Urban Legends: Final Cut

Interview With Eva Mendes & Jessica Cauffiel
   (Part 3)

Q : Eva, what was it like for a Hispanic actress in Hollywood today to be in this film?

EM : I don't see it like that. I don't see myself as a Latin or Hispanic actress. I see myself as an actress, then I happen to be Latin, and I happen to be a woman. It's those kind of things. But it is a good question because a lot of people have been saying, oh, you should be so excited this whole Latin revolution. This is so great. And it's actually - - it's great and we will get there but it's not even - - we're barely starting to even begin this revolution or I don't even know what to call it. Because although there are a lot more roles out now there for Latins and Latin women, they're not quality roles. And they're stereotypic roles. I can't tell you how many times I get asked to do it again with an accent or give it a little more attitude. And it's just so - - it's agitating. But I feel I'll take on the responsibility of showing the world a whole different kind of Latin woman. And, yeah, I take - - and sometimes I get burned because I'm not Latin enough for some things or whatever. But if the project's good enough, I'm Latin enough and I'll get down and dirty for it. And if it's - - you know, if it doesn't call for it, it doesn't.

Q : Jessica, how challenging was this role for you?

JC : It depends on what part because I think Sandra has like three different aspects. There's the angelic sweet not so intelligentn luminous base of her character and then there's Sandra the actress who's a complete lunatic who's over the top and completely melodramatic. And there are the parts where the killer is running rampant on the campus and all of our characters interact with him at some point or another. And it causes one - - or it requires to produce an incredible amount of fear and fright and very gritty deep emotions. So that probably was the most challenging part for me was... the other stuff is fine. There's a lot of me in Sandra, there's definitely a lot of me in there. But the being frightened is a frightening thing. And for it to frighten an audience it has to be very real, so it was kind of scary and exciting all at once.

Q : Who would you most like to work with?

EM : Jude Law comes to mind, just a really big fan of his. And I like the way we don't see his face everywhere. I think that's pretty cool. As far as directors, Stephen Soderbergh - - Pedro Almodóvar. - - so I more think of directors as far as I'm really hard on actors. And - - so, no because - - you never know what they can do from project to project. So we only see what they do for that project - - you know, I can only judge 'em project to project. So I'm willing to work with anybody but I look at the director is like, you know, he's a big man on campus. So Almodóvar, I'm here.

JC : I agree with Eva. She has very good taste. Jim Carrey and I are gonna have a face off someday. I proclaim that now. Soderbergh is incredible. I think Gus Van Sant is incredibly talented. His work is very diverse, very fascinating and I enjoy his use of multimedia and the multiple layers and colors that he puts into his films. But there's so many incredible people. I mean, to actually say who - - most like to work with is - - is a pretty ridiculous crazy question but...

EM : You know who comes to mind? Just a girl age Rose McGowan. I'd love to do something with her. I think she's so cool and I'd like to do a lot with her actually [LAUGHTER] - - no, she's a cool chick. I think she is. She's got a great style.

Q : Want to work with John Ottman again?

JC : Of course, he's a sweet kind giving honest very gentle man. He's a good person and he's a heck of a talent.

Q : Jessica, is Sandra someone you'd want to be friends with?

JC : Oh, yeah. I might kill her but she might drive me crazy but I would love her. I mean, she's so... Sandra's so pure of heart and there's nothing deceitful or dishonest or impure about her at all. And she's so loving and so giving. And it's so honest that you can't help but be attracted to her and like her because she means no ill towards anyone. And if people are pure how can you dislike them? I mean people with good hearts.

JC : You can't help but be friends with them.

Q : What kind of movie do you like the most generally?

EM : Just good movies whether it's a comedy like Dumb and Dumber to Secrets and Lies. It's - - if it's good, I'm there.

JC : Yeah, if it's well thought out, if it has a richly plotted narrative and if it unfolds well if the characters are written and if there's an incredible climax, as long as it has the director - - yeah, whomever's in control has a kind of clarity and vision and profundity of, you know, the depth and richness. I love comedies. There's nothing more incredible than wetting your pants. When something makes me lose like, urine or bowel control, that's got to be good. So I have a good time with comedies but I think the most incredible movies are an amalgamation of comedy, drama, suspense, everything thrown together. I mean, that's a finely tuned film. That's - - that's what makes you feel. Anything that either makes you laugh, cry, piss your pants, or it makes you angry, anything that affects you when you walk out of that theatre and just even the little thing is tweaked, that's good.

Q : Eva, what do your parents think about you doing a horror movie. Were they shocked at all?

EM : No, they weren't shocked. They're so supportive that right now it's pretty embarrassing. Well, I shouldn't say that but I'm a Ross commercial that pops up every five seconds. So they get excited for that - - you know, they, ohhhhhh, Ross and Ross - - you know, so it's really [LAUGHTER] cute. They love it. As long as - - and of course with my dad, as long as I'm not naked, he's fine with it. So he's in for a shocker. Not that I'm naked in the film. But - - no that's gonna come up. So anyhow - - so as long as I'm not naked, it's cool with him. But they love it.

Q : Is comedy harder to do than drama?

JC : Yes. I don't know, they're both pretty damn hard. I mean pure drama is so deep and has to be so honest to convince the audience. And in the same sense, comedy is a very finitely skilled art. I think that when you try to be funny, it's not funny. And if an audience is aware of it, you know, even consciously or even if they're subconsciously if they don't understand, they feel that something is wrong. And they may not know exactly what it is but it doesn't make you laugh. It has to be so natural. It has - - it's skilled and it's natural. I mean, it's a very deft combination of the two. It can't be too much - - if the audience feels that you're trying to make them laugh, you know, it's not funny. But if somehow you trick the audience into it, and you - - you know, you slip it in, it's all about rhythm. It's all about timing. And I think that is a skill and not everybody can do it. So I think it's difficult, yeah, or I could be full of it. I could be so full of it.

Q : Eva, what was it like doing Night at the Roxbury?

EM : Oh, that was actually the first job I ever got. I was like two weeks into the whole - - this acting thing just hit me over the head. And it was amazing because I had auditioned for a lead role in the movie and for you guys when you suck people say you're green. So [LAUGHTER] I got like... you're green. We love her but she's green and blah. And I was. But anyhow, they had promised me something in the movie. And I thought, oh, like an empty promise. So anyhow, it wasn't. They called me in for the bridesmaid role and Molly Shannon and Chris Farrell and Chris - - I mean Will Farrell and Chris Kattan are unbelievable. And I worked them for about a week and half and they were just so sweet to me. And I felt like the little nerd in high school just [LAUGHTER] trying to be with the cool kids. And they're hysterical so it was really great. And I'm not lying. I'm not faking it.

Q : So which actor would you both like to work in a feature with in a romantic opposite?

EM : Romantic opposite?

JC : Anthony Anderson. [LAUGHTER]

JC : I do, I want to do a romantic comedy with Anthony Anderson where we're like trapped in a cave somewhere in Nepal. - - whole big idea about it.

EM : I'm going back to Rose. I don't know. She's in my head today, [LAUGHTER] Rose McGowan.

JC : Who - - it's basically about - - that question says basically who do you want to make out with and get paid for it and still have a boyfriend? [LAUGHTER]

Q : Well, on that note, we're out of time.

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