Mamie Gummer Shares Screen with Mom Meryl Streep in "Ricki and The Flash" (Opens Sep 9)
Mamie Gummer stars opposite her mother
Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline in Ricki and
the Flash for Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme. Written by Academy
Award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody, the film features a clutch of
electrifying musical performances as it follows Streep’s rock star character,
Ricki Rendazzo, on a journey to redemption. Gummer stars as Ricki’s estranged
daughter, Julie…
What appealed to you about your role in Ricki and the Flash? Playing an emotionally damaged character is
always interesting…
It is the greatest gift to be allowed
to be un-pretty. It’s great that the focus of each frame is not whether a hair
is out of place or whether there is enough sheen on my lips. It really frees
you up to be truthful and honest. Plus, it’s great being able to work in those
clothes. In the project I’ve just come off I play a member of the Women’s Army
Corps in 1942 and was dressed in this really tight, cone-breasted and starchy
army uniform. That was a complete contrast to what I wore in Ricki. I really missed those pyjamas.
You’ve known Kevin Kline for a long time. You must have
enjoyed working with him on Ricki, as
well as with your mum, of course?
God, yes. The whole thing was wonderful
and I would have been a fool to turn away from this opportunity. Kevin was a
joy and he really brims with enthusiasm and love and care for the work and the
story. Also, as you say, I have a lot of history with him. I have known him
more or less all my life, so it was easy for him to feel protective of me, and
for me to feel very safe with him. The challenge was trying to wedge some
distance between my mother and me in the roles we were playing. My mother is
the one person on the planet I am most intrinsically connected to, so that was
a bit odd, although it was nothing we couldn’t handle.
I understand your director, Jonathan Demme, asked you and
your mum not to talk to one another in between takes. I guess that was to help
maintain the tension between your characters…
It was a deliberate choice but I didn’t
realise it at the time. Jonathan had made it clear to my mom but he hadn’t told
me that it was his intention – to keep us geographically as far away from one
another as possible. Our trailers and our chairs were always at the opposite
end of where we were working, but Jonathan didn’t tell me that beforehand so I
was like, ‘Why is everyone hanging out without me?’ But it was deliberate, and
that was how the character, Julie, has felt. She felt as though she hadn’t had
enough attention and wasn’t cared for enough, so I think Jonathan wanted to
feed in to that tension. Julie felt abandoned by her mother and is not happy. I
feel that she was very betrayed by that. It doesn’t mean that they are beyond
repair and when Ricki comes back and makes a valiant effort to reconnect, some
of Julie’s anger subsides and she softens and that sets her free to some
degree.
Off set, did you and your mum talk about the day’s work and
the characters?
We travelled to set separately but
often we would drive home together. So we fell into a groove, talking about
what had transpired that day, but we wouldn’t talk about what was coming up. We
didn’t make any plans about how we were going to approach future scenes.
This film also reunites your mother with Kevin. Have you
seen any of their stage performances together?
I saw The Seagull that they did together, and I watched it about four or
five times. They have a real affection for each other and the level of trust is
something to really marvel at. They have an exuberance and watching them act
together feels like you’re all sharing a glass of champagne.
And how did you find Jonathan’s direction? He’s certainly
very accomplished at working with music in movies…
Yeah, it seemed like a perfect match. He
is so passionate about music and he has this merry band of revellers. He is
like a troubadour in a way. He loves that sense of community and he embraces
everyone. It is very galvanising and he brought a real energy to the set.
You sing with the band during the final scenes in the movie,
but did you watch your mum and the Flash perform beforehand?
No, that was the first time I had seen
them play. I knew my mom had been working very diligently but to see her really
inhabit this rocker and become her was awesome. And the band-members are all so
lovely. I know my mum really grew to love them and forged a real connection
with them all. They are all extraordinary musicians and it was really amazing
to have this private concert with them at this pavilion in Yonkers that we were
using as the wedding set.
Your brother is musical and your mum is, too. Do you have
the musical gene as well?
I can sing pretty well, I think, though
no one else would know it because I have a paralysing fear of singing in front
of other people.
Did you ever consider any other career, Mamie, or did you
always know that performing was something you wanted to do?
I think acting was all that I ever
wanted to do. It was what I grew up with. I saw that it made my mother so happy
and it filled her with a deep and abiding joy. It was the same with my father.
They both did what they loved and they allowed me to do what I loved, and to
pursue whatever made me happy. It would have been odd had I become very
passionate about something else, like economics, for example.
ABOUT THE FILM:
Meryl Streep
takes on a whole new gig – a hard-rocking singer/guitarist – for Oscar®-winning
director Jonathan Demme and Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody
in Ricki and the Flash. In an original film loaded with live musical
performances, Streep stars as Ricki Rendazzo, a guitar heroine who made a world
of mistakes as she followed her dreams of rock-and-roll stardom. Returning
home, Ricki gets a shot at redemption and a chance to make things
right as she faces the music with her family. Streep stars opposite her
real-life daughter Mamie Gummer; Rick Springfield, portraying a Flash member in
love with Ricki; Kevin Kline as Ricki’s ex-husband; and Audra McDonald as
Kline’s new wife.
To be shown
exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide starting Sept. 9, “Ricki and the
Flash” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures
Releasing International.
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