Elizabeth Hurley: The Most Resilient Star in Hollywood

Q: Have you ever found a journalist you could trust or who has become a friend?

A: Hell no!

Q: What new realities have you had to adjust to since becoming a mother?

A: I love my life much more. The biggest change is that I've felt so much more settled and motivated to be settled. I feel inspired to work harder, it's all for a purpose now. And to be organized and to build a beautiful and safe home, to set myself up to be able to support Damian until he can support himself.

Q: In 1996 you said in Us magazine: "I just find it inconceivable to [be a parent]. I can't even look after myself. And I would just hate to be an appalling showbiz mother. I can't think of anything more repellent than to bring up maladjusted, dreadful children that I haven't been there for. It's very difficult for me to want to invite that much chaos into my life. I like children, but I don't like babies, personally."

A: Six years ago, it would have been way, way tougher on me. I'd achieved a lot less. I was six years younger, maybe I was immature for my age. It would have been inconceivable then to do what I have done now. That's good, we evolve.

Q: Last thing I read you were saying you'd like three children.

A: I'm obviously not in a situation where I could begin considering having other children. But, if I should be lucky enough to be in a situation where I'm in a relationship where it seems the right thing to do, I'd love to. The second I had Damian I said to my sister, "I'd like another one."

Q: What did Damian look like when he was born?

A: E.T. He was a little reptilian when he was born. Now he's got quite a lot of Winston Churchill in him, big fat jowly thing.

Q: Jodie Foster said that motherhood affected her ambition. Has it yours?

A: I don't think so. It's affected my levels of tolerance. Without any doubt now I'll pick and choose jobs I'm involved with much more carefully. I'm going to manage my time much better, I hope. Before, if I sat in a six-hour script meeting that wasn't really going anywhere, I sat there. But now, I don't want to be there for six hours if it could take two. I'd rather be home with Damian.

Q: Camryn Manheim said, "It takes a village to raise a baby." Do you have a lot of support?

A: I do. I didn't realize how much I had until some of the cavalry came over the hill. I'm absurdly spoiled, to be able to go to Damian's godfather Elton John's house right after he was born, and stay for seven weeks. Horribly outstayed my welcome. So many people came to help, it was stunning.

Q: Was Elton there as well?

A: Elton and his boyfriend David, they both came in and out. Elton was on tour, and David was producing something, but they'd come for weekends.

Q: "Naughty" is a word that comes up often when people talk about you. Are you naughty?

A: I'm naughty but nice. I favor a little mischief sometimes.

Q: You've also been described as both assertive and unsure of yourself. Are you both?

A: [Laughs] I daresay I'm both.

Q: How would you describe yourself?

A: Depends what mood I'm in. I'm so bored with myself, I can't think about myself anymore.

Q: How ambitious are you?

A: I like setting goals and achieving them.

Q: Is marriage a goal?

A: I never thought about it like that. I've nothing against marriage whatsoever. I'm all for happiness. If they go hand in hand ever, I wouldn't shy away.

Q: Do you have a problem with commitment? You were with Hugh Grant for 13 years and weren't able to make that commitment.

A: I was fiercely committed to Hugh, when you think about it, and still am. It was never right for us to start a family together and get married. I've been committed to all of my boyfriends, I really have.

Q: Have you had many?

A: No, only three. This is the first time I've been single in 19 years. It's a brave new world. I feel I have to play the field for a while.

Q: Do you intimidate men?

A: I don't know.

Q: Why did James Caan, who was in Mickey Blue Eyes, which you produced, say that you overly enjoyed the authority producing bestowed on you? What did you do to Caan to make him talk that way about you?

A: I think...I can't even...uh...well, ironically, I fought to have Jimmy in that picture. He certainly wasn't the studio's first choice, and frankly he wasn't ours either. Some people at that time hadn't particularly wanted to employ him. Hugh and I did. We actually got on very well during shooting. I'm not sure how well he's done since.

Q: So there was no conflict on the set?

A: None.

Q: Are you a hands-on producer?

A: I'm a very hands-on producer. I would never dream of being disloyal about somebody who worked for me.

Q: Is Caan's comment disloyal to you?

A: I can't say I'd be overly perturbed by a comment by James Caan in the press. It's not quite like being criticized by Robert De Niro.

Q: Who would you want to work with?

A: I wouldn't know where to start. I was delighted to work with Sean. There probably isn't a woman in the world who wouldn't want to work with Robert De Niro. Or a man, actually--he's one of those people who transcends genders. And Al Pacino. I love Robert Redford.

Q: Anybody under 60?

A: George Clooney.

Q: Who's the best director you've worked with?

A: I got a lot from working with Ron Howard on Ed TV. I only did two weeks. It's why I also enjoyed working with Harold Ramis, because they're performers and they identify with you. I loved working with Kathryn Bigelow on The Weight of Water.

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