FEST2003
Interview with Lucija Sherberdzija  

 By Rada Djurica   

      (continued)  

Are you ever amazed that on some films you make so much money, that you can't believe a small part can bring you so much? This is a question for your father but never mind.

The film business is like that, not only big budget U.S. and European, but also domestic cinematography. You can't do anything without money, even low budget films you can't do without money. Maybe theatre plays, eventually. But film, film costs money. Every minute every day costs. But even if I would get hired in a big budget American film, I would be able to make about US$150,000, which is a small amount of money for the U.S. but for Croatia, it is plenty of money. It would be like that because I'm not a well-known commercial actress. But if I would play five roles like that, I would probably be negotiating about much more money from the start.

What's your status as far as your acting career is concerned?

I have freelancer status. This is a privilege, and it's that I can choose with whom and what I would do and that's privilege. The failure of it is: I work from spring to autumn, the period when most films are being shot. So during the summertime, when everybody is enjoying themselves and going on holidays, I'm working. Sometimes I'm spending many days on the seaside without getting in the water for a swim. And all winter I'm spending on the Internet, sleeping, reading.

Did you ever reject a part because of its nature?

Yes, I did reject some offered parts, but sometimes I feel that I would really like to accept offered roles, no matter what. If the script fascinates me, and I'm offered a small, special appearance part, I would be very happy to accept it. But if I don't see myself in that part, I would be honest in rejecting it. Or I would ask for bigger money for that role. I've rejected some offers because I was in the middle of working on a project and I couldn't leave it to be in the other one. It's always like that, just like when you finally fall in love and suddenly lots of other interested fellows come after you and before that you were alone and no one wanted you.

What would happen if you were offered a sex scene that was too pornographic?

I would try to make a deal with the director. If he's really interested in me, he wouldn't ask for too explicit sex scenes of me, or he would hire a double to make me look as perfect as possible. But if I realized that the director were looking for any actress who would take that part, I would, of course, refuse it.

What is your attitude on nudity and sexually explicit scenes? Would you refuse a sexy scene if Spielberg would ask that of you?

I'm liberated as far as nudity is concerned. If, after reading the script, I would feel that the film is good, and my nudity is needed, I would accept the part, no matter how risky and provocative it is. I would do it. If I start with an ordinary part, knowing that the film is high budget and that I will, with special effects, look perfect, and that my nudity won't be vulgar but aesthetically artistic, I would definitely do it.

Where did you study acting?

I graduated from the Drama Academy in Zagreb in 1996. Then I went to London and traveled a bit around the world.

Is there any other school that you would have gone to, if you hadn't graduated from the Drama Academy?

I always wanted to study scriptwriting. That was my wish from childhood, but my father talked me out of it. I have always been writing since school: stories, poems. I see myself in 10 years time, after I stop acting, I will get into writing screenplays in the future.

Your mother is a famous Croatian ballet dancer. Would you like to start dancing yourself?

No, that's the most beautiful but also the most cruel profession in the world. I think that the amount of energy you put into it gets underestimated.

What do you think bout FEST?

I really like the festival. We had the premier of "Remake" in Bosnia, and we are a bit tired and everything. And I'm very sorry for not having enough energy to enjoy it a bit more. There's an awful lot of energy put into the festival. My father used to take me all around the world to all the big festivals, and I can say that FEST is very big, just as it is important. I really like that people look so interested, like they're living for this festival during the whole year. I really like it and I think it is very well organized. And on the film projections, I've seen so many people living for the festival and the films shown. I'm really happy to be here.