Heather Juergensen & Jennifer Westfeldt: Girl meets boy. Things don't work out. Now the plot gets interesting

Interview, Feb, 2002 by Susan Johnston

It's been four years since an Off-Off Broadway showcase titled Lipschtick jump-started the careers of its writer/stars Heather Juergensen and Jennifer Westfeldt. Loosely based on the ladies' own dating histories, the witty vignettes followed the women through a series of bad dates with a number of men, and finally, success with one another--for a few months, at least.

Shortly after the production wrapped, the two comediennes adapted the material into the upcoming March movie Kissing Jessica Stein which unlike most "sexploration" films, finds its center not in-between the sheets, but in the dialogue. Westfeldt and Juergensen's rhythmic word play--reminiscent of Woody Allen-strips the male fantasy of female love down to a gritty reality of miscommunication and misplaced desire.

Both women agree the journey from stage to screen has cemented their friendship. Explains Juergensen, "We found in each other a similar work ethic and desire to show up . . . like a marriage." And not at all like dating.