Vegas Outsider - Interview with Beth Broderick
Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 09:39AM
On the eve of its premiere at South By Southwest, I had an opportunity to interview actress Beth Broderick about one of her most intriguing roles in the new film Fly Away. The tale of a mother caring for her teenage, autistic daughter at the price of her own life and desires, Fly Away is an honest, family film that is a perfect display of Broderick's skill and humanity. Vegas Outsider: What about the story or character made you wish to tackle this difficult role in Fly Away? Beth Broderick: The honesty of the writing and I was really challenged by the simplicity of the scenes and the nuance. My sister, Laura Broderick, has spent her life working with adults who are severely impacted by Autism and other disabling conditions. Her companies “Diverse Journeys” and “Get a Life” help these people to live lives of their own choosing with dignity and loving support. I have been in this world for a long time and understand the difficulties that many families face. We have not seen this side of the story of these lives and their day to day struggles. I think Janet’s script is very revealing VO: What was your collaboration process like with the director, Janet Grillo, since this is subject matter that is close to her own life? BB: Janet and I worked on several drafts of the script together. I had notes about structure and character development. Not all directors are collaborative, but Janet was very open to input and not only took my notes, but took them and ran with them. The atmosphere on the set was also very open and we all worked very hard to get the movie completed in 14 days. The DP actors, Janet and the entire team were incredibly dedicated. All the drama appears on the screen … there was none backstage. VO: Regarding her interactions with Tom, do you feel that she wants to use Mandy as an excuse to push him away on some level or is it simply a fear of possible rejection? BB: I think Jeannie has been subsumed by her daughter’s needs for so long that she has forgotten how to live in her own skin. When he kisses her the experience is a terrifying reminder that she is living a half life. I think she regrets her actions towards Tom, but is just not on solid enough ground to risk intimacy with him. VO: Your scenes with Ashley are both incredibly sweet as well as demanding, given the mood swings Mandy goes through. How was your on-set experience in working with her because the two of you have a very real and believable chemistry. BB: Ashley is a remarkable, young woman and I bonded with her almost immediately. She brought no vanity or ego to the set only willingness and dedication. I think we both loved our characters and the story and it translated into loving one another. She is true talent and a lovely human. VO: As you worked on this film, inhabiting this character day in day out, do you feel that the overall experience affected you personally on any level? Or were you able to separate your own life and emotions from Jeanne's at the end of the day? BB: I am not a person who can separate my emotions from my work. Watching the movie with an audience I was sobbing at the end, because I can still feel the pain of the situation. Taking on a role this size with a budget this small, one expects to be driven to exhaustion. I was depleted for a long while after we wrapped, but would do it again in a heartbeat. It is the sort of marathon that we spend our lives training for and there is no option but to give 100 % both physically and emotionally. VO: Taking a step back for a moment, besides Fly Away, you also have another film on the festival circuit right now, 818, which is about as different thematically as you can get. I'm wondering what your thoughts are on having two very different projects like that out at the same time right now since they are very disparate in appearance but exact in terms of your commitment. BB: Both roles were epic in terms of size and the stamina that was required to play them. “(818)” is a satire of Hollywood celebrity and the role of Allysa needed to be glamorous and larger than life. I had a lot of help from director Bob King and the make-up, hair and wardrobe departments. Fly Away was about stripping my work down to blood and bone; 818 was about turning myself into a giant walking, talking embodiment of ambition. I loved working on both pieces and you are right … they could not be more disparate, but both directors have a unique voice that deserves to be heard. VO: Finally, with Fly Away, what did you take away from this experience personally and if you had to hope an audience takes away some sort of message or feeling what would it be? BB: Fly Away is a love story between a parent and her child. It tells the truth without making anyone a hero or a villain. I hope audiences respond to the truth of the story and enjoy this journey into the humanity that defines us all.Fly Away: Interview with Beth Broderick
Fly Away: Interview With actress Beth Broderick
Lead actress Beth Broderick discusses her harrowing role in the family drama, Fly Away, which is premiering at SXSW
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