Sarah Polley
by Roxanna Bina
Sarah Polley speaks about shedding her intellectual indie image for the studio re-make of Dawn of the Dead.
IFQ: We’re not used to seeing you in horror films.
SP: Yes, this is a different film [genre] for me. I’m usually cast in more intellectual or engaged movies such as eXistenZ with Jude Law or My Life Without Me with Mark Ruffalo or even The I Inside with Ryan Phillippe. However I have always wanted to do one of these types of films.
IFQ: You mean horror films? You’re a fan?
SP: Not really, but I saw the original Dawn of the Dead made by George Romero, the Master of Horror, in the 70’s. I always look for an intense experience, an intense ride. There is nothing better than a good zombie movie where you run crazy and blow at monsters! It was a physical shoot and I enjoyed it.
IFQ: Is doing a horror/special effects film a change of direction for you?
SP: Not at all. I enjoy doing my more intimate and less commercial pictures and also I enjoy directing. Lately I did a film called All I Want for Christmas and it was well received. This gave me a new point of view and a new respect for my work as an actress. I just finished a new TV show called The Shields Stories. Being a human being is all about experiencing all of the wonders of the world and therefore as an actress, I’m open to any opportunity that may enrich my horizon. Plus, doing a zombie movie is quite liberating. It’s fun not to take myself seriously all the time.
IFQ: You are a political and social activist. Was acting in a film like Dawn of the Dead with political lairs an attraction?
SP: It’s totally an allegory for consumerism, and also it’s interesting to see how the lives of people in general can turn into zombie lives because they end up being manipulated by the media and the big corporations, telling how, when and what to eat, to buy, etc. We live in a world where the free judgment of people is always tested. Either you can turn into a coach potato and/or zombie or you can stand up and refuse to be swallowed by the society of consumerism.
IFQ: What about the fact that we have groups of people coming from different backgrounds, such as African Americans, Latinos, Caucasians…Does this show a new face of America?
SP: Well, because Dawn of the Dead can take place anywhere and it shows that actually the entire planet is contaminated, I would say that it shows the new face of our world–one person, one race, united against the invisible destructive force. I think that we need to get along together if we want to survive in the twenty-first century. There is no point trying to figure out who is guilty or not at un-balancing the planet. I think we need to figure out and solve the problems together and not isolate from each other.
IFQ: The contamination that turns everyone into a zombie is relevant to what’s going with AIDS, isn’t it?
SP: Yes, and again this is a point that I make to all to get together no matter where you live and where you come from. AIDS is a global problem and there should be a global solution found by the entire international community. It is really scary to see and imagine our world fall into pieces because we refuse to share and put in the common vestiges of our civilizations.
IFQ: Is fame important to you?
SP: It’s not that I don’t want to become famous or that I’m obsessed by my work as an actress, but it’s all about not limiting myself, such as putting myself in a little jail that I can escape from. I want my world to get bigger and not end up in a small corner. I’m never sure what’s coming next, but I’m an open minded person and I welcome any challenge. It’s all about living it [life] fully. Also it’s about being a balanced and engaged individual and not taking my healthy life and successful career for granted. I’m really grateful for all of what I have today and I will work hard to keep it that way.
by Roxanna Bina