anderswolleck

Sarah Michelle Gellar defined one of the best characters in television, the title role of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But of course the show ended and she has moved onto other things. For many years during the run of Buffy, Gellar did horror movies such as Scream 2 and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Now her latest project, The Grudge, is another horror film with a twist. It is the first Japanese horror remake directed by the original Japanese director.

Check out the official website for The Grudge

Daniel Robert Epstein: I read that you are a big fan of Japanese horror films.

Sarah Michelle Gellar: Im a fan of Japanese cinema in general so I dont get genre specific. I think its an incredibly untapped market. As American filmmakers we constantly steal from everyone and I wonder why we arent stealing from the Asian film market. You would think that after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that there would have been this massive influx. It was all hype but then not much happened. Now we see it with the remake of The Ring, Shall We Dance and Dark Water. Ive seen all the originals of those films and I saw Hero like two years ago.

DRE: What made you want to be in The Grudge?

SMG: I had a fascination with it. I had left the TV show and it was the first time in my life where I could make my own decisions. Where my own decisions could be based on what I want to do rather than have to be planned during my hiatus. For me the opportunity to travel to Japan and live there, not just visit for a press junket where I only end up seeing the Park Hyatt. I think it was cool to be part of something that was a first because this is a first time that a Japanese remake was directed by the Japanese director of the original with an all Japanese crew. Also by American standards it was probably one of the cheapest films made this year but by Japan standards it was one of the most expensive films ever filmed at Toho Studios where the Godzilla movies are made. So all of those firsts combined made it a unique opportunity.

DRE: When you get bored would you go over to a Godzilla set and stomp on cities?

SMG: [laughs] Look at me; do I look like I could stomp on anything? It would be more like a tiptoe.

DRE: Did you see lots of stuff in Japan?

SMG: So much. I went anywhere I didnt have to fly to because they wouldnt let me fly. God bless the bullet train. I went to Kyoto, I saw sumo wrestling, I went to all the temples and I went shopping. The Sony Store in Japan has these robotic dogs that take commands. I wanted to bring those back home.

DRE: How was it working with a director who doesnt speak English?

SMG: Well even though he doesnt speak the language he always had control of how much tension should be in the movie. I can barely control things in English let alone pay attention to every character and every scene.

If a movie works then you should be able to watch it with the sound off and still understand whats going on. Thats what this was like because we couldnt really communicate with words. The themes are universal because its about betrayal, rejection and marriage. Also little Japanese boys are scary.

DRE: What frightens you?

SMG: Im not really a fearful person. I dont live my life in fear. I look forward to challenges but Im not going on Fear Factor anytime soon. I dont like rats or roaches and most things New York City girls are supposed to be afraid of.

DRE: I heard you gave a really amazing audition for The Grudge. What did you do?

SMG: I think it was actually that I would audition. I think [producer] Sam [Raimi] was really surprised I wanted to come in and read. A lot of actors get to this place of not wanting to audition. I like to audition because its my chance to show what I do and figure out whatt the director is thinking. There is a satisfaction in wanting something, going in, auditioning then getting it. I hope as an actor I never lose that because I think thats when you get afraid to take risks. Im not saying I dont get nervous though, so its not my favorite thing.

DRE: Besides the language barrier how different is it working with a Japanese director as opposed to an American?

SMG: Its very quick. Coming from TV I thought I knew what fast was but you dont know fast until you work with Japanese filmmakers. I think I learned a lot such as as an actor you have to put complete trust in your director, that he will lead you through your performance. As a director you have to trust your actor to bring your vision to the screen. In television you have directors coming in and out all the time and you are the keeper of your character. No television director has seen every episode of every show and definitely not like we have, so you have much more control over that. This was a great lesson because without language I had to really trust the director. I think that it will make it easier from here on in because if a director speaks English then that is a bonus.

In the beginning we had a translator and by the end she was afraid she was going to lose her job because we didnt need it. I understand a lot of Japanese but I cant always speak it back.

DRE: What keeps drawing you to the horror genre?

SMG: Being on Buffy really spoiled me because its so rare to have a female protagonist like that. Women drive television but they have a long way to go in films. Women cant open a comedy the way Jim Carrey can or open an action film the way Tom Cruise can. In the horror genre seems to be where women shine like Naomi Watts in The Ring. Our last two Best Actress winners went on to do genre films, Halle Berry did Gothika and Charlize Theron is doing Aeon Flux. Some actresses can be the girlfriend or the wife but I think I would get so bored.

DRE: Would you be in a sequel to The Grudge?

SMG: Im not signed for a sequel but I know Sam wants to do one. I want to open the movie first.

DRE: Did you shoot more than one ending?

SMG: We shot endings as well as epilogues in Japan. We shot the film on a very modest budget then a month later I had to go back to Japan for reshoots. That worried me a bit but it turned out they wanted to add backstory for our characters.

DRE: How does being such an icon affect your life?

SMG: I was very young when the show became successful but at the same time I wasnt that young. I grew up in New York with a very normal upbringing even though I was working. I dont know how the young girls who get success when they are younger than 18 handle it because youre under such a microscope. Those are such difficult years and I would never want to be a teenager again for all the money in the world.

For the eight years my movie roles were determined by my hiatus. I had three months and I was able to do whatever I could in those three months. I couldnt do any independent films because the finances on those are so shaky. If god forbid the money wasnt in the bank at a certain date then I wouldnt do a movie that hiatus so my options were very narrow.

DRE: I read you had some allergic reaction to the water in Japan.

SMG: I did! We started the scene in the shower and I got these big welts on my leg. Over the counter American medicine isnt readily available there at all so there was no Benadryl to take. They wrapped my legs in big Hefty garbage bags.

DRE: Whats next?

SMG: First a vacation. Then I hope to do this Richard Kelly project. The Grudge raised the bar so high for me and I learned that I dont have to jump into anything. For 15 years I didnt know it was ok to take projects slowly.

DRE: Are you a fan of Donnie Darko?

SMG: I love Donnie Darko. I just like things that are innovative and different. I couldnt imagine anyone pitching me a movie about a guy who talks to a six foot bunny. But its amazing. I like weird and I love movies where you dont know whats going to happen. I really liked Napoleon Dynamite and I know a lot of people that didnt like it but you still talk about. To thats what movies are supposed to be. I dont even care if you talk about how much you hated it at least it affected you.

DRE: How was it working with Sam Raimi?

SMG: He is obviously one of the most powerful directors in Hollywood and I figured he would just show up at the premiere. But he is so hands on and so passionate. He loves what he does and was very strict about letting [Grudge director Takashi] Shimizu have his vision and making the studio back off. He is also one of the kindest people Ive ever met. About two weeks ago he called me to see if I was ok and I was like What do you need? He said he didnt need anything but really just wanted to know if I was ok.

DRE: Would you ever want to go back to series television?

SMG: Definitely not in the next five years but just because I physically cant do it.

Also why cant hotels have TiVos? Im missing a lot of my shows right now. I think hotels should have TiVo and every guest that comes in can set it for their shows and when you cant sleep instead of watching SpectraVision you watch your shows.

DRE: Were you happy with the way Buffy ended?

SMG: Yes and no. I believe the finale of Buffy should have been two hours. I think a lot of the characters, specifically Xander, didnt get enough screen time. But I loved the idea that she was going full circle and sharing her power. I know some stuff had to get cut like a scene where I was walking down a hall in the high school having flashbacks so it was fun seeing all of us from eight years ago.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

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