|
Firth
Class
Playing
the very eligible lawyer Mark Darcy, Colin Firth battles with Hugh Grant
for the affections of hilarious thirtysomething British
"singleton" Bridget Jones.
Do
you like Bridget Jones?
Oh yeah. One of my favorite things about her is her repeated willingness
to make mistakes and fall flat on her face. And the fact that she renews
her ludicrous optimism all the time. And at the end of the day, whatever
she writes in her diary about quitting smoking and drinking, she'll
drown herself in a bottle of chardonnay anyway.
Can
you relate to being a thirtysomething woman, angst-ridden about not
being in a relationship?
I've never been single and unhappy to be single. But I do know women
with a fear of commitment problems, and I do know men who can't bear
being single and are desperate to find a partner. But I don't se the
world in terms of being married or being single. I would never walk in
to a dinner party and suddenly be horrified that everyone was part of a
couple except me.
You
partly landed the role of Darcy because, in Pride and Prejudice, you
played Mr Darcy, who Bridget has a crush on. Do you plan to play a man
called Darcy in every movie you make?
Oh yes, I won't be in any other role unless I'm named Darcy. But
seriously, I'm so used to this name Darcy that it's lost all meaning.
It's obviously not going away, so I'm having fun with it.
How
was it working with Renee Zellweger?
I really like her. She's prepared to take risks, and she's fun to be
with. I don't know how the chemistry comes across on screen, but we got
along very well off screen.
Would
you ever capitalise on your acting and leave London to move to Hollywood
to be a big star?
I don't know if it appeals to me enormously. I mean, I like money; I
like nice houses, swimming pools and palm trees, but I don't know if I
want to give up friends, family and a city I love.
You
don't want to be more famous?
Not at all. That's not an appealing thing to me, I don't think fame
brings any satisfaction whatsoever to anybody.
How
was your punch-up with Hugh Grant?
Well, like he's been saying, it was a very girlie fight between us, but,
with Hugh's military training and the fact that he's actually trained to
kill, he handled me very gently.
Have
you ever read anyone's personal diary?
No. I'd feel a bit queasy about it. I prefer to let people present what
they want to present.
Article
Courtesy of New Weekly - August 13, 2001. |
