Tiffany Limos

Interview, Feb, 2003 by J.T. LeRoy

Ingenues don't come much more rebellious, exotic, or ambitious than Tiffany Limos. It's no wonder she's become the muse of vintage "Catcher" Larry Clark, who put her at the center of his latest cinematic challenge, Ken Park. Limos's ambiguous beauty--she's of Chinese, Filipino, Spanish, and Tahitian descent--got her started young as a model and music video dancer, eventually landing her a small part in Clark's horror send-up Teenage Caveman. That was no preparation, though, for her unflinching leap into Ken Park's candidly brutal explorations of teen sexuality, drugs, and violence (which are so explicit the film has yet to be released in the United States). No one-trick pony, Limos takes on everything from screenwriting to photography; she wants it all, and don't be surprised if she gets it. For Interview, author JT LeRoy tests this outspoken firebrand's brilliant, brazen mettle.

JT LEROY: Hey, Tiffany, how's it going?

TIFFANY LIMOS: Hey! I'm good.

JTL: So, The Catcher in the Rye. You've read it?

TL: Yeah.

JTL: How old were you when you first read it?

TL: I was probably in the second grade. I don't know. I remember at first I thought it was a bit confusing. I kind of understood the kid, but I kind of thought it was boring. And then I read it again years later and I was like, Okay, I get it.

JTL: Did you connect to Holden?

TL: That's kind of a weird question.

JTL: Well, I'm asking you about The Catcher in the Rye not to be like, "Have you read your Bible?" but because it's the theme of the issue.

TL: So this interview's about more than Ken Park, then? Have you seen the movie?

JTL: Yeah, of course I have. I'll circle in. It's kind of like if you're going to have sex with somebody: You don't just grab their nipple and start tugging on it. You kind of circle around.

TL: Okay, circle then. [laughs] I feel as if you're my twin brother from another mother. I swear to you, like, 500 people have been telling me, "You have to meet this guy JT." The guys at Interview got me a copy of your book Sarah, and I was like, "Oh, man." I had heard so much about it, and I thought it was all hype--I'm just telling you to be honest.

JTL: I know.

TL: But I read it and I loved it. It's sort of like my childhood--that's why I said you're sort of like my brother. I'm going to make Larry [Clark] read it.

JTL: Yeah. Thanks. How long have you been with Larry?

TL: I don't want to talk about that. My success is not really about me being with Larry.

JTL: No, definitely not. But at the same time, I'm a writer. I have to ask those questions.

TL: I've known Larry a long, long time. It's been almost a four-year relationship. How we met is a long story. I saw this poster of this girl with two guys having a threesome--and I hated it. The girl was high--you could tell by her eyes--and the guys were taking advantage of her. And I said, "Who the fuck would take a photo like that?"

JTL: Larry Clark!

TL: So I went looking for a copy of that poster. One day I went into this exhibition of photos and stuff from Kids [1995, directed by Clark] and I described the poster to the girl behind the counter, and she pointed to Larry and said, "Ask him." So I said to him, "Hey, do you have this poster ...?" And I described it. "I want to have it in my room because I hate the photo so much." And he pushed his glasses down his nose and stared at me. Then we started talking, and I thought, My God, he's really handsome. [laughs] So ... Anyhow.

JTL: So it was really innocent and kind of organic. Watching Ken Park, I could see how Peaches [Limos's Ken Park character] was you. I mean, it'd be--

TL: --She wasn't me, though.

JTL: No. But you really abandoned yourself to her. Larry clearly knew you had that capacity.

TL: It was hard, because a lot of people were telling him, "You can't have her for Peaches." A lot of big actresses tried out for the role, but Larry was like, "I don't want any well-known actresses for the kids' parts, because it needs to be refreshing." I didn't want to do it. Larry made me do it.

JTL: How did he make you do it?

TL: Well, they needed someone who looked under 18, someone who was ethnic, Spanish. How many of those sorts of actresses get anywhere in Hollywood? He really needed me. Plus, Peaches reminded me of the girls I had known back home.

JTL: In Texas?

TL: Yeah, Mesquite.

JTL: This is a small town, right? We're not talking about a big city like Dallas or Austin.

TL: No, the ro-de-o.

JTL: You went to a Catholic school, right? Did you get to wear one of them outfits?

TL: Yep.

JTL: I'm so jealous. It'd probably fit me, too. How are your parents dealing with Ken Park?

TL: Well, they don't like it, but what are they going to do? They like most everything that I'm doing; they just don't like nudity. But I've been doing nudity since, I don't know-10, eight years old? They love me. The moment I fell in love with Peaches--who's been molested and gets black eyes all the time-was when I said to myself that I could have been her if I didn't have cool parents.

JTL: Other than Ken Park, what have you got coming up?