JESSICA ALBA STEPS INTO THE BLUE

JESSICA ALBA

STEPS INTO THE BLUE

by Brad Balfour

This has been a great year for actress Jessica Alba having appeared in Sin City, Fantastic Four and now the sexy action thriller, Into the Blue. As one of the most gorgeous women on film, the 24 year-old Alba gets attention no matter what she does. In Into the Blue she joins her treasure hunting boyfriend [Paul Walker] in a sea diving adventure that involves such menaces as real sharks and drug dealers.

Did you touch the sharks?

No, sharks are pretty terrifying animals and they're not very bright. Also they're pretty much blind. They don't see the difference between you and a fish, which is why so many people get attacked. I did hit a couple of them to push them out of the way because they're dumb. I never wanted them to mistake me for a fish. So if they even came within arms length, I wasn't thinking, "Oh they're just going to swim right by," I was feeling, "Get away." I was just like constantly pushing them away from me.

So you would actually strike them?

Yeah or they would get me. Paul would get bumped by them and he'd come out of the water and he'd have all these raspberries all over his body because their skin is like sandpaper. But he's fearless. He doesn't mind the shark thing. I was like, "I need my fingers. I don't want them to bite me.”

Did you do any research on sharks?

The stuff that I learned about the sharks was from walking around with the actual shark wrangler at the Atlantis Hotel who does the job that I was doing in the movie. I just went around with her and picked her brain. She's a little, petite Bahamian woman who's the head shark wrangler. She told me that they go out into the middle of the ocean, scoop up sharks and put them into the tank at the Atlantis. Then once they get to a certain size they have to let them out again.

How long ago did you film Into the Blue?

What's funny is I did Into the Blue right after Honey. So I did Honey, Into the Blue, Sin City. Fantastic Four. In my really delusional mind I thought I was going to be paid to hang out in the Bahamas and scuba dive for four months. Then I realized we're shooting in the winter with wild sharks in every single water scene. I also thought we were going to be wearing wetsuits. But they were like, "The film takes place in the summer" and I was like, "But we're shooting in the winter!" But I didn't have a choice. The thing is I wanted to do the movie because the script was such a page-turner, I read it in 45 minutes.

Is there a conspiracy to get you into bathing suits and skimpy outfits?

[laughs] I don't think I play super hot chicks. I just think that's the way they market people in bathing suits. Ashley Scott is in a bathing suit in the movie just as much as me with a lot more angles [laughs]. I play the good girl. But for some reason everyone sort of emphasizes on me being the sexy one.

Of the movies you've done, which do you consider the most arduous?

This one. I never knew what scene I was shooting any day. Everything was based off the weather. If it was partly cloudy we would go to shoot a scene that was partly cloudy but then the weather would clear up. Then we had to go under the water but it would be all murky so then we had to go on land. It was unbelievable what we went through every day doing a movie on the water because you really are a slave to what Mother Nature wants at that moment in time.

In the movie you chop off the arm of a guy you're handcuffed to. Could you do that in real life?

In intense situations I think you've got to do what you got to do. I certainly had a backache for three days carrying that heavy guy around because John really made me drag the guy through the ship.

You had a lot of hot scenes with Paul Walker. Was it fun to work with him?

He's a sexy guy so I think any scene he's in is just automatically sexy. Paul is really down to earth and a guy's guy. I thought he was going to be a little bit more feminine and a precious diva like the rest of the male actors I usually work with. But he wasn't, he likes fishing and boating and surfing and competing with Scott [Caan] at any waking moment. They just like fought all the time like brothers and were very competitive about everything. So it was fun to interact with them.

Scott and Paul rubbed more skin together than you and Paul did.

I'm with you. There was actually this one sequence that got cut from the movie and I hope it makes it to the DVD. It was so homoerotic. Scott and Paul did this swim underwater on top of each other. There was this really pretty music so I had to tease them about that for a while.

Did you learn how to free dive for this movie?

I did. I went to the Caymans and they have this facility there where they teach people how to free dive. I just went on my own with a couple of friends and I learned how to free dive and brushed up on my scuba diving. I was kind of a little dive bum for a couple weeks.

Does sunken treasure really exist?

It really does. There are real treasure hunters out there. It's a big ocean and there have been lots of storms so everything gets buried.

Did you meet any treasure hunters while you were down there?

I didn't run into any.

Did the script always have you saving yourself?

Originally Paul was supposed to come in, sling me over his shoulder and save me. But I said to John and the writer Matt [Johnson], "I think I'm the most experienced person in doing action, so what if I talked to the stunt coordinator and we figured something out for me to do?" Girls don't really want to see someone get rescued at the end of the movie. So I literally came up with the action sequence with the stunt guy, Matt wrote it and then they had an action director come in and clean up all of that stuff.

How difficult is it to maintain your fit body?

I try to work out. I think it's the only thing that I do that I don't really like doing. It's really boring. I have to have so much stimulation when I'm sitting on that damn treadmill like earphones, magazines, television, girlfriends and boyfriend. But I don't have any strict diet. I don't have a certain food plan or anything. I'm not weird about it. I try to just work out when I can.

Would you ever do something like Charlize Theron did for Monster and totally transform yourself?

I would absolutely do whatever I needed to do for a role. I've never been presented with a role where I needed to do something like that. But I'm not going to try and artificially create a role where I have to gain weight and not wear makeup and screw up my hair. I'm just going to continue to do what I do. For the movie Awake, I don't have to wear a bathing suit or chaps or a superhero outfit or have to do any fighting. With that hopefully people will see that I'm not just somebody that does that to sell movies.

You seem a lot different now than you did at the Honey press junket.

This is my third junket press tour. I've been all over the world three times already this year. I'm really not that comfortable with holding court, talking and being comfortable enough with strangers. But now that I've done it so much I'm used to all of it.

You did back-to-back comic book movies. Do you read comic books?

No I don't. Isn't that weird? I did read them when I got the job.

What did you think of the Sin City comics?

I thought they were profound and couldn't believe that I hadn't read them before. I was sorry I missing out on the graphic novel world. I don't think my mind could ever go where Frank Miller's mind goes. It was very old school, noir-ish. It was pretty incredible.

Are you scheduled to go back to shoot Sin City 2?

I talked to Robert [Rodriguez] and he's doing something with Quentin [Tarantino] called Grindhouse. They're each writing an hour-long movie and are going to use the same 12 cast members. Then I know he wants to do Sin City after that. But [comic creator/co-director] Frank Miller wants to do it right away. He is like a big Hollywood star now. He's being offered all these things to direct and write. I had dinner with him and he has some pretty damn cool ideas about [my character] Nancy. I think he's going to write something for me. He might do it as a graphic novel first and then release it simultaneously.

How is Frank on set as a director?

I definitely get that he's an internal crazed artist. He attaches everything to the back story of the character and why she does what she does. He always approaches everything from a very emotional place.

There was a negative buzz surrounding Fantastic Four. Were you surprised that it did as well as it did?

No, because any negative buzz anybody had were from people who knew nothing about the comic book. They were comparing it to Batman. It's not dark. It's a fun, family comic book. That's the charm of it. It doesn't take itself seriously so it's a little campy. That's why kids and parents can read it. I know that most of the negative reviewers wanted it to be another movie. They didn't understand why Fantastic Four was successful and they certainly didn't know a thing about the comic books.

And are they talking about sequels yet?

Yeah, they are but they're not telling me anything about them though I heard through the grapevine that they're talking about it.

What's the story with the I Dream of Jeannie movie rumors that are circulating?

I definitely have met a couple times with Sony and we've talked about it. The script is just not in the shape that I would want it to be in if I was going to do it. I want to do the charm of the show. I don't want to do a postmodern version. People want to see Jeannie.

What else are you working on?

Two action films, one's called Sonic and another one is called Beautiful Killer. Also there's a romantic comedy that I'm attached to and I'm developing a non-violent video game that can relate to people all over the world. There are seven or eight different characters and you can customize them with different music styles and clothing styles so it's kind of a lifestyle video game. It's really cool but still in prototype mode. Then I've got a baby clothing line that'll be coming out probably in the spring and I'm going to be giving a portion of the money to charity.

What's your dream role?

I think there's something really fascinating about Mata Hari. She was an international spy from a mixed background. She was kicked out of school for having an affair with a professor, which clearly didn't happen but she was the only woman in the school so they had to kick her out for some reason. They don't really know why she was caught and killed. They don't really have any real evidence that she was a spy.

What would you most like to change about yourself, if anything?

Maybe to have more patience and just listen sometimes. I don't always have to have the answer.

Read More

ALICE BRAGA THE BRAZILIAN ACTRESS RAISES THE STAKES

ALICE BRAGA

THE BRAZILIAN ACTRESS RAISES THE STAKES

by Brad Balfour

Copyright ©2006 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: June 20, 2006.

Maybe Alice Braga isn't the first name to come up when thinking about hot Brazilian actresses, but after seeing her second feature Lower City—where she's plays an aimless yet sensual stripper/prostitute who falls for lifelong friends Deco and Naldinho (they own a small cargo boat in Bahia) and nearly shatters their deep friendship—it's hard to get her writhing body out of mind.

Yes, this niece of veteran actress Sonia Braga and cast member of director Fernando Meirelles' award-winning City of God, has now given an understated yet striking performance that merits scrutiny in a film with a familiar yet classic scenario. Born in Sao Paulo, she started acting at 18, has done a TV series and now two films with novice feature directors, which had veteran director Walter Salles as producer. She was also seen in Eric Eason's sophomore feature that debuted at the Tribeca Film Fest 2006, Journey to the End of the Night. So with such a start underway, Braga plans to use the English she has learned for more than just interviews with American journalists.

Where did you learn to speak English so well?

I learned in São Paulo. Thank you for saying that I speak well because I'm very insecure about it. I say, "Oh my English! I don't speak well!"

Did you find this role a tough or an easy one to understand?

Karinna? When I read the script, I knew that she was a challenge to go through. The more that I read, the more I wanted to do it. I was questioning myself—am I capable? When I sat down with Sérgio, we spoke a lot. I think it was a great, great character to do because there were so many doors so that you could throw yourself into it. To open your heart. I think it's the kind of character that I wanted to portray.

She was both hard and soft. You had to make that an interesting battle. What did you think about this character? What made her and what motivated her? Did you know people in her situation?

When I spoke to Lower City director Sérgio [Machado] for the first time, he told me a lot about her. But the most important thing that we did was work with Maria Fatima Toledo, the acting coach. She had a specific method, so we started to work with getting into the characters and letting our souls connect with the story. I think the most challenging thing for me was to portray her passion. I had to show the two guys—Deco and Naldinho—with the same intensity and the same passion. Not showing more to one than the other one because it's all about the love they have for each other. It's equilateral.

What about her being a prostitute while also trying to find love or a sexual relationship that wasn't only about money?

I never thought about that. Sérgio asked me to not think about it. He wanted to portray the love between them. He didn't want to portray a social problem or social issue. It's a film about intense love and friendship, about jealousy, about lust—everything that human beings go through in life. A young girl that is alone in the world and she finds these two guys that she falls in love with.

Were you a little bit older than the character?

I was the same age. When I was doing the film, I was 20, just like Karinna. I turned 21 on the set.

Have you met any prostitutes? Sometimes there are people you wouldn't even think were doing this but are.

We were in Bahia, and we went to go meet them and interview or try to hang out, to be together. We didn't want to fall into any stereotype. We wanted to create a Karinna ourselves, to build someone who was genuine. We wanted to look from the inside, not the outside, because when you look from the outside, you wind up making judgments or stereotypes. I just went to the places to feel the energy, to see the environment. To know how it was, and how it worked with the relationship with the client. But also to observe the girls and find out how they feel.

When you saw Lower City, did you see yourself as sexy?

Yeah! I think I was really sensual, but not in a vulgar way. Just naturally sensual. She moves in a sensual way. In Bahia, they have the heat in their hearts. They have the passion.

What was the toughest challenge for you in this movie?

It was to portray the same intensity for each character, the love that she had for each character. She loves Deco [Lazaro Ramos] at the same time that she loves Naldinho [Wagner Moura]. To portray that is really hard because you can't give one a look more than the other one. It needs to be an equilateral triangle. She needs to portray the same love for the two of them.

And the hardest scene?

The striptease. Not because of the nudity, not because of the sensuality of the scene. That wasn't the main problem. For me, the challenge was to show her love in that scene to the two of them with the look and the seduction. To have the same intensity for each of them. Not just for one or the other one.

Did you look at other movies that were about threesomes—like Francois Truffaut's Jules and Jim?

Yeah! Jules and Jim was an influence for Sérgio.

Did you look at any other movies that dealt with this subject?

Not so much. We wanted to play our own story. Of course, I've seen Jules and Jim, [Alfonso Cuaron's] Y tu mamá también, and films that show that [situation] not to use it in our film, but just for curiosity. I love Jules and Jim because it's a great film. Y tu mamá también also because it's so intense and sensual without being vulgar. It's like in Lower City.

Do you hope to work with Wagner Moura and Lazaro Ramos again?

I really want to work with them again because I learned so much. They're such good actors and passionate about acting that it was really fun.

They're two of the most up and coming actors from Brazil. They're both reflect the image of the modern Brazilian actor.

Yeah. They're really, really good. They came from theater. Those kinds of actors are passionate about what they do. It's great because they bring so many great things to this new generation of actor that is coming out of Brazil right now. I'm glad that I could be with them and grab that energy.

What was the most distinct difference between Sérgio and Fernando as directors?

Fernando has done so many commercials that he is fast. He knows what he wants. He is the kind of director that goes pop-pop-pop-pop-pop. Okay. Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop. Okay. One after the other. Sérgio is more intense. Lower City was a specific script that he wrote, and he was very passionate about it. It was almost like a play working with Sérgio. Fernando was as passionate, but in a different way. In a different language.

I think he also more involved with the visual and technical style, whereas Sérgio is more grounded in the story.

Exactly.

That made different demands on you, I would imagine.

In City of God, it was such a small part that I couldn't develop a strong sense with this small character. Lower City was the lead, and so was a strong character.

How did Brazil receive this movie?

They liked it a lot. They said it was really intense, but they completely understood the passion and the love between these three. The intensity of their passion.

Do you think the three stay together?

I don't know. I think the main thing is about the moment. The moment is important. I don't know if they stay together or not, but they just live the best they can for that moment. But I think they do because they love each other so much that it's hard to let it go.

How much have you grown as a person from when you did City of God?

I think I changed a lot. I was eighteen when I did City of God. I was in high school. Now I'm 23, and a lot of things have happened. I did two years of university. Then I went out to New York for a short-term course at NYU. Then I came back and practiced my English. In my personal life, things happened. I think I'm a bit more mature. I'm not completely different because I'm still young and have a lot to learn. I think portraying Karinna has brought me a lot as an actress. And even as a human being.

Having experienced the lower depths of society in Brazil, what have you learned about that society? You come from a fairly middle class background—this was a strange way to become exposed to it so what are your insights and observations? And do you think the situation can ever be changed?

I hope it improves. I think we need to keep our eyes open. We have a huge inequality that is really sad. We have a very strong social problem there. I had to portray someone that cannot make plans because she can never know what's going to happen tomorrow and live the moment like it was the last one. You never know what's going to happen. To live between life and death, you end up learning for sure. We should keep and eye on it and try to change it because it's really horrible.

We have a huge problem in Brazil with sexual tourism. They sell fifteen year old girls to tourists for a cheap price. This is really sad. We have drug dealers, the problems in Rio, hungry people. We need to keep and eye open and know that it is our problem. Everyone needs to help. It's not the government's problem. It's our problem. We need to try to do our best to help.

What made you decide to go to school in New York?

I still want to study because everything happened so fast. I wanted to understand more about acting, to have more "luggage" to develop a character or throw myself into a different project. I went to University because I was very curious about theater. I hadn't done theater, at least not professionally. Just in high school. My mother said to me that it's really important to keep studying because actors portray lives. We need to know how to get in touch with the lives. Not just observing, but developing studies about it.

I just got the opportunity to go to University, and after that to go to New York for three months. When I got "Lower City," I ended up stopping University for a while. I wanted to go back, but I started to do films and films and films. And I couldn't go back. Now the next step is to maybe go back to University, or at least take as many courses I can to keep going. I haven't studied much, so I feel that desire to keep studying.

You did that three-month course they do at NYU. Did you make a short film?

I did it for acting, not for cinema. But I'm looking forward to doing cinema, too. Do you have any advice?

If you can get away from the acting and come to New York, it can make you a better actor.

I really want to come back to New York. I've been meeting a lot of people from Columbia University. I want to story acting more and do a film course.

When you were in New York, did you get to make any kind of films?

No, I didn't. But I'm dying to make a short film with this girl from Columbia University who I've been talking to. That's something that I want to do too, short films. I have two friends that are really good directors. They invited me for a short film, and I'm dying to go do it with them. In New York, this girl spoke to me. I want to sit down and talk to her about it.

You finished the movie. What is it exactly that you will do next?

I'll go back to Brazil. There's a film that's going to shoot there. I'm reading a few scripts. But the short film—I'm definitely going to do it.

Do you feel you can break out beyond being seen as just a "Brazilian" actress?

I want as an actress to be able to portray as many different characters as I can—to be open to different things and not be stuck in one single thing. I don't know how the cinema is in New York. I'm still getting in touch with it. I haven't started doing films there, and I don't know if it's going to happen or not. I hope I can do more and more Latin films. But I want to open doors, study as much as I can to be an actor. To keep going, because that's what I want to do.

Did you get the opportunity to work with Hector Babenco when you did Carandiru—the TV series based on his film?

I didn't work with him. I did Carandiru for TV, but Bebenco was the supervisor. He invited a few other directors to make short films to air on television. The director that I worked with was Walter Carvalho. He was a cinematographer who did Central Station with Walter. He did Behind the Sun. He did the Carandiru film. Walter directed this short film that I did. It was funny. My first TV appearance in Brazil was through cinema because we shot on film. The director was from film, as was the crew. They were all from cinema. It was a great thing to be involved in.

Has Sonia Braga, your aunt, seen the movie?

No. When it was released in Brazil, she was here, and now that she's there, it's releasing here. It's coming out on DVD, so she'll see it this month. I hope so. I'm curious.

I wondered whether you would be excited to show it to her or worried to show it to her.

Excited. I hope that they like it. My mom and dad love it because they thought I was really into it. I think she would be proud of me. I hope so. Who knows?

Are you living in São Paulo?

Yes. I live in São Paulo. I travel for films and go around, but my home is there.

Do you see yourself working behind the camera? Is that an interest as well?

I don't know. I love acting, and that's what I want to do. But I started to visit sets with my mom when I was five. I always loved the energy of being in cinema—the camera guy, the director, the producer. I love the environment. Right now, my focus is acting. I believe that's what I want to do for the rest of my life. But to stay on set, I'll do whatever I can. A friend of mine invited me to help with his next short film. I would love to be on the set and do whatever I can to help him for the pleasure of being on the set.

What's coming up next?

I have two other films to be released. One is Sólo Dios Sabe, a co-production in Brazil, and the other one is Journey to the End of the Night, an American production but shot in São Paulo.

I did another low-budget film in São Paulo. It's an independent project. I'm not sure when it's coming out. They're in post-production now. They're trying to get investments from Spain or some other country. I'm not sure. I'm reading some scripts. I really want to do a play, to get a chance to do theater. I'm looking forward to going to New York to keep studying, to keep learning and throwing myself into the characters. Now having a few opportunities at work, I want to use them to improve.

If you do come back to New York, do you have any directors in mind that you want to let know you're here?

I don't know. That's a good question. Someone specifically? I can't tell. But I can tell that I would love to work with as an actor? John Turturro. He's in New York, right? He lives in Brooklyn. Spike Lee. He's a New Yorker. Woody Allen. This is such a great town. I can spend a half an hour right now talking about people who live there.

Who was the first one?

John Turturro. He was the first one that came up in my mind—not just him. I saw again that Coen Brothers film with him a few days ago, and he really stole my heart, my mind when I saw it again. He's an amazing actor. He was the first one that came up. He's a great actor, isn't he?

He's great. I didn't even recognize him in a recent film I saw. He was sufficiently different. The real challenge is for people not to recognize you in the movie when you're playing the character.

Exactly. That's what I love about this profession. I hope I can do that.

Are there any American actors that you're dying to work with?

It comes up. John Turturro is in my mind today. I would love to work with Luis Tosar. He's a Spanish actor. I love his work. He's a great, great actor. But Turturro is the guy from America. He's in my head right now. I think it's because I saw the movie two days ago, and he's in my heart.

Are you ready to do a movie in English? I think your English is quite good.

Definitely. You guys have such a strong industry in America. You can open so many doors doing films here that it could be a great opportunity. At the same time, I'm so interested in Latin films, in Europe and Brazil, Argentina, Mexico… That could also open doors. If in the U.S. a door would open, I'd love to get in but not just here. I want to go anywhere that opens the door for cinema. That's my passion.

Do you think that you're going to be the next big international star to come out of Brazil?

I don't know if it's true or not, but I get butterflies. If people think that, then I appreciate it because it means that I did a good job in the film. You never know. It's such a crazy business. There are so many good actors in the world. You never can tell if this is the one, or if it's the other one.

Read More

ALICE BRAGA THE BRAZILIAN ACTRESS RAISES THE STAKES

ALICE BRAGA

THE BRAZILIAN ACTRESS RAISES THE STAKES

by Brad Balfour

Copyright ©2006 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: June 20, 2006.

Maybe Alice Braga isn't the first name to come up when thinking about hot Brazilian actresses, but after seeing her second feature Lower City—where she's plays an aimless yet sensual stripper/prostitute who falls for lifelong friends Deco and Naldinho (they own a small cargo boat in Bahia) and nearly shatters their deep friendship—it's hard to get her writhing body out of mind.

Yes, this niece of veteran actress Sonia Braga and cast member of director Fernando Meirelles' award-winning City of God, has now given an understated yet striking performance that merits scrutiny in a film with a familiar yet classic scenario. Born in Sao Paulo, she started acting at 18, has done a TV series and now two films with novice feature directors, which had veteran director Walter Salles as producer. She was also seen in Eric Eason's sophomore feature that debuted at the Tribeca Film Fest 2006, Journey to the End of the Night. So with such a start underway, Braga plans to use the English she has learned for more than just interviews with American journalists.

Where did you learn to speak English so well?

I learned in São Paulo. Thank you for saying that I speak well because I'm very insecure about it. I say, "Oh my English! I don't speak well!"

Did you find this role a tough or an easy one to understand?

Karinna? When I read the script, I knew that she was a challenge to go through. The more that I read, the more I wanted to do it. I was questioning myself—am I capable? When I sat down with Sérgio, we spoke a lot. I think it was a great, great character to do because there were so many doors so that you could throw yourself into it. To open your heart. I think it's the kind of character that I wanted to portray.

She was both hard and soft. You had to make that an interesting battle. What did you think about this character? What made her and what motivated her? Did you know people in her situation?

When I spoke to Lower City director Sérgio [Machado] for the first time, he told me a lot about her. But the most important thing that we did was work with Maria Fatima Toledo, the acting coach. She had a specific method, so we started to work with getting into the characters and letting our souls connect with the story. I think the most challenging thing for me was to portray her passion. I had to show the two guys—Deco and Naldinho—with the same intensity and the same passion. Not showing more to one than the other one because it's all about the love they have for each other. It's equilateral.

What about her being a prostitute while also trying to find love or a sexual relationship that wasn't only about money?

I never thought about that. Sérgio asked me to not think about it. He wanted to portray the love between them. He didn't want to portray a social problem or social issue. It's a film about intense love and friendship, about jealousy, about lust—everything that human beings go through in life. A young girl that is alone in the world and she finds these two guys that she falls in love with.

Were you a little bit older than the character?

I was the same age. When I was doing the film, I was 20, just like Karinna. I turned 21 on the set.

Have you met any prostitutes? Sometimes there are people you wouldn't even think were doing this but are.

We were in Bahia, and we went to go meet them and interview or try to hang out, to be together. We didn't want to fall into any stereotype. We wanted to create a Karinna ourselves, to build someone who was genuine. We wanted to look from the inside, not the outside, because when you look from the outside, you wind up making judgments or stereotypes. I just went to the places to feel the energy, to see the environment. To know how it was, and how it worked with the relationship with the client. But also to observe the girls and find out how they feel.

When you saw Lower City, did you see yourself as sexy?

Yeah! I think I was really sensual, but not in a vulgar way. Just naturally sensual. She moves in a sensual way. In Bahia, they have the heat in their hearts. They have the passion.

What was the toughest challenge for you in this movie?

It was to portray the same intensity for each character, the love that she had for each character. She loves Deco [Lazaro Ramos] at the same time that she loves Naldinho [Wagner Moura]. To portray that is really hard because you can't give one a look more than the other one. It needs to be an equilateral triangle. She needs to portray the same love for the two of them.

And the hardest scene?

The striptease. Not because of the nudity, not because of the sensuality of the scene. That wasn't the main problem. For me, the challenge was to show her love in that scene to the two of them with the look and the seduction. To have the same intensity for each of them. Not just for one or the other one.

Did you look at other movies that were about threesomes—like Francois Truffaut's Jules and Jim?

Yeah! Jules and Jim was an influence for Sérgio.

Did you look at any other movies that dealt with this subject?

Not so much. We wanted to play our own story. Of course, I've seen Jules and Jim, [Alfonso Cuaron's] Y tu mamá también, and films that show that [situation] not to use it in our film, but just for curiosity. I love Jules and Jim because it's a great film. Y tu mamá también also because it's so intense and sensual without being vulgar. It's like in Lower City.

Do you hope to work with Wagner Moura and Lazaro Ramos again?

I really want to work with them again because I learned so much. They're such good actors and passionate about acting that it was really fun.

They're two of the most up and coming actors from Brazil. They're both reflect the image of the modern Brazilian actor.

Yeah. They're really, really good. They came from theater. Those kinds of actors are passionate about what they do. It's great because they bring so many great things to this new generation of actor that is coming out of Brazil right now. I'm glad that I could be with them and grab that energy.

What was the most distinct difference between Sérgio and Fernando as directors?

Fernando has done so many commercials that he is fast. He knows what he wants. He is the kind of director that goes pop-pop-pop-pop-pop. Okay. Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop. Okay. One after the other. Sérgio is more intense. Lower City was a specific script that he wrote, and he was very passionate about it. It was almost like a play working with Sérgio. Fernando was as passionate, but in a different way. In a different language.

I think he also more involved with the visual and technical style, whereas Sérgio is more grounded in the story.

Exactly.

That made different demands on you, I would imagine.

In City of God, it was such a small part that I couldn't develop a strong sense with this small character. Lower City was the lead, and so was a strong character.

How did Brazil receive this movie?

They liked it a lot. They said it was really intense, but they completely understood the passion and the love between these three. The intensity of their passion.

Do you think the three stay together?

I don't know. I think the main thing is about the moment. The moment is important. I don't know if they stay together or not, but they just live the best they can for that moment. But I think they do because they love each other so much that it's hard to let it go.

How much have you grown as a person from when you did City of God?

I think I changed a lot. I was eighteen when I did City of God. I was in high school. Now I'm 23, and a lot of things have happened. I did two years of university. Then I went out to New York for a short-term course at NYU. Then I came back and practiced my English. In my personal life, things happened. I think I'm a bit more mature. I'm not completely different because I'm still young and have a lot to learn. I think portraying Karinna has brought me a lot as an actress. And even as a human being.

Having experienced the lower depths of society in Brazil, what have you learned about that society? You come from a fairly middle class background—this was a strange way to become exposed to it so what are your insights and observations? And do you think the situation can ever be changed?

I hope it improves. I think we need to keep our eyes open. We have a huge inequality that is really sad. We have a very strong social problem there. I had to portray someone that cannot make plans because she can never know what's going to happen tomorrow and live the moment like it was the last one. You never know what's going to happen. To live between life and death, you end up learning for sure. We should keep and eye on it and try to change it because it's really horrible.

We have a huge problem in Brazil with sexual tourism. They sell fifteen year old girls to tourists for a cheap price. This is really sad. We have drug dealers, the problems in Rio, hungry people. We need to keep and eye open and know that it is our problem. Everyone needs to help. It's not the government's problem. It's our problem. We need to try to do our best to help.

What made you decide to go to school in New York?

I still want to study because everything happened so fast. I wanted to understand more about acting, to have more "luggage" to develop a character or throw myself into a different project. I went to University because I was very curious about theater. I hadn't done theater, at least not professionally. Just in high school. My mother said to me that it's really important to keep studying because actors portray lives. We need to know how to get in touch with the lives. Not just observing, but developing studies about it.

I just got the opportunity to go to University, and after that to go to New York for three months. When I got "Lower City," I ended up stopping University for a while. I wanted to go back, but I started to do films and films and films. And I couldn't go back. Now the next step is to maybe go back to University, or at least take as many courses I can to keep going. I haven't studied much, so I feel that desire to keep studying.

You did that three-month course they do at NYU. Did you make a short film?

I did it for acting, not for cinema. But I'm looking forward to doing cinema, too. Do you have any advice?

If you can get away from the acting and come to New York, it can make you a better actor.

I really want to come back to New York. I've been meeting a lot of people from Columbia University. I want to story acting more and do a film course.

When you were in New York, did you get to make any kind of films?

No, I didn't. But I'm dying to make a short film with this girl from Columbia University who I've been talking to. That's something that I want to do too, short films. I have two friends that are really good directors. They invited me for a short film, and I'm dying to go do it with them. In New York, this girl spoke to me. I want to sit down and talk to her about it.

You finished the movie. What is it exactly that you will do next?

I'll go back to Brazil. There's a film that's going to shoot there. I'm reading a few scripts. But the short film—I'm definitely going to do it.

Do you feel you can break out beyond being seen as just a "Brazilian" actress?

I want as an actress to be able to portray as many different characters as I can—to be open to different things and not be stuck in one single thing. I don't know how the cinema is in New York. I'm still getting in touch with it. I haven't started doing films there, and I don't know if it's going to happen or not. I hope I can do more and more Latin films. But I want to open doors, study as much as I can to be an actor. To keep going, because that's what I want to do.

Did you get the opportunity to work with Hector Babenco when you did Carandiru—the TV series based on his film?

I didn't work with him. I did Carandiru for TV, but Bebenco was the supervisor. He invited a few other directors to make short films to air on television. The director that I worked with was Walter Carvalho. He was a cinematographer who did Central Station with Walter. He did Behind the Sun. He did the Carandiru film. Walter directed this short film that I did. It was funny. My first TV appearance in Brazil was through cinema because we shot on film. The director was from film, as was the crew. They were all from cinema. It was a great thing to be involved in.

Has Sonia Braga, your aunt, seen the movie?

No. When it was released in Brazil, she was here, and now that she's there, it's releasing here. It's coming out on DVD, so she'll see it this month. I hope so. I'm curious.

I wondered whether you would be excited to show it to her or worried to show it to her.

Excited. I hope that they like it. My mom and dad love it because they thought I was really into it. I think she would be proud of me. I hope so. Who knows?

Are you living in São Paulo?

Yes. I live in São Paulo. I travel for films and go around, but my home is there.

Do you see yourself working behind the camera? Is that an interest as well?

I don't know. I love acting, and that's what I want to do. But I started to visit sets with my mom when I was five. I always loved the energy of being in cinema—the camera guy, the director, the producer. I love the environment. Right now, my focus is acting. I believe that's what I want to do for the rest of my life. But to stay on set, I'll do whatever I can. A friend of mine invited me to help with his next short film. I would love to be on the set and do whatever I can to help him for the pleasure of being on the set.

What's coming up next?

I have two other films to be released. One is Sólo Dios Sabe, a co-production in Brazil, and the other one is Journey to the End of the Night, an American production but shot in São Paulo.

I did another low-budget film in São Paulo. It's an independent project. I'm not sure when it's coming out. They're in post-production now. They're trying to get investments from Spain or some other country. I'm not sure. I'm reading some scripts. I really want to do a play, to get a chance to do theater. I'm looking forward to going to New York to keep studying, to keep learning and throwing myself into the characters. Now having a few opportunities at work, I want to use them to improve.

If you do come back to New York, do you have any directors in mind that you want to let know you're here?

I don't know. That's a good question. Someone specifically? I can't tell. But I can tell that I would love to work with as an actor? John Turturro. He's in New York, right? He lives in Brooklyn. Spike Lee. He's a New Yorker. Woody Allen. This is such a great town. I can spend a half an hour right now talking about people who live there.

Who was the first one?

John Turturro. He was the first one that came up in my mind—not just him. I saw again that Coen Brothers film with him a few days ago, and he really stole my heart, my mind when I saw it again. He's an amazing actor. He was the first one that came up. He's a great actor, isn't he?

He's great. I didn't even recognize him in a recent film I saw. He was sufficiently different. The real challenge is for people not to recognize you in the movie when you're playing the character.

Exactly. That's what I love about this profession. I hope I can do that.

Are there any American actors that you're dying to work with?

It comes up. John Turturro is in my mind today. I would love to work with Luis Tosar. He's a Spanish actor. I love his work. He's a great, great actor. But Turturro is the guy from America. He's in my head right now. I think it's because I saw the movie two days ago, and he's in my heart.

Are you ready to do a movie in English? I think your English is quite good.

Definitely. You guys have such a strong industry in America. You can open so many doors doing films here that it could be a great opportunity. At the same time, I'm so interested in Latin films, in Europe and Brazil, Argentina, Mexico… That could also open doors. If in the U.S. a door would open, I'd love to get in but not just here. I want to go anywhere that opens the door for cinema. That's my passion.

Do you think that you're going to be the next big international star to come out of Brazil?

I don't know if it's true or not, but I get butterflies. If people think that, then I appreciate it because it means that I did a good job in the film. You never know. It's such a crazy business. There are so many good actors in the world. You never can tell if this is the one, or if it's the other one.

Read More

Irina Shayk And Arthur Sales Present The New Collection “Xti 2011-12”

Model Irina Shayk and Arthur Sales present the new collection “Xti 2011-12” on March 14, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

Read More

ALICE BRAGA THE BRAZILIAN ACTRESS RAISES THE STAKES

ALICE BRAGA

THE BRAZILIAN ACTRESS RAISES THE STAKES

by Brad Balfour

Copyright ©2006 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: June 20, 2006.

Maybe Alice Braga isn't the first name to come up when thinking about hot Brazilian actresses, but after seeing her second feature Lower City—where she's plays an aimless yet sensual stripper/prostitute who falls for lifelong friends Deco and Naldinho (they own a small cargo boat in Bahia) and nearly shatters their deep friendship—it's hard to get her writhing body out of mind.

Yes, this niece of veteran actress Sonia Braga and cast member of director Fernando Meirelles' award-winning City of God, has now given an understated yet striking performance that merits scrutiny in a film with a familiar yet classic scenario. Born in Sao Paulo, she started acting at 18, has done a TV series and now two films with novice feature directors, which had veteran director Walter Salles as producer. She was also seen in Eric Eason's sophomore feature that debuted at the Tribeca Film Fest 2006, Journey to the End of the Night. So with such a start underway, Braga plans to use the English she has learned for more than just interviews with American journalists.

Where did you learn to speak English so well?

I learned in São Paulo. Thank you for saying that I speak well because I'm very insecure about it. I say, "Oh my English! I don't speak well!"

Did you find this role a tough or an easy one to understand?

Karinna? When I read the script, I knew that she was a challenge to go through. The more that I read, the more I wanted to do it. I was questioning myself—am I capable? When I sat down with Sérgio, we spoke a lot. I think it was a great, great character to do because there were so many doors so that you could throw yourself into it. To open your heart. I think it's the kind of character that I wanted to portray.

She was both hard and soft. You had to make that an interesting battle. What did you think about this character? What made her and what motivated her? Did you know people in her situation?

When I spoke to Lower City director Sérgio [Machado] for the first time, he told me a lot about her. But the most important thing that we did was work with Maria Fatima Toledo, the acting coach. She had a specific method, so we started to work with getting into the characters and letting our souls connect with the story. I think the most challenging thing for me was to portray her passion. I had to show the two guys—Deco and Naldinho—with the same intensity and the same passion. Not showing more to one than the other one because it's all about the love they have for each other. It's equilateral.

What about her being a prostitute while also trying to find love or a sexual relationship that wasn't only about money?

I never thought about that. Sérgio asked me to not think about it. He wanted to portray the love between them. He didn't want to portray a social problem or social issue. It's a film about intense love and friendship, about jealousy, about lust—everything that human beings go through in life. A young girl that is alone in the world and she finds these two guys that she falls in love with.

Were you a little bit older than the character?

I was the same age. When I was doing the film, I was 20, just like Karinna. I turned 21 on the set.

Have you met any prostitutes? Sometimes there are people you wouldn't even think were doing this but are.

We were in Bahia, and we went to go meet them and interview or try to hang out, to be together. We didn't want to fall into any stereotype. We wanted to create a Karinna ourselves, to build someone who was genuine. We wanted to look from the inside, not the outside, because when you look from the outside, you wind up making judgments or stereotypes. I just went to the places to feel the energy, to see the environment. To know how it was, and how it worked with the relationship with the client. But also to observe the girls and find out how they feel.

When you saw Lower City, did you see yourself as sexy?

Yeah! I think I was really sensual, but not in a vulgar way. Just naturally sensual. She moves in a sensual way. In Bahia, they have the heat in their hearts. They have the passion.

What was the toughest challenge for you in this movie?

It was to portray the same intensity for each character, the love that she had for each character. She loves Deco [Lazaro Ramos] at the same time that she loves Naldinho [Wagner Moura]. To portray that is really hard because you can't give one a look more than the other one. It needs to be an equilateral triangle. She needs to portray the same love for the two of them.

And the hardest scene?

The striptease. Not because of the nudity, not because of the sensuality of the scene. That wasn't the main problem. For me, the challenge was to show her love in that scene to the two of them with the look and the seduction. To have the same intensity for each of them. Not just for one or the other one.

Did you look at other movies that were about threesomes—like Francois Truffaut's Jules and Jim?

Yeah! Jules and Jim was an influence for Sérgio.

Did you look at any other movies that dealt with this subject?

Not so much. We wanted to play our own story. Of course, I've seen Jules and Jim, [Alfonso Cuaron's] Y tu mamá también, and films that show that [situation] not to use it in our film, but just for curiosity. I love Jules and Jim because it's a great film. Y tu mamá también also because it's so intense and sensual without being vulgar. It's like in Lower City.

Do you hope to work with Wagner Moura and Lazaro Ramos again?

I really want to work with them again because I learned so much. They're such good actors and passionate about acting that it was really fun.

They're two of the most up and coming actors from Brazil. They're both reflect the image of the modern Brazilian actor.

Yeah. They're really, really good. They came from theater. Those kinds of actors are passionate about what they do. It's great because they bring so many great things to this new generation of actor that is coming out of Brazil right now. I'm glad that I could be with them and grab that energy.

What was the most distinct difference between Sérgio and Fernando as directors?

Fernando has done so many commercials that he is fast. He knows what he wants. He is the kind of director that goes pop-pop-pop-pop-pop. Okay. Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop. Okay. One after the other. Sérgio is more intense. Lower City was a specific script that he wrote, and he was very passionate about it. It was almost like a play working with Sérgio. Fernando was as passionate, but in a different way. In a different language.

I think he also more involved with the visual and technical style, whereas Sérgio is more grounded in the story.

Exactly.

That made different demands on you, I would imagine.

In City of God, it was such a small part that I couldn't develop a strong sense with this small character. Lower City was the lead, and so was a strong character.

How did Brazil receive this movie?

They liked it a lot. They said it was really intense, but they completely understood the passion and the love between these three. The intensity of their passion.

Do you think the three stay together?

I don't know. I think the main thing is about the moment. The moment is important. I don't know if they stay together or not, but they just live the best they can for that moment. But I think they do because they love each other so much that it's hard to let it go.

How much have you grown as a person from when you did City of God?

I think I changed a lot. I was eighteen when I did City of God. I was in high school. Now I'm 23, and a lot of things have happened. I did two years of university. Then I went out to New York for a short-term course at NYU. Then I came back and practiced my English. In my personal life, things happened. I think I'm a bit more mature. I'm not completely different because I'm still young and have a lot to learn. I think portraying Karinna has brought me a lot as an actress. And even as a human being.

Having experienced the lower depths of society in Brazil, what have you learned about that society? You come from a fairly middle class background—this was a strange way to become exposed to it so what are your insights and observations? And do you think the situation can ever be changed?

I hope it improves. I think we need to keep our eyes open. We have a huge inequality that is really sad. We have a very strong social problem there. I had to portray someone that cannot make plans because she can never know what's going to happen tomorrow and live the moment like it was the last one. You never know what's going to happen. To live between life and death, you end up learning for sure. We should keep and eye on it and try to change it because it's really horrible.

We have a huge problem in Brazil with sexual tourism. They sell fifteen year old girls to tourists for a cheap price. This is really sad. We have drug dealers, the problems in Rio, hungry people. We need to keep and eye open and know that it is our problem. Everyone needs to help. It's not the government's problem. It's our problem. We need to try to do our best to help.

What made you decide to go to school in New York?

I still want to study because everything happened so fast. I wanted to understand more about acting, to have more "luggage" to develop a character or throw myself into a different project. I went to University because I was very curious about theater. I hadn't done theater, at least not professionally. Just in high school. My mother said to me that it's really important to keep studying because actors portray lives. We need to know how to get in touch with the lives. Not just observing, but developing studies about it.

I just got the opportunity to go to University, and after that to go to New York for three months. When I got "Lower City," I ended up stopping University for a while. I wanted to go back, but I started to do films and films and films. And I couldn't go back. Now the next step is to maybe go back to University, or at least take as many courses I can to keep going. I haven't studied much, so I feel that desire to keep studying.

You did that three-month course they do at NYU. Did you make a short film?

I did it for acting, not for cinema. But I'm looking forward to doing cinema, too. Do you have any advice?

If you can get away from the acting and come to New York, it can make you a better actor.

I really want to come back to New York. I've been meeting a lot of people from Columbia University. I want to story acting more and do a film course.

When you were in New York, did you get to make any kind of films?

No, I didn't. But I'm dying to make a short film with this girl from Columbia University who I've been talking to. That's something that I want to do too, short films. I have two friends that are really good directors. They invited me for a short film, and I'm dying to go do it with them. In New York, this girl spoke to me. I want to sit down and talk to her about it.

You finished the movie. What is it exactly that you will do next?

I'll go back to Brazil. There's a film that's going to shoot there. I'm reading a few scripts. But the short film—I'm definitely going to do it.

Do you feel you can break out beyond being seen as just a "Brazilian" actress?

I want as an actress to be able to portray as many different characters as I can—to be open to different things and not be stuck in one single thing. I don't know how the cinema is in New York. I'm still getting in touch with it. I haven't started doing films there, and I don't know if it's going to happen or not. I hope I can do more and more Latin films. But I want to open doors, study as much as I can to be an actor. To keep going, because that's what I want to do.

Did you get the opportunity to work with Hector Babenco when you did Carandiru—the TV series based on his film?

I didn't work with him. I did Carandiru for TV, but Bebenco was the supervisor. He invited a few other directors to make short films to air on television. The director that I worked with was Walter Carvalho. He was a cinematographer who did Central Station with Walter. He did Behind the Sun. He did the Carandiru film. Walter directed this short film that I did. It was funny. My first TV appearance in Brazil was through cinema because we shot on film. The director was from film, as was the crew. They were all from cinema. It was a great thing to be involved in.

Has Sonia Braga, your aunt, seen the movie?

No. When it was released in Brazil, she was here, and now that she's there, it's releasing here. It's coming out on DVD, so she'll see it this month. I hope so. I'm curious.

I wondered whether you would be excited to show it to her or worried to show it to her.

Excited. I hope that they like it. My mom and dad love it because they thought I was really into it. I think she would be proud of me. I hope so. Who knows?

Are you living in São Paulo?

Yes. I live in São Paulo. I travel for films and go around, but my home is there.

Do you see yourself working behind the camera? Is that an interest as well?

I don't know. I love acting, and that's what I want to do. But I started to visit sets with my mom when I was five. I always loved the energy of being in cinema—the camera guy, the director, the producer. I love the environment. Right now, my focus is acting. I believe that's what I want to do for the rest of my life. But to stay on set, I'll do whatever I can. A friend of mine invited me to help with his next short film. I would love to be on the set and do whatever I can to help him for the pleasure of being on the set.

What's coming up next?

I have two other films to be released. One is Sólo Dios Sabe, a co-production in Brazil, and the other one is Journey to the End of the Night, an American production but shot in São Paulo.

I did another low-budget film in São Paulo. It's an independent project. I'm not sure when it's coming out. They're in post-production now. They're trying to get investments from Spain or some other country. I'm not sure. I'm reading some scripts. I really want to do a play, to get a chance to do theater. I'm looking forward to going to New York to keep studying, to keep learning and throwing myself into the characters. Now having a few opportunities at work, I want to use them to improve.

If you do come back to New York, do you have any directors in mind that you want to let know you're here?

I don't know. That's a good question. Someone specifically? I can't tell. But I can tell that I would love to work with as an actor? John Turturro. He's in New York, right? He lives in Brooklyn. Spike Lee. He's a New Yorker. Woody Allen. This is such a great town. I can spend a half an hour right now talking about people who live there.

Who was the first one?

John Turturro. He was the first one that came up in my mind—not just him. I saw again that Coen Brothers film with him a few days ago, and he really stole my heart, my mind when I saw it again. He's an amazing actor. He was the first one that came up. He's a great actor, isn't he?

He's great. I didn't even recognize him in a recent film I saw. He was sufficiently different. The real challenge is for people not to recognize you in the movie when you're playing the character.

Exactly. That's what I love about this profession. I hope I can do that.

Are there any American actors that you're dying to work with?

It comes up. John Turturro is in my mind today. I would love to work with Luis Tosar. He's a Spanish actor. I love his work. He's a great, great actor. But Turturro is the guy from America. He's in my head right now. I think it's because I saw the movie two days ago, and he's in my heart.

Are you ready to do a movie in English? I think your English is quite good.

Definitely. You guys have such a strong industry in America. You can open so many doors doing films here that it could be a great opportunity. At the same time, I'm so interested in Latin films, in Europe and Brazil, Argentina, Mexico… That could also open doors. If in the U.S. a door would open, I'd love to get in but not just here. I want to go anywhere that opens the door for cinema. That's my passion.

Do you think that you're going to be the next big international star to come out of Brazil?

I don't know if it's true or not, but I get butterflies. If people think that, then I appreciate it because it means that I did a good job in the film. You never know. It's such a crazy business. There are so many good actors in the world. You never can tell if this is the one, or if it's the other one.

Read More