By Damara Popoola
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 8/10/07 – From angst-filled television teen to big screen star-crossed lover to discontented twenty-something, Claire Danes has spanned the range of roles in Hollywood. Proving once again that she refuses to be typecast, Danes next role, in upcoming fantasy epic “Stardust,” has her donning the garb of a celestial beauty.
Describing what motivates her to take on certain parts, Danes told Hollywood Today, “It’s kind of good material that happens to drop in . . . I don’t have one particular esthetic that I stick strictly to. I like genre-hopping, but who wouldn’t want to have long blond hair and ride a unicorn and be a princess from outer space?”
More specifically, Danes plays Yvaine, a falling star found by the heroic Tristran (played by Brit Charlie Cox) and the central figure being pursued by a cast of colorful characters including princes, ghosts, pirates and witches. It may seem like kiddy-fare, but there are strong themes woven throughout the film that make it more thoughtful than expected.
“What I really like about the script and the movie is that it walks the line between being fantastical and realistic in its tone,” Danes said. Referring to a particularly moving scene, she continued, “The most critical moment for [my] character [is when] she turns and she realizes her vulnerability and her limitations and she’s just honest with herself – and the mouse – for the first time. It’s such a beautiful idea that she’s basically pined for pining. She’s been seeking love and now that she’s finally gotten to directly experience it she’s able to grow, and that’s what we all kind of hope for I suppose.”
One might assume that nailing down the mannerisms of a falling star would be the hardest part of such a fantastical role, but not for Danes. She said, “I wasn’t thinking so much about how to play her as a celestial being because . . . a lot of that work was done for me with the costumes and the hair and the CGI.” What she did work diligently on, however, was affecting the proper British accent for the film, which she describes as Victorian with a contemporary spin.
“I worked with a [dialect] coach on this,” Danes said, “and I was pretty adamant that she be there as often as possible. I like working with accents. It’s a technical skill that can distract me from the pressure of actually having to create something genuine.”
Encouraged by her coach, Danes watched U.K. television comedies in order get a sense of British “rhythm, comedic timing [and] their expression of irony.” While many British comedians star in the film, including Ricky Gervais of “The Office” and “Extras,” there’s also plenty of American star power including Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro.
“It’s always a little odd to be interacting with a legend [like DeNiro], somebody who you’ve grown up with and have all sorts of intense associations with,” Danes said, “but that dissipates pretty quickly and you sort of just concentrate on the task at hand.”
As intimidating as DeNiro might be, Danes describes the acclaimed actor as more of an introvert. She said, “It’s clear that he likes acting. He really comes alive when he’s doing it, but . . . he’s very internal and kind of receding. Maybe he’s even shy, [and] he’s definitely quiet, but then once he’s in character he’s very present and electric. There is a kind of discrepancy between who he is as a guy and who he is a performer.”
“Stardust” lands in theaters Friday, Aug. 10, but in the fall Danes will be making her Broadway debut in the Roundabout Theater Company revival of George Bernard Shaw’s “Pygmalion.” Danes will star as Eliza Doolittle, the character made memorable by Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady.” “[Eliza’s] just an amazing role,” Danes said. “She’s just so formidable, so self-possessed…there’s just a lot to play with.”
And while Danes acknowledges the weight of stepping under the parasol of such a well-known character, she’s not too worried about failing. She said, “Sure I know who precedes me and I know who has taken the role on in the past and they’re wonderful, but I think I will be contained by this brilliant piece of work and it will catch me when [or if] I fall.”
