Catherine Keener: A New York State of Mind
IFQ recently had a chance to speak with Academy Award-nominated actress Catherine Keener regarding her work on the new film Synecdoche, New York, set for theatrical release courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics. The project pairs Keener with past collaborators Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) and screenwriter turned director Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich). Always an engaging talent, Keener brings her customary focus and attention to detail as Adele Lack, a painter married to Hoffman’s character Caden Cotard, a regional theater director leading a bleak existence. Their dissolving relationship and an unexpected financial windfall allows Caden to mount a massive theatrical project, recreating New York city itself and spanning nearly two decades of labor and preparation. Keener spoke about her experiences working with both Kaufman and Hoffman as well as her growing connection with the finished film.
IFQ: Given the film’s fantastical setup, what were your initial impressions of it when you first received the script as well as the final film itself when you saw it?
KK: I was amazed; normally I only have a chance to see a film once in order to do press for it. But I’ve seen the film three times now and the first time it connected in certain ways with me. But it was very different the next time, I thought things were funny that I hadn’t experienced that way when I saw it in Cannes. A lot of our cast and crew all sat together in the same row at the screening there, all dressed fancy, with Charlie in the middle. It was this Charlie sort of thing, and so the movie impacted me greatly as this very sad piece and we were all wowed by it.
And then the next time in Toronto, I got to breathe a little bit and consequently was still extremely moved, but it was funnier and the audience reacted differently too. They laughed throughout the whole thing. It was good to know that was there because Charlie had called me before I actually read the script and asked me if I wanted to be in this movie that he was going to direct. I said, “Yes of course, thank you, oh my God,” without knowing what it was though at first.
IFQ: What were your impressions of Charlie as a director given this being his directorial debut and you already working with his material previously in Being John Malkovich where he was the screenwriter?
KK: Well, we’re friends so we share a lot of stuff anyway but you just have more access to him, which is amazing and he’s extremely generous with actors. I think he really loves directing actors and it’s always wonderful to feel like you’re collaborating with the director.
IFQ: When we first meet Adele, your character, and Caden, Phil’s character, their marriage is essentially on its last leg which in turn leads to this massive theater project he begins. I’m curious to know if you two, along with Charlie, worked out a backstory for their relationship beforehand.
KK: We did actually; we did a lot of work and improvised. We didn’t do very much when we were shooting at all, but we improvised backstory and all that stuff with Charlie beforehand. Things came to us easily I think because of our comfort with each other and it’s always great to have an atmosphere of trust like you do with old friends. You know that you can behave inappropriately and that they’ll forgive it [laughs], maybe they won’t even remember it hopefully.
IFQ: Now that you’ve had a chance to work with Phil a couple of times, what are your thoughts on him as an actor in general and specifically working scenes with him and engaging him in character?
KK: As far as an acting partner, he’s one of the best. He’s right there with you all of the time and is great to do this job with because you don’t feel alone. If you do end up feeling alone for some reason though, he’ll be there for you listening and helping you through it. We really laugh together a lot too; we’re very compatible as friends.
IFQ: You’ve always done exceptional work, from Hollywood films, independents, etc. and achieved a definite level of success. What keeps you moving forward in your career to take the kinds of roles and risk you do?
KK: A lot of that is luck, the luck that I happen to have with jobs because it’s not like I turn down a lot of stuff it’s just that that’s the stuff that comes around. I am pretty selective though only because there are certain things that I can’t do. It’s not like a high-brow being selective; it’s more like ‘my body won’t let me’ kind of stuff. [Laughs.] But I’m not picking from a great deal of material and usually it’s all pretty good. So it’s much easier to be selective and work.
*Synecdoche, New York opens in theaters on October 24th, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
*Photos Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics