Now,thatsounds like it should make for an interesting Q&A.
“I’d say!”
It’s going to fun to talk about all of our experiences in that time period.
Credit: Sidney Baldwin/Warner Bros.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you come to play Mallory Knox?
JULIETTE LEWIS: The script itself was dangerous.
But the deciding factor was Oliver Stone, because Oliver Stone doesn’t just make one-sentiment films.
They were looking at every possible actress at that time.
[Laughs]
How did you do that?
I don’t know!
I just talked to him!
Is it true, did you jump on the desk and threaten Oliver with your bare hands?"
I was like, “No!”
I don’t know, I just talked to him.
Maybe that came off as a threat.
I think it’s funny.
Was there instant chemistry between you and Woody when you started working together?
It’s a trip.
The way this film worked, it was “anything goes,” meaning all improvisation.
So, in Woody, I had just an incredible scene partner.
It was like we were family from another time.
We were just really comfortable around each other, doing our own thing, being Mickey and Mallory.
We all shared this one-of-a-kind-experience.
But we were both at turning points in our careers, to prove ourselves.
He had come fromCheersandWhite Men Can’t Jump.
I came fromCape FearandWhat’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
The thing aboutNatural Born Killersis that it’s also a farce, to me.
It’s an exaggeration of scenes.
It’s not like a totally pinned-down, true portrayal.
It’s something more fantastical and requires a different set of skills.
And Woody had a lot of humor and there is humor in our portrayals in that.
What was that like?
All Oliver wanted was your contribution and that you lit up creatively.
It was like there was no creative impulse he wouldn’t take.
It was really fun.
But Downey is just an improv wizard.
He’s electric and he was just phenomenal as this bizarre Wayne Gale character.
There’s so much humor in the film.
I use the wordwhether it’s right or wrongit’s camp.
It’s not just this lowbrow, one-idea of like, Oh, they’re anti-heroes.
That’s the trick Oliver spun on the audience.
You shot a lot of the film in a real prison.
What was that like?
It’s funny, because there’s a lot of stories from this set that are really unique.
We were like an old band of gypsies, carnival folk.
And that’s all Oliver.
He used actual inmates in the riot scenes.
I don’t know.
He comes from the war, you know.
So, there’s a fearlessness in the way he wants to create electricity on a set.
It was a trip.
There’s endless stories from the prison.
But one of them is, I had walking pneumonia.
So, I ended that film going, Will I end up in the hospital?
Or can I make it through?
That was a trip.
I didn’t want to cost anybody money by taking a time out, so I pulled through.
But the prison was fed up.
Natural Born Killersbecame this very controversial movie, and some people even blamed it for inspiring copycat crimes.
What do you remember about that?
They were so so mad at us!
Like, we were at fault!
Anyway, I feel like it has a place.
