A Conversation With Anjelica Huston
Academy Award-winning actress Anjelica Huston (Prizzi’s Honor, Iron Jawed Angels) directs her third film, the Hallmark Hall of Fame production of Riding the Bus with My Sister. The film – starring Rosie O’Donnell and Andie MacDowell – premieres on CBS Sunday, May 1, 2005. Inspired by a true story, Riding the Bus with My Sister tells of two sisters who live very different lives. Rachel (MacDowell) is a successful fashion photographer in New York City; her developmentally-challenged sister Beth (O’Donnell), rides the public buses nine hours a day, six days a week, communing with her "family": drivers and other passengers, most of whom she loves, some of whom she doesn’t.
Anjelica Huston was interviewed on the film’s set, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Just click on a question to see its answer.
What led you to take this particular directing job?
Back to Rosie for a moment. What is it exactly that attracts you to her?
Since she is, as you say, such a force of nature, is it a challenge to direct her?
Andie MacDowell...
Wearing your "director" hat, how do you like to work?
In terms of character, what’s your take on Beth and Rachel?
What do you hope the audience will see in this story?
What led you to take this particular directing job?
First of all, I’m a huge fan of Rosie O’Donnell. When I was prepping the second film I directed, Agnes Browne, I wanted her badly for the lead role. We were all ready to go, but at the last moment she wasn’t able to do it. I was very disappointed at the time, but I vowed if we ever did have an opportunity to work together, I’d jump at it.
I’ve always admired Rosie. I think she’s a fantastic personality. Anything Rosie O’Donnell’s interested in, I’m interested in. So when she sent me this script, I was predisposed to sign on.
In terms of the piece itself, I found it very moving. It’s about two sisters who essentially have nothing to do with each other, two sisters who ultimately come together and overcome their differences.
I like stories in which people break through barriers of misunderstanding.
Back to Rosie for a moment. What is it exactly that attracts you to her?
Well, Rosie’s a force of nature. She brings so much humanity to whatever it is she’s invested in. I’ve watched her with awe over the years, the way she attacks life with such relish.
I like the way she deals with people. She’s not someone who hides. She’s very direct, very open. And she has that huge, optimistic personality, that deep humanity and commitment to life. I think that’s very inspiring. And did I mention she’s a superb actress!
I like, too, that she puts her heart where her mouth is. We’ve been on a really tight schedule, the work has been very intense. But I’ve never had a bad moment with her. She comes onto the set like a tornado. She makes us laugh. She makes us cry. She’s really a fantastic person to be around. I’m delighted to be working with her.
Since she is, as you say, such a force of nature, is it a challenge to direct her?
No. Rosie came tremendously prepared. And one of the primary secrets about good acting is that if you come in at full volume, you can always turn it down or modulate it a little bit, adjust the bass or the treble. But if you come in under volume, you’ll always stay under volume – and Rosie certainly hasn’t fallen into that trap!
The challenge that Rosie presents a director is that her mind moves so fast that you have to move at the speed of sound to keep up with her. She’ll hit it on the first take, she’ll be even better on the second take, but then you’re in trouble, because she’ll have given you her best.
So it’s really a case of staying up with her. She’s an amazing acting instrument. I’d describe her as a fully-loaded, very powerful Mercedes!
Andie MacDowell...
No one can deny that Rosie has the more dynamic part. But it makes me so happy just to watch Andie’s reactions. She has a tremendously soulful quality and beautiful eyes, and you can read a whole emotional map in her face.
Andie has great physical beauty, great charm, great compassion. Andie’s character, Rachel, is really us, the audience. She’s the eyes and voice through which we perceive what’s really going on between these sisters.
Wearing your "director" hat, how do you like to work?
I sort of take every day as it comes, and every scene as it comes.
Having worked as an actress for so long, I know how I like to be treated on the set. In a nutshell, I like to be able to find my movement in a room. When I show up on a set and it’s all pre-lit and I’m told what door to walk through and precisely where to sit, that’s not my idea of actor’s heaven.
I think it’s always good to let actors find their place. After all, they know their characters better than anyone else – or at least they should!
So if you let actors find their space and movement, I think you have a better chance of finding the reality in a scene. I rely very much on actors to show me how they would operate in a certain space and time. Then I make a few adjustments, and we just go in and shoot it.
In terms of character, what’s your take on Beth and Rachel?
Well the irony is, of course, that Beth – the developmentally challenged character – is light years ahead of the suave Rachel in terms of how she deals with life, her capacity for love and understanding – to say nothing of sense of humor.
Beth is not obsessed by work – which so many of us are today. Her happiness lies in her friendships, with what she does with her life, which is simply to ride the bus, to be around people for whom she cares.
Beth’s very open, accepting, loving.
We can all learn a lesson from Beth!
What do you hope the audience will see in this story?
Well, it’s essentially a story of acceptance and love.
When you don’t know much about somebody else’s life, sometimes you make judgments that are hasty and inappropriate. What you really need to do is leave your own environment and enter that other person’s. That’s the first step on the road to understanding.
That’s what this film is about for me. And that’s the theme that runs through all the work that I do. Or at least I hope that theme is reflected in the work that I do.
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