anderswolleck

Joey Lauren Adams is known for her roles in seminal independent films like Chasing Amy and big budget comedies such as Big Daddy and The Break-Up. She has long been looking for her perfect role, and thats why she wrote Come Early Morning. With Come Early Morning, Adams decided to step behind the camera and take up the directing reins. Come Early Morning stars Ashley Judd in the lead role as Lucy, an alcoholic construction supervisor in a small Southern town. Lucy is so afraid of getting close to people that she sabotages a potential relationship with a guy she likes by sleeping with him on the first date and then trying to leave before he wakes up in the morning. A number of events lead Lucy to self realization and eventually she starts making serious changes in her life.

Check out the official website for Come Early Morning

Daniel Robert Epstein: I read that you originally wrote this movie for you to star in, what changed your mind?

Joey Lauren Adams: Once I decided I wanted to direct it.

DRE: Oh you werent planning on directing?

Joey: No, I was never one of those people that thought What I really want to do is direct. It just never occurred to me and other people took the script seriously and believe in it before I did. The script did turn out to be a somewhat personal story and I tried really hard to portray the South in a very real way and respect the people there instead of caricaturizing them. It became that I didnt trust anyone else to direct it and they werent going to get the directors I wanted like Michael Apted or Bruce Beresford. The directors they were talking were people Id never heard of. I wanted to pick the music; I wanted to pick the locations, I wanted to be there when they edit it and thats what a director does. So for a little while I was going to do both until I came to my senses and realized I dont know enough about directing to do both.

DRE: When I think of you I always think of the person that I grew up watching on TV and in movies. But you and Ashley [Judd] are the same age.

Joey: Yeah, I know its crazy.

DRE: You also didnt grow up too far from one another.

Joey: I know. Its great and I think that it definitely shows in the movie. We didnt have any rehearsals. I went over to her house one afternoon and we spent maybe an hour talking about the character and that was it. I just knew she got it so I didnt want to overthink it and get too analytical.

DRE: Do you feel like this character could have been you if you hadnt gone into acting?

Joey: Yeah, I definitely was trying to fill certain voids in myself with self-destructive behavior and that may be what your 20s is about. Im sure some people are healthier but it takes a while to figure it all out and realize its that. Its like The Wizard of Oz really, at a certain point in your life you realize that you are wearing the red slippers and all youve got to do is click them together to get home. Its not that complicated.

DRE: Are you as tough as this character?

Joey: Im definitely independent and I think Im definitely in touch with my masculine side even to a fault sometimes. Im not as closed off as Lucy. I have had long term relationships and been in love and been vulnerable which I dont think Lucy has.

DRE: Would you have been able to be as good of an actor if you were that closed off?

Joey: Well I know people who are amazing actors and are very closed off. If youre closed off it doesnt mean that theres not a huge storm going off inside.

DRE: I first saw Jeffrey Donovan in Blair Witch 2 and its a terrible movie but he just stood out.

Joey: I had never seen him before.

DRE: What scenes did you have him read in his audition?

Joey: He read the rock throwing scene. Also that scene after the second time they slept together and she wakes up and is trying to sneak out because shes going to church and he catches her. Then that whole catch the worm scene and then the one where he gets in the fight with the guy.

DRE: What entranced you about him?

Joey: I always have people do the scenes twice and some actors come in and theyve memorized the lines and exactly how theyre going to say them so they leave no room for themselves to go other places. You could tell Jeffrey was just a really talented actor. Even if he would mess up he would go with that mess up as if that were part of that character. Also he brought humor to Cal while still having that masculinity that southern men have. When I saw him read I was like Thats Cal, thats done.

DRE: No matter what Ashley does she is still gorgeous. Was the character always supposed to be such a beautiful woman?

Joey: Originally I think the description was more onion pie than apple pie. I always saw me playing it so I never thought outside of that. I never imagined anyone else playing it.

DRE: A few critics complain that not a lot happens in the movie. They forget that life happens slowly. Was that always the tone you were going for?

Joey: Absolutely. I knew that it was risky but that was the movie I wanted to make because I wanted to make a film that was true to my experience. Ive never had some huge epiphany and my life became happily ever after. My growth has been so slow and you work hard for a slight shift in your perspective. I think that some people appreciate that and some people dont. Some people are waiting to find out if she got molested or something like that but thats not the movie I wanted to make. The challenge was to make a movie that was real to life.

DRE: Youve worked with some great directors who have done similar films like Richard Linklater and Kevin Smith. Did you learn anything about this type of film from working with them?

Joey: Yeah, they definitely made it look easy. Rick and Kevin are both so laid back. You dont see them lose it much. Unfortunately I probably learned more from the bad directors; because when things are going well you dont really question it. Whereas if youve been in your trailer for eight hours, you have a tendency to walk out on set and go, What the fuck is going on? Then you start looking at the shot list and thinking Why did the director decide to shoot that? If he would have shot this and this and this we would have been out of here by now. Also the bad directors think they know everything and having been an actress, I was aware of every department on a film so I know the language. I know the teamsters are really important, which they dont teach you in film school, but if you mess with the teamsters you dont get your generator. Since I was aware of what I didnt know and where my weaknesses lay, I surrounded myself with really talented people and turned to them often and said, What do I do now?

DRE: The film is really about self worth and obviously movies are a male driven business. Do you feel that it drives the self worth out of you?

Joey: Yeah, especially if you stay in Hollywood and get caught up in it. Ive always gone home to Arkansas or to my sisters place in Austin. I dont go to the premieres or parties or things like that. I just moved to Mississippi because I cant imagine aging in Hollywood. I think the reason I wanted to write and direct is because I wanted to do something where the emphasis wasnt on what I look like. Even people who respect me and think Im intelligent see a film I acted in and the first thing they say is you look beautiful. Thats not what you want to hear. You want to hear, Oh that was such a great scene. I almost wish that I had an odder look. When Im older I would love to play more character actor roles because those are far more interesting but I have the look of the girlfriend or the best friend so thats what I was given. Again, I think thats why I started to write and direct. It was so amazing to go to set and not worry about hair and makeup and wardrobe and all of that.

DRE: Do you feel like the film helped you rediscover your self-worth?

Joey: Absolutely. We had a screening in LA recently and there was this one cute girl in the first row and she asked me a question which drew a parallel which I had never thought about with me and Ashleys character. When Ashleys character finds her self worth she ends up asking for the business. Theres a similar thing with me because Ive been acting and then I stepped up to the plate and said Can I direct it?

DRE: I was a big fan of Pat Corleys when he was on Murphy Brown. I didnt recognize him in your movie until I heard his famous voice. I know he just passed away, could you comment on working with him?

Joey: He was incredible and unfortunately he had a whole storyline where his character played sweepstakes. It was such a beautiful scene and he did it so well but unfortunately we had to cut it and I know he was really disappointed. But I feel so fortunate that my movie was the last film he did.

DRE: Since you are open your sexuality; do you think that ever hurt your career?

Joey: I dont think I admitted about my sexuality. Im not bisexual but Ive seen on the internet that it says that. Its a rumor. Kevin [Smith] based Chasing Amy on a relationship and then people assumed that was me.

DRE: Do you want to keep on writing and directing?

Joey: I do. I loved it.

DRE: Will you do more stories based in the south?

Joey: I dont know. I have a script that I wrote but its for two old people and it takes place in a nursing home. Im sure Ill get two cents to make it so Im not ready to do another labor of love. Theres another project thats about a man and his mom in the south. Its a slightly bigger film. Ill be curious where I go next.

DRE: Do you want to do keep acting?

Joey: I do, but I dont know how successful Ill be because thats such an unbelievably hard racket and you really need to be in LA putting a lot of energy and focus on it. Im going to be in Mississippi hanging out on my porch so I dont imagine Ill get a lot of roles but if someone calls or if I hear about something, well see what happens. I dont want to worry about that right now.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

SG Username: AndersWolleck