"Sarah Michelle Gellar - Harvard Man"
Source: Netcenter.com
Date: 07.26.00
SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR is leaving Buffy behind to take on some college chaps in 'Harvard Man.' Read on as the golden maned goddess talks sex, drugs and big screen exploits!
Entertainment Tonight: How do you feel about the art of cheerleading?
Sarah Michelle Gellar: Well, I'm playing a basketball cheerleader, and basketball cheerleading is much more about rousing the crowd than anything else. I was expecting them to want us to show off all the cheer moves, but they just wanted the basic defense and offense cheers.
ET: Are you a cheerleader yourself?
Sarah: (Laughs) No!
ET: Why do you say that? I was a cheerleader myself!
Sarah: It just doesn't really work with my personality! I don't like those little skirts or the pom-poms. I don't even like the word "pom-poms!"
ET: Let's talk about the premise of this film.
Sarah: There's a bunch of different stories working all at once. 'Harvard Man' is this guy Alan Jensen, played by ADRIAN GRENIER, who is a basketball player from Kansas who plays for the Harvard team. His family's home is destroyed in a tornado and he needs $100,000 to bail them out. My character, Cindy, is his girlfriend and daughter of the most powerful Mafia boss on the East coast. Cindy offers him a deal that he can't pass up, which is to throw a game for $100,000. She'll make a huge bet on it, make a fortune, and then she'll pay him off. But there are many subplots going on at the same time, which include love, sex and drugs. This movie is the story of what happens when you are trying to find yourself, and to what length you'll go to find your true peace.
ET: Let's talk about your appeal to this movie. I know JAMES TOBACK has a reputation for having a really gritty approach to films.
Sarah: James was actually the real reason that I wanted to do this film. The project actually came around for me because I had a desire to meet James. I was a huge fan of 'Two Girls and a Guy,' and 'Black And White,' and 'Exposed.' I said to my agents, "I'm a big fan of James! I'd love to meet him!" I didn't think that he would even know who I was, but it turned out that he did. Then, we had this wonderful meeting where we started talking about 'Harvard Man,' and these ideas of searching for life and where you find your happiness and peace. I'm spoiled in that I do a great show nine months out of the year; I have a wonderful character. It has to be something very interesting in order for me to want to do something else. It has to push me as an actress and an individual.
ET: What have you learned? How have you been pushed as an individual?
Sarah: We shot this entire movie in 20 days. I have only been here for about 10. I go home and do "Buffy" for a week. Then, I fly back on the weekend and do 'Harvard Man.' I am doing both. James is very fast. There are no retakes. That has been an incredible amount of pressure for every actor. Everyone has to be right on. I did most of my work in the first four days in production. It was incredible stress.
ET: You don't have time to think about it.
Sarah: Which is good. I can't overthink anything.
ET: We talked a lot about the ratings of his last films. Could you see that this movie could cross into their ratings since there are a lot of drugs and sex in this film?
Sarah: It is a hard call especially since I loved 'Black and White' and 'Two Guys and a Girl.' I think they were important movies. My initial response to the question is no. With my character there is no NC-17 anything. You never know though. The rating board is so finicky.
ET: We talked a lot about the ratings of his last films. Could you see that this movie could cross into their ratings since there are a lot of drugs and sex in this film?
Sarah: It is a hard call especially since I loved 'Black and White' and 'Two Guys and a Girl.' I think they were important movies. My initial response to the question is no. With my character there is no NC-17 anything. You never know though. The rating board is so finicky.
ET: Do you think it will surprise your fans to see you play a role like this?
Sarah: Well, there are two different kinds of fans, fans of Buffy and there are fans of me. Hopefully, the fans that are fans of me will want to see me do something else. I think I have a little more confidence after 'Cruel Intentions.' People that like James Toback pieces are going to like it, and people that don't are going to be offended anyway.
ET: How would you describe your character?
Sarah: I would describe Cindy as being spoiled. I think that she grew up in a family where she was an only child. Her father wanted a son. She feels all this pressure to prove to him that she can be the son that he never had. She can run the family business. Of course, our biggest mistakes come when we feel too confident. That is basically her biggest problem. I think she is also looking for a good time. She likes her and Alan's partnership. I don't think she is in love by any means.
ET: Is she as deliciously wicked as your character, Kathryn Merteuil, in 'Cruel Intentions'?
Sarah: "Deliciously wicked" really describes Kathryn. Cindy is harder. She is more confident and ambitious. She is the bad ambitious. I think that is best way to describe her.
ET: I love women's roles that are like that.
Sarah: I think they are very important. Part of the reason my show spoils me is because she is such a vivid three-dimensional character. I think that though we are moving forward in films, women are still portrayed as the girlfriend or the wife. I don't want to do that.
ET: Let's talk about Adrian. He has a very complex character.
Sarah: Yes. He does. He has been doing the job wonderfully. It is funny because this cast is all kind of "old home week." I have known ERIC STOLZ for 15 years. The first time I worked with him, I was eight. I have known REBECCA GAYHEART for ten years, as well.
ET: This is a unique experience for you working with James especially since you pursued this with your agency.
Sarah: Yes. James Toback is very free to work with. If you have suggestions, he is really ready to hear them. You see his movies and they really push the envelope, but he does not push you. He waits to see how far you will go. He stops where you are comfortable. It is very interesting. I think that scene in 'Two Girls and a Guy' with ROBERT DOWNEY JR. and HEATHER GRAHAM is one of the sexiest scenes ever, yet you don't see anything. People talk about him. He leaves it to your imagination. That is why his films are so risqué.
ET: It is nice because he is respecting the audience in that way.
Sarah: Well, my imagination might be different than yours. Rather than making us see what he thinks is sexy, we get to decide.
ET: Do you have any steamy love scenes in this movie?
Sarah: I had two. One was on my first day. It was 110 degrees and it was so hot. The scene is in the woods. It was like, "Hey Adrian. It is nice to meet you. Now, let's have sex!" The entire crew was watching and I didn't know anyone. It was quite an experience. It took a few takes to make us more comfortable. I was fully clothed, though.
ET: On your very first day?
Sarah: Well, I think a lot of producers think that it breaks the ice. It does especially if you don't have a lot of rehearsal time. For movies like this, we don't have that rehearsal time. The best thing to do is to just jump in. This is the best way to do it because then everything else is a piece a cake!