Lady and the Scamp Laugh Along with AMC's Julia Barr and Her Playful Co-Star John Callahan
The scene is Julia Barr's (Brooke) dressing room at ALL MY CHILDREN, a tasteful, orderly and ladylike oasis with bright pink walls. The setting and an aromatic candle generate a sense of tranquility- until there's a knock at the door and Barr's co-star, John Callahan (Edmund), strides in.
JC: My God, what a clean room!
JB: Yeah, I know. Usually there's, like, lingerie and various items that are spread from here to here.
Digest: Did you clean up for me?
JB: Mostly.
JC: It smells nice in here.
JB: I have a candle going.
JC: It smells like a damn salon in here.
JB: Oh, yeah. Well, usually I don't do that, but I did today.
Digest: Okay, so this is all about the two of you.
JC: That's an actor's dream. Could we forget about Julia, and make it all about me??
JB: Actually, can it just be about me?? It's nice when you both understand that about each other. "It's all about me" all the time.
JC: I will fit in a question, but I have to go in three minutes, ok??
Digest: Oh, okay. What did you think when you found out that you were going to be working together again??
JB: Well, I thought it would have been nicer if it had come awhile ago because it made more sense to me. But John and I always enjoyed working together, no matter in what capacity, whether it's been romantic or not. It's hard being in this business and being under a certain amount of intense pressure to perform-if you can have an acting partner who you feel, not only comfortable (with), but you enjoy working with, it's like half of your acting job is done. So, obviously, I'm glad. You want to work with people who you like.
Digest: What did you think, John??
JC: I thought it was overdue. I mean, there were many reasons why they (paired us) off with other people. Because you want to try something different, because you never know where that's going to take you.
JB: It was just like Dorothy -you have to look in your own back yard.. in the Wizard of Oz.
JC: Oh really??? I didn't get that reference. I was thinking of going into the outhouse.
JB: Now, stop it!!!
JC: But speaking of indoor plumbing, Julia is a fabulous actress to work with.
JB: We've rehearsed this.
Digest: I can see that.
JC: No, it's like Fred Astaire dance very well with Cyd Charisse. And he danced very well with......(loses his train of thought)
JB: dancing in heels??
Digest: I think a "backwards and in heels" reference is coming.
JC: .....Jane Powell, only once, but there is only one Ginger Rogers. Dancing with Brooke is like dancing with Ginger.
Digest: Awww, that's sweet.
JB: That's very nice. I have to tell you, the interesting thing, I know from myself personally... I think we always had a chemistry that worked well together, but I think at this point, we have a more mature attitude toward each other. (Callahan responds with a Bronx cheer). John, first of all, I have to say is a wonderful actor and a wonderful director and sometimes that can be real annoying. He used to....
JC: What?? When an actor blows you off the stage?? Is that what you're saying?? Yes, that is annoying.
JB: If he would look at me the wrong way, I'd think, "He's going to tell me how to do something". My ears would start to smoke. Now, I'll look at him and I'll know that there's something he's thinking about the scene and I'll go, "Oh, please just tell me what you are dying to tell me." But I know that he has great directorial instincts and I put my ego aside, and I know now when he's looking at a scene, he's looking to make it as good as it can be.
JC: Thank you, that's a great compliment.
JB: Well, it's true. At one time, if he said, "Boo" to me or if he was standing too far downstage, I was like, "I'm going to have to kill him".
JC: There are certain actresses I've worked with who have never been able to get over that proverbial hump. And they don't understand it.
JB: Well, it only took me 10 years to get over it.. and not working with you (laughs).
JC: Not working with me was probably a vacation. I think probably putting your ego aside is the toughest part of being an actor.
JB: Oh, really, John??
JC: In this business, a director has to work about 90 miles an hour constantly. All I have to worry about is Julia and me. So, it's a lot easier for me to fine tune and tweak. I've been doing this for so long, I can do it in my sleep.
JB: See, and the opposite is true for me; I have been doing it considerably longer. He goes, "Now the shot is traveling here and blah, blah." I'm going, Oh?? I don't have a directorial overview, which sometimes is very helpful.
JC: Sometimes it can be very distracting. I think it's a little left brain, right brain. And you save your --left brain? --for...
JB: For the important things. (Howls with laughter)
JC: For sitting here and obsessing over makeup and getting it perfect.
JB: That's right.
JC: And raising your child very well. You know a lot more than you say.
Digest: So, the AMC directing staff doesn't mind you input??
JB: Well, they don't know about it.
Digest: They will know.
JC: No, I'm actually flattering them. I'm explaining how hard it is, and how well they do. If I had to do a scene, If I had to do the whole show, I wouldn't know my a-- from a hole in the ground.
JB: Like he said, this is an intense medium, and I think for most directors there's in appreciation when two actors go, "Listen, could we try this?"
JC: The secure ones.
JB: The thing about working with someone not only who you like and you respect, is that you can do that. I think what happens is you begin to flesh out things in scenes that were not necessarily there.
JC: Let me say this about Jules: She finds more flesh on the bones of scene than any other actor. That girl, I do not want to take to a rib-eating contest because she'll clean 'em.
JB: That's really true. I know my husband really loves me because he takes me to have ribs. He says I'm the only girl he ever took out who actually ate anything on her plate, as opposed to pushing it around.
JC: Sometimes, you're going to be flat, you're going to have scenes that are going to be rehash, and Jules can fill that out and flesh it out better than any other actress I know. There are people who say, "I'm going to be the star of this scene, I'm going to make it about me. I'm going to look good." And there's a place in that, but after awhile it just becomes diva-esque and self-centered and it doesn't serve the show. (To Julia) You serve the show. And it feeds into my ability to want to make the scene better.
JB: That's very nice. We are very comfortable praising each other.
JC: (To reporter and show publicist): Could you two leave right now???
Digest: I'll just leave my tape recorder
JB: What I started to say was, John and I, we compliment each other when we think something has gone well, but there are things we've said now, that we don't usually say, because we 're in this interview situation...It's like a tennis match and you can only be as good as your partner.
JC: There's a certain intimacy. There's a familiar caring, which is nice.
JB: Well, you mind people's idiosyncrasies. Like, I know John knows that I never have enough time to put on makeup. They can give me an hour, they can give me four hours. It doesn't matter. I will be in here. "Wanna run lines??"" Yeah, do you mind if I keep putting on my makeup??" You get used to those things about your partner.
Digest: Any final thoughts??
JC: Your candle is oozing.
JB: Oh my god, what happened to it?? It's broken. Can you blow it out?? (To reporter) Are you still waiting for me to say something?? I'm a happy woman and that's it. (Eyes makeup table).
JC: Let's go. I know my girl.