Being Laura Bush
Pittsfield's own Elizabeth Banks, 34, describes her latest acting challenge: capturing the class (and inner babe) of our buttoned-up first lady.
You have two movies coming out this month, director Kevin Smith's comedy Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Oliver Stone's controversial biopic, W, in which you play Laura Bush. Do you find it harder to play a person of Laura Bush's stature than, say, Miri in Smith's raunchy comedy?
As an actress, there's always a greater responsibility when you're playing a real person. You want to feel like you'll do right by them. If Laura Bush ever saw this movie, she would feel that I portrayed her respectfully and got her essence right.
I get the sense from things I've read that you believe Laura Bush is sort of an unrealized babe.
I don't think she gets credit as a beauty even though she's one of the better-looking first ladies. I would put her up against any other first lady.
Jackie O?
Here's the problem. Jackie O had style above and beyond. Laura's a beauty, but she has no style, so I don't think she gets recognized as a beauty. She's hiding it behind that hair and the dark red lips.
Sounds as if we have a new reality show, Remaking Laura.
You said it, not me.
When you met her at the White House for the Seabiscuit screening, did you bum a smoke off her?
No, I didn't know she smoked at the time. That only came out through my research.
It's surprising that she's a smoker.
I don't think she's carrying around a pack of cigarettes. She's a hang-out-with-her-girlfriends-and-bum-a-smoke kind of lady.
When you say you researched her, what exactly does that mean?
Mining as much biographical material as I can find, watching videotape, downloading podcasts of her speeches and her interviews with Charlie Rose.
What surprised you the most?
She has a reputation for being sort of hermetically sealed. And I don't think that's actually the case. She's uncomfortable in public, and she's very good at separating her public persona from her private one. I love it when she's on Charlie Rose and she actually cracks a joke and breaks from the script.
Oliver Stone is not a guy I'd really consider friendly to the Bushes.
Look, Oliver Stone wants to tell a great story, the story of a guy who is unlikely to become president and gets elected twice and comes from a political dynasty in which he is not the chosen son. It's a pretty compelling story.
Did you vote for George W.?
I didn't personally vote for him, no.
Do you imagine your film actually making an impact on this election?
No, I don't, because John McCain and Barack Obama are not George Bush. The American public is going to be looking at those two men and not looking at the past. 