Interview with Shohreh Aghdashloo:
How was your experience on “24?” What grabbed you about that particular character?
It’s fantastic playing this woman who has so many faces. It has allowed me as an actress to be able to portray several characters represented under one name only - Dina Araz.
That show is so intense, was it crazy and tense on the set?
I would differently say tense but not crazy. But everything was so organized and the amount of love and passion and money that they put into every hour is an equivalent [to] everywhere [else] in the world what they put into an hour of film. They put the same amount of passion and work and money so it is intense, but it’s not crazy or chaotic. Well-organized, but very passionate.
You were recently cast in “Il Mare” with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. Who do you play?
Well, let me put it this way: First of all, it’s the first non-stereotype role I’m playing, according to the public that was saying that my role in “24” was a stereotype. This is the first one. I’m playing an American doctor –with an accent of course.
How did you get involved with that film?
I loved the script. It’s a sci-fi love story and when I was reading it, for the first few pages I was thinking, “What’s going on? There’s something suspicious here. It can’t be as easy as it seems.” But then I realized, “Oh my God, it is that sophisticated.” It’s a Korean story turned into an English script. Alejandro Agresti the director translated it and adapted it into English.
Does it stay very faithful to the original?
Very much so. Very much – the core of the idea.
Are you filming it right now?
Yes, I was in Chicago last week for the first few scenes. I’ve got one week off and I’m going to be back next week in Chicago.
Have you filmed any scenes with Sandra Bullock yet?
I have scenes with her but they’ll be when I return to Chicago. So far I’ve had scenes with Keanu Reeves. The amount of professionalism is incredible. I was always wondering what is it about him that makes all the directors want to work with him, makes the industry go after him. You and I know that it’s a package. Knowing that, I realized that he’s not only professional, he’s so easy to work with, very well-mannered, polite, patient. It was incredible working with this young man. One of the few men I’ve really enjoyed working with in Hollywood because, to be honest with you, I would rather work with women in this industry than men.
Your experience so far has been that women are much easier to work with than men?
Men are much more prima donnas than women. You know, the way they move. They’re obnoxious and jealous and so on and so forth, worse than women.
Is that also true working on the stage?
It is the same. They are much more prima donnas. So far I’ve come to the conclusion that they may feel insecure, that’s why. But women are sexless when they work and they really put all their energy into it. But Keanu and Nestor Serrano, who played my husband in “24,” I also enjoyed working with him. He was a very gentle soul as well.
The greater you are, the more down to earth you are supposed to be. If you are up there and you really think that you are somebody and you become obnoxious, then you must feel insecure. As they say, when a tree has more fruits, the more down to earth its leaves are. The fruits are bringing the tree down to earth. It’s your offspring, it’s what you have done.
ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS FROM THE “MISS CONGENIALITY 2” PREMIERE:
Sandra Bullock / Heather Burns / Diedrich Bader / Abraham Benrubi / John Pasquin & Marc Lawrence
Premiere Guests – James Denton / Kim Raver
