When director Richard Loncraine and the producers set about casting the film, the first consideration was making sure the actors in the lead roles made believable tennis players. And even though Dunst had very little tennis experience, her reputation as a one of Hollywood’s most popular young actresses made her the first choice to take on the role of Lizzie. “Kirsten is one of the leading American actresses at the moment and we were lucky in that she really like the screenplay,” says producer Eric Fellner.
INTERVIEW WITH KIRSTEN DUNST (‘Lizzie’):
Did you know anything about tennis before you started this?
I had played a little when I was younger. My dad’s pretty athletic and actually, because he’s German, they really are into tennis ad so I definitely learned a little bit when I was younger. And then I hadn’t played in forever. So when I started this movie, I didn’t watch tennis, I didn’t know that much about it. I didn’t know hardly anything so I had to start from [the ground up].
Was it important to look real?
Of course, yeah. I don’t want to look like a hack out there. I mean, a lot of it’s sold in the expression and the force. But then we also had experts there standing off-camera the whole time telling me to lift it a little higher and throw the ball more to the left, or whatever it was. They were constantly there making sure it would look authentic. We had good people like Pat Cash. I mean, hello. We had great people around.
Do you have a mean streak like your character does character?
Everybody has a mean streak in them, don’t they? I don't know if it’s mean, but she’s a very angry girl. She has this doting father. Her whole entire life, it’s probably one of the loneliest jobs to just be on the tour all the time and not have any friends. Your friend is your dad all the time and yeah, I’m sure it’s [frustrating], always training. There’s a lot of anger in her.
What were you good at and bad at? How long did your training take?
I was really bad at my serve. I wasn’t so good at that. Some days I was really good and then other days- - it was never a consistent thing, my serving. I was always trying to work it out. But my backhand was really great. Everybody was like, “Wow, you have a great backhand.” I had a two-handed. I don't know. It just worked well with the way your hips are aligned. I could get that really well.
How was shooting overseas?
Well, in England they’re much more team-oriented. It’s not so much… In LA, it’s very much like a hierarchy system. Like everyone makes a big deal and we have to go to hair and makeup now. It’s just much more of a big deal and there they’re just more relaxed, and it’s about the art and making a movie. I don’t mean it like “art” but it’s much more about the filmmaking and everybody as a team instead of the movie star and whatever. Everybody’s on the same page.
Were there tea breaks?
Not on this movie. They brought out tea and cookies and sandwiches, but we kept working.
