Joey Lauren Adams - Brief Article - Interview

Interview, June, 2000 by Minnie Driver

WITH TWO NEW FILMS, AN INDIE STAR ACCELERATES

MINNIE DRIVER: So tell me, what's the deal with your new film, Bruno?

JOEY LAUREN ADAMS: It's Shirley MacLaine's first time directing a feature. I have a small part, playing Gary Sinise's girlfriend. I look like a whacked-out Dolly Parton.

MD: What did they do with your hair?

JLA: Blonde wig. Huge. I also have fake nails and trashy clothes. It was pretty great. The movie's about this boy who is his Catholic school's only hope for the national spelling bee, but he insists on wearing dresses in competition. It's about independence and expression.

MD: And Sally Field directed your other film, which we did together: Beautiful [premiering in September].

JLA: It's weird. Half the time you're looking at her as a director, and the other half you're like, "It's the Flying Nun!"

MD: What was the best thing about working on Beautiful?

JLA: I think the best part was that it was all women. So it wasn't like, Who's sleeping with who? Not that I'd know about that kind of thing anyway.

MD: Oh, rubbish! Anyway, I can't wait to see the parrot picture. I know that, in fact, you don't have any pets.

JLA: I think I'm the Jerry Lee Lewis of pet owners.

MD: What do you mean? Are you insulting the public?

JLA: No. [laughs] I tend to have the same problem with animals that he had with wives. [both laugh]

MD: My dog liked you very much when we ate pizza that night.

JLA: Is that why he was trying to knock me over?

MD: Well, he's quite big, and you're quite small. But you were definitely lickable. This is terrible to say, but if my dog doesn't like someone, I have a hard time liking that person too! He's a great barometer.

JLA: I'm glad he liked me. So you and I can be friends?

MD: Yes.

JLA: Good.

Minnie Driver will next be seen in Beautiful, coming out this fall. Joey Lauren Adams, photographed with a double yellow-headed Amazon parrot named Molokai, wears a dress by Donna Karan New York.