FILM INTERVIEW: HEATHER GRAHAM
An 'Old School' Love Leads to a Vegas 'Hangover'
Buzzine was invited to take a trip to Vegas (baby) and watch some of the filming of Todd Phillips' new comedy The Hangover. The Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galafianakis-starring film is the story of three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during a drunken misadventure — then must retrace their steps in order to find him. The scenes we were lucky enough to see featured Ed Helms and female lead Heather Graham at Caeser's Palace, and she took a moment between takes to tell us about her role in the movie and her latest news.
Parimal Rohit: You’ve played a lot of different roles in the past: what made you want to take this one in The Hangover?
Heather Graham: Well, I really like working with Todd [Phillips]. I am a big fan of his work. I loved that movie Old School. I think he is really funny and good. I was always a fan of his, so I really wanted to work with him. There’s a lot of comedy -– it’s funny, smart, stupid, and silly.
PR: Do you sense, in this movie, that there is some sort of underlying theme that develops beneath the comedy and will carry the story?
HG: I think it’s a story of friendship and about these guys bonding. Those are always good stories.
HG: All my hangover stories are very depressing. I just get very sad and I never want to drink again. Once I got so drunk and so hungover, I told myself I am never drinking again. It was the worst! I don’t really like drinking that much. I’m more of a hippie type, doing yoga [by] the ocean.
PR: So this movie really is completely not you?
HG: Well, I am having a really good time. It’s cool to be around these funny guys. I went to watch a bunch of Cirque du Soleil shows. We even had a poker tournament that was really fun. I’m really good at it. I came in fourth.
PR: How do you work on set with so many things going on?
HG: It’s distracting, but you just get into the story and shut everything else out. There is definitely a lot going on in Vegas. There are definitely a lot of distractions.
PR: What is it like being the only girl in an almost all-male cast?
HG: It’s kind of fun. I feel like all these guys are super funny and they are improving all this stuff. I am like the token chick! [Laughs] I’d like to study more comedy improv because I admire people so much that can do it.
PR: What about this scene with you at the end of the movie? Tell us what happens…
HG: I meet them during the night. I get married to Ed [Helms’s character]. I totally remembered everything that happened.
PR: So there really isn’t any romance in this movie?
HG: Personally, I’d never want to get married here [Las Vegas], but I do think our storyline is kind of romantic.
HG: Honestly, I didn’t know him well then. But obviously, as a filmmaker, he is maturing. He’s good with comedy but he adds more depth. I haven’t seen this film yet, but when you watch his comedy, you can sense there is something underneath it.
PR: Why don’t women have any stories of bonding and friendship like guys do with bachelor parties?
HG: I think that women do, actually. I have friends, and we go out and bond all the time. I had this one girlfriend — we had a weekend-long bachelorette party, but she ended up bringing her husband. [Laughs] It was insane. He almost got arrested and she was yelling at this cop that she was a lawyer, and honestly, it was crazy. I was like, “Get me out of here, this is crazy.” I think girls go through crazy bachelor parties too!
PR: What was it about this role that attracted you?
HG: Honestly, just reading the script and thinking it was funny. I think the role is kind of unexpected. I don’t really give it away. You think one thing when you see her, then it kind of transforms into this other thing. I just like that it was a funny role for a woman. I think comedies are more about men being funny, but my character got to be funny and have a lot of different facets to her.
PR: A lot of women seem to be producing now. Is this because there are a lot of roles out there now for women?
HG: I think you want to create the opportunities for yourself that you want to have. I would love to do that more.
PR: What are you doing in that regard?
HG: I have two different things going on. One is like a sex comedy, called The Accidental Virgin. It’s about sexual politics and what it’s like being a woman and dating. I have this other project on how labor unions came to New York. It’s really a cool story.
'The Hangover' is due to be released in June 2009 by Warner Bros. Pictures
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