Krell
March 4th, 2006, 01:32 PM
Even in today's Hollywood, actresses still have a hard time finding interesting roles, especially roles written for non-white characters. Yet, when acclaimed screenwriter Robert Towne ("Chinatown (http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=17863)") first offered Salma Hayek (http://movies.msn.com/celebs/celeb.aspx?c=55489) the complicated role of Camilla, a Mexican immigrant struggling to find herself in 1930s Los Angeles in "Ask the Dust (http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=562962)," she turned him down.
"I didn't like the character, and I thought she was an awful human being and racist and [didn't like that she] wanted to be American," Hayek says of their initial meeting eight years ago. She then notes, however, that at the time she didn't have the "vision to understand the subtleties of the character."
Maturity, acclaim for roles such as her Oscar-nominated performance in "Frida (http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=528552)" and years of development with Towne eventually persuaded her to come on board. She prepared for the role by spending hours in rehearsal and by augmenting her already voluptuous figure by making it a little more "meaty."
Fans will be delighted to know Hayek's seductive form is on display in both a nighttime ocean skinny-dipping scene and a passionate love scene with co-star Colin Farrell (http://movies.msn.com/celebs/celeb.aspx?c=232140). While Hayek has gone nude before, the latter scene made her particularly uncomfortable.
Farrell's reputation is no secret, but his sensitive manner shattered all of Hayek's preconceived notions.
"Colin came and started making jokes," Hayek says of the crew's attempts to coax her out of her trailer for the love scene. "Out he comes buck naked, jumping and doing a ballet dance. He started laughing and he did that [all for me] because I was very tense."
Hayek also has an unexpected compliment for her co-star. She relates how many male actors will just stare at her breasts during the middle of a scene, especially when it's not called for in the script.
"Colin, for all his reputation, he never took his eyes off mine," she says of their love scene. "I was very surprised, [especially] with all the stories you hear."
Farrell can now officially add "gentleman" to his resume.
"Ask The Dust" opens in limited release on March 10.
http://movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/3-3-06_2?GT1=7701
.
"I didn't like the character, and I thought she was an awful human being and racist and [didn't like that she] wanted to be American," Hayek says of their initial meeting eight years ago. She then notes, however, that at the time she didn't have the "vision to understand the subtleties of the character."
Maturity, acclaim for roles such as her Oscar-nominated performance in "Frida (http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=528552)" and years of development with Towne eventually persuaded her to come on board. She prepared for the role by spending hours in rehearsal and by augmenting her already voluptuous figure by making it a little more "meaty."
Fans will be delighted to know Hayek's seductive form is on display in both a nighttime ocean skinny-dipping scene and a passionate love scene with co-star Colin Farrell (http://movies.msn.com/celebs/celeb.aspx?c=232140). While Hayek has gone nude before, the latter scene made her particularly uncomfortable.
Farrell's reputation is no secret, but his sensitive manner shattered all of Hayek's preconceived notions.
"Colin came and started making jokes," Hayek says of the crew's attempts to coax her out of her trailer for the love scene. "Out he comes buck naked, jumping and doing a ballet dance. He started laughing and he did that [all for me] because I was very tense."
Hayek also has an unexpected compliment for her co-star. She relates how many male actors will just stare at her breasts during the middle of a scene, especially when it's not called for in the script.
"Colin, for all his reputation, he never took his eyes off mine," she says of their love scene. "I was very surprised, [especially] with all the stories you hear."
Farrell can now officially add "gentleman" to his resume.
"Ask The Dust" opens in limited release on March 10.
http://movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/3-3-06_2?GT1=7701
.