it was a sex thing. It just wasn't very tenderly handled. I remember that after I did that, one of my agents said, "Now they can't ignore you." The flip side of that is, I also remember when a woman approached me in public once and said, "I really loved you in that movie but I didn't want to tell my friends because I thought they would think there was something wrong with me." Welcome to repressed, Sesame Street America.

Q: When it comes to your movies, how often are you satisfied with the finished project?

A: Rarely. I don't think I'm an easy audience member. I saw There's Something About Mary and I wanted to like it because it was such a huge comedy. But I didn't laugh much. I kept thinking, "Wow, I must be so out of sync with America."

Q: You recently shot a movie with Chris Penn called Cement. What's it about?

A: Dirty cops in L.A. I play a character who's selfish and sloppy with her sexual energy. I saw the film and I was really happy with it. It's got a lot of soul.

Q: How did you learn about the birds and the bees?

A: From my friends. I remember in sixth grade, sitting on the stage in the gym and my friend's showing me what a French kiss is with her fingers, and I'm like, "Nooooo!"

Q: You've played a number of characters who flirt with danger, sexually speaking. Any of that parallel your real nature?

A: I've been attracted to dangerous guys but I've never turned my life over for them. I tend to like guys who have good hearts and are a little bit goofy. I don't like macho guys. I much prefer a guy that's in touch with his feminine-side.

Q: Are you seeing anyone now?

A: Yeah, it's a really good thing and it's pretty new. He's in the business, but he's not an actor. Been there, done that. There's a fundamental problem with boys in makeup, which is what I jokingly like to call actors.

Q: Which is?

A: I think women are used to expressing their feelings and that's very normal. Men aren't. So when they get their makeup on and start doing it, there's something self-indulgent about it, like there's some kind of big sacrifice being made.

Q: Are you assertive when it comes to men or do you let them come to you?

A: I put out energy but I won't approach.

Q: You were linked with Prince for awhile, back when he was still Prince. Was it a romantic relationship or just a friendship?

A: More than anything it was a friendship, though at certain points it was romantic as well. I loved him. He's a brilliant man. My favorite thing was going to the studio when he was recording the music for Under the Cherry Moon and watching him. I haven't talked to him in a couple of years.

Q: What's been the lowest point in your life?

A: It was about a year ago. I was so disillusioned by this business, by the scripts I was reading, by my then-agent's lack of anything for me in terms of jobs and support. I was going to move to London--I got two films there--but they got pushed ahead and I realized I had better come back. I started feeling bad about my son's father. Then when I came back, I felt really different because I started working on something that was inspiring me.

Q: What are you most proud of?

A: My son, by far. I'm proud that I raised him pretty much by myself and that I can support myself.

Q: You posed for Playboy in 1990. What was that like?

A: It was fine because they gave me a lot of money, which was frankly one of the motivating factors. Also, I chose the way it was done, and I chose the prints that were used. When the magazine first got the pictures they said, "They're too artsy, we're not going to print them." I said, "Fine, then don't print them."

Q: Were there career ramifications?

A: It didn't really do much either way that I'm aware of. David Lynch was very excited to see them. He was like, "Oh my God, Sherilyn!"

Q: Who's been your most surprising fan?

A: Well, my friend said she heard Denzel Washington and his wife talking about Rude Awakening and how much they liked it. She called me right away because she knows I love Denzel. That was pretty cool.

Q: What's something you splurged on when you started making good money?

A: One time I spent $3,000 on lingerie in an hour and a half.

Q: What was the worst thing you've had to wear for a part?

A: Liz's fat thing was pretty awful. I looked in the mirror and felt bad for her. I could see how she could go to that self-hate place really quickly.

Q: Do you regret any of your career choices?

A: Nothing stands out, but that's probably because I'm of the mind that it's not healthy to regret. I try to live my life not looking into the past or into the future, but asking, "How can I be true to myself right here, right now, with you in this interview? Am I being honest or am I trying to present some bullshit image of myself?"

Q: If there was a doll of you that talked, what would it say when you pulled the string?

A: Kiss my lily-white ass.

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Dennis Hensley interviewed Rachael Leigh Cook for the April 99 issue of Movieline.

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