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Posted: November 28th, 2005. 
Syndicated Interview
Why do you think Herbie is such an endearing and everlasting character that’s been taken to the hearts of the world’s cinema goers?
- I think whenever someone gets their car, it becomes their baby. And in the movie you form a bond with this car and you feel for this car. He’s the underdog and everyone always roots for the underdog, which I think is nice to see on film.
My character forms a really great relationship with the car as well. At first I thought it was silly. It’s like, how am I going to talk to a car? But I wanted to bring the relationship to life and have people really see how cute Herbie could be… it’s kind of like a pet in a way.
One of the interesting aspects of the film is about your characters own expectations versus her parents’ expectations. What did your parents expect you to do?
- I’m very lucky to have a very supportive family. My mother was involved; she was dancing and acting at a young age as well. But they wanted me to be in school and be normal and gave me the option to go on auditions and that sort of thing, but always wanted to keep me grounded.
After Parent Trap my mum said, I know you want to do this and that’s great and I’ll support you, but I want you to go to school now. I want you to be with your friends and have a normal life and go the experiences that you go through in school. I think that keeps you grounded and I think that’s important. But yeah, they were very supportive which was nice.
In the movie my character Maggies father is not very supportive of her at some point. And I think the nice thing about the movie is showing younger girls and boys and people in general… follow through with your dreams and don’t give up. Because there was a point where she could give up and there’s a point where everyone can give up. There are points where I wanted to give up, but I think pushing yourself and going through that makes you a lot stronger.
Is it true that in the future you would like also to direct and that your preference as an actress is always to do happy movies?
- I want to show my range. I’m interested in producing, that’s something I’m speaking with my agents about. So we’ll see what happens there. First I need to take some time for Lindsay after this. I think right now is a very crucial time for me, in terms of what I do next. I want to find things that are a bit darker and edgier and that have a stretch. Everyone looks for that in their life. But it’s all about the timing.
I have a lot of younger fans that I’ve accumulated over the years and I want to keep that fan base and I don’t want to send out the wrong message to them. But at the same time I also have to do what’s right for me, and I’ll always want to do romantic comedies, I’m a huge Julia Roberts fan and she’s been able to win her Oscar by doing that. But there are things that I’m looking into right now that are a lot different than this sort of thing. So all will come in good time I hope.
How are you going to juggle your acting with singing?
- I’ll start another album, I’m not sure exactly when that’s going to happen, probably towards the end of the fall. My first album I recorded on the set during this movie in my trailer and at my house. So I’ve learned how to balance my time better. So when I do my album I just really want to focus on that. What I like in music is changing and I want to go different routes and explore a little bit more, so we’ll see what happens.
You had to learn skateboarding to prepare for this role in Herbie what other preparation did you do for this role?
- When I first started skateboarding, they wanted me to wear the helmet because it’s an insurance issue and they were nervous. I was really bad and I went up to Angela, the director and said “I think you’re going to have to write the skateboarding out of the movie because I’m going to get hurt. I’m really not that good at this.” And then I started to push myself to do it, and then I got really good.
So it was nice to learn how to do something else and prepare for my character, to look like she actually really skateboarded. And I had a stunt double too, for things that we were just too nervous for me to do. Things that I probably would have got really badly injured doing.
How do you keep your feet on the ground when people are telling you how fantastic you are?
- I think if I ever changed in any way, my friends would definitely knock me back into shape. But I’m not like that. I don’t think I realise what I do, that people actually care, and it’s very strange to me.
Whats your favourite scene in Herbie: Fully Loaded?
- My favourite scene in the movie to shoot was the one where I’m fighting with Michael Keaton, just because it brings out other emotions. It’s refreshing to do that, it’s something different and it’s something new.
A lot of young actresses say that it’s hard to meet young men because you’re always on the set, always working. How is that for you?
- I think when you’re working and you’re doing your own thing, I think that’s attractive. I think it shows that you’re secure with yourself. I don’t know if that’s true for me.
Samuel Jackson is a huge fan of yours?
- He presented my award to me at the MTV Movie Awards. I went up on stage and I started bowing to him, just because I think he’s fantastic. And then when I was walking offstage with him he was asking how I was because everyone’s concerned because of the recent accident.
He then said, “I’ve seen “Mean Girls” five times”. And I said, “Really? That’s really cool. Thank you. It’s an honour”. And then he said, “It’s Mariah Carey’s favourite movie, she watches it every night”. I’ve actually heard that, which is so funny. So it’s nice to hear that.
What’s the first car you ever had?
- I actually waited a while for my car. My parents kept saying, Oh yeah, we’re going to take you to your car. I said, “You know what? I did Freaky Friday, I’m going to get myself my own car.” So I went and got my own car, it was a used BMW, and I put this different engine in it and it was really loud, I don’t even know what kind of engine it was, to be honest. It’s a great car, I still have it.
What designer labels do you like?
- Lanvin is one of my favourites right now… Valentino… Chanel… Abercrombie & Fitch… Hanes white tank tops are my favourite, and jeans, I think that’s the sexiest thing anyone can wear now.
What’s something a guy should never wear?
- Denim on denim. I made the mistake of saying that to Jay Leno on the Jay Leno Show. He said “What should someone never wear?” I said, “Denim on denim, it’s my pet peeve, I can’t stand it.” And he wears denim on denim every day to work before he goes on TV!
Michael Keaton – Q&A
Are you a car racing fan?
- Its fine. I dont dislike it but Im not particularly a fan.
Do you like driving legally at speed?
- No I like to drive illegally at speed. (laughs)
I do enjoy driving, a lot. Currently Im mostly driving a Primus – a hybrid. But not all the time. I still have a pick-up truck because I have to haul horses around and Im working on my house. I also have a Mercedes but I dont use it so often. I chose the hybrid for environmental reasons.
I have been involved for more than 30 years in environmental issues but I dont make a big deal out of it. In California you drive a lot so I thought it was hypocritical not to be driving a hybrid.
I decided that one day when I was out running and heard my assistant pull away in my car. I listened to it make these noises and I thought I could almost see the gas. A lot of stars talk about driving hybrids so that it has almost become a Hollywood cliche. But if that makes more people buy them then thats a good thing. Im a sound driver; Im just a very fast driver. After I had kids I really started wearing my seatbelt because he was always telling me to wear it, and he was correct. It took me that long – like a dope – to wear my seatbelt, which was really stupid. He was the one who made me, it would really bother him if I didnt.
And I also dont drive quite as fast as I used to. But I was never really a big racing fan, I just wasnt exposed to it much. In Europe car racing is not like it was in the States. I was pretty much a three, four, five sport person. Im interested in everything so I found the racing aspects of this movie relatively interesting. I had two Bugs – two Beetles – that I loved. I bought the first one with my own money. The guy wanted $500 but I didnt give it to him. Sound businessman that I am I talked him down to four ninety-five. Its true. Five bucks! And the guy actually thought about it!
What is it about Herbie movies that seems to get everyone excited?
- I have no idea. I never saw the first movies. But people just responded when they heard I was doing Herbie: Fully Loaded. Why do you think females say they so liked Herbie movies when they were kids? Was there a girl in the first one? Guys will say it is cool but girls love it.
So you have really never seen a Herbie movie before?
- Ive been thinking about that – I vaguely remember a Bug with flowers on it, and Dean Jones. Thats it. I missed it. I dont know what happened. I know they existed as part of the culture but I didnt know they were this big. I can remember where I was during the moon landing, and when Kennedy got shot. But I dont remember where I was when Herbie came out!
Why did you decide to do Herbie: Fully Loaded?
- They sent the script and said you arent going to do this because you never do anything. But I really like it, I thought it was well written. There is a TV show called Reno 911 and the guys who write on that, wrote this. After meeting with Angela (Robinson) I thought this would be fun to do. I think the movie is well made. Its an old fashioned comedy. It is a great combination of retro and new and it has Lindsay (Lohan), the poster child for hip and trendy. So all that works.
What about working with Lindsay Lohan?
- I like Lindsay Lohan a lot! Shes a talented girl. Her compass is spot on. That needle goes right to the right place and she trusts her instincts.
Do you understand all the craziness about her?
- I dont pay much attention. I dont read things like that. But youd have to be dead not to notice something. I think it is unfortunate for her. What really angers me – because she played my daughter so she feels like blood – is when I see things like that guy chasing her. She is a little 19 year old kid and I dont like it when you see her crying like that.
So what makes everyone so crazy? Why would he do a crazy thing just to get a picture? Because he is going to get paid by a magazine, because the picture sells magazines. Why is that? Because people want to see it. If you track it, thats where it goes. So those guys are jerks but ultimately it is society thats buying the magazines.
I have been chased….and it was frightening. Once in Paris I was chased and it made me very scared. I was going with someone to a restaurant when the driver saw the paparazzi he flew off. My driver looked very confident, he wasnt worried at all. But it was the first time that it freaked me out.
How can you avoid the media frenzy?
- It just requires a little more work to dodge that stuff. You just have to work it out. I asked myself if I liked that attention. I didnt. Did it get in the way of what I really wanted to do? Yes it did. So I thought about it. My opinion is if you really want to have a normal life you have to figure a way of doing the work.
Did you do Herbie because it was a comedy and a break from darker stuff?
- I know it seems like that because some of the edgier things have worked in a different way. But I have done more comedy that people remember and I like doing them. I like doing things that have merit. I did Jack Frost because it is a movie that will be around every Christmas and when I was a kid I loved to watch certain movies. So I thought it would be great to make a movie that kids would look forward to.
This Herbie film is a light, classic piece of material. I totally enjoyed it. Just like I enjoyed Pacific Heights or the edgier stuff. I try to not do the same thing all the time. Mr Mom was very light hearted and that has become a classic. Other films I have done have been nice and light. Everything has its own merit.
Do you have a preference between playing heroes and villains?
- It depends on the writing. Someone asked me that and I said no more bad guys but then I thought what if someone walks in tomorrow and hands me a role and its so brilliantly written? I would probably do it. So you never really know. I never really know.
How do you react when your co-star is a car?
- When I read the script I thought it was a nicely written film. I really think this is a very nice film. I really do. I really like it. When I saw a screening of it I really admired what Angela had done. I thought she positioned the movie really nicely so that for the next hour and a half you were on board, as it were.
And I thought they created a natural character out of the car. Like the junkyard scene, that was very charming. And I admired how good Lindsay was in this movie. Shes very talented, but shes actually really good in this movie, and its sometimes hard to tell in movies like this.
I just saw War of the Worlds recently, and Tom Cruise is really good in it. I dont think people realise what it takes sometime. I think its assumed that no-one is going to be that great in movies that are like that. Thats not necessarily the case. Ive never worked as hard to find how to do Bruce Wayne in Batman as a lot of things Ive worked on, because I knew that if I didnt do it correctly it would be way off. Its like shooting a rifle. If you shoot a shotgun youre gonna hit something but if you shoot a rifle, then between here and a hundred yards if youre off by that much [puts thumb and forefinger together] becomes that much [opens arms].
So sometimes its difficult. I thought Lindsays performance, inside this world of talking to a car, was really good. I dont remember talking to a car myself. I just liked finding that really weird place where you play the “reality” regardless of what it is.
Whats your abiding experience of making Herbie?
- I like the fact that Im in a good family movie. This is classically Disney and yet is very contemporary – its retro and contemporary. Angela did a very good job of sewing those two things together but when you look at it, it still looks like a Disney movie.
And that has longevity. Ive been really fortunate how Ive gotten to make a living and Im in this great culture of filmmaking. That stuff has legs and it kind of becomes part of film culture. Its classically Disney.
How do you stay in such good shape?
- I have been in better shape than I am right now, but Im ok. I think it is too much nervous energy, so I always have to be doing something. So I run a lot, ride my bike and hike. Also there is a lot of food that Im just not interested in eating any more. And I take tons of vitamins. Coffee, water and vitamins! Also I meditate and I live pretty well. I dont drink like I used to. Also I am a business, so I just try to manage the store until it all falls apart. When its over, its over.
Release info:
Credit:
Release date:
Certificate:
Running time
DVD ratio
Price (VHS/DVD) Buena Vista Home Entertainment
28th November 2005
U
97 mins
1.85:1 widescreen
£19.99
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.