Amy Adams: "Min çar salan di pêşandanek cûrbecûr de xebitî. Ew egoya min sist kir.»

We are sitting on the terrace of one of the sponsors of the Venice Film Festival (Amy Adams has two premieres in the program — «Arrival» and «Under cover of night»). White awnings, white plank floors, tables under white tablecloths, waiters dressed in white… and her strawberry blonde hair, bright eyes, multicolored dress and bright blue sandals. As if a Disney heroine was pasted on a white background …

But Amy Adams doesn’t look «fixed» by any means. She is part of a changing world, a living, moving person, moreover, not inclined to hide her thoughts. On the contrary, she tends to think aloud. Adams keeps leaning across the table towards me, mysteriously lowering her voice, and it seems that she is about to reveal a secret to me. And it turns out she has no secrets at all. She is as straight as the open gaze of her bright eyes.

Psîkolojî: Is it true that on the set of American Hustle, David Russell behaved so rudely that Christian Bale stood up for you, almost got into a fight?

Amy Adams: Oh yes, it was. Christian is the embodiment of male nobility. And David — the director’s will. On the set of the film «My Boyfriend is a Crazy Man», he mastered a peculiar manner of controlling an actor: through terrible screams. And he yelled at me terribly.

Did you resist?

EA: It was generally hard work. A tough role as a woman so deeply insecure – about herself, about the safety of the world… As, perhaps, unsettling as myself… You know, Paul Thomas Anderson, when we were filming The Master, called me a “fucking troublemaker.” But it’s true, Russell brought me to tears.

He did the same with Jennifer Lawrence. But it has a Teflon coating. I admire her confidence, equanimity. For her, such things are a trifle, an element of the workflow. And they devastate me, knock me down … And at the same time I am not at all inclined to confrontation — it is easier for me to accept rudeness and then forget about it, vent it into the past than to resist. I don’t think confrontations are fruitful at all.

But sometimes you have to defend yourself. Especially in such a competitive profession. Protect your interests…

EA: My interests? Sounds strange. I’m incredibly lucky. What exactly is by and large observed is my interests.

But you have to compare yourself with others. With colleagues who look, for example, like Charlize Theron …

EA: Oh, don’t laugh. I realized at the age of 12 that I had no hope of ever looking like Charlize Theron. I have short legs and an athletic build, with pale skin that reacts to cold and sun. I will not be tanned, thin, tall. I even have such a trait, they consider it strange … I come to the audition and I can say: “Oh, I’m not sure that I’m the one you need. I think you should try X.» I said this even when I didn’t have any work at all. Like: “Have you tried Zooey Deschanel? She would be great in this role! or «Emily Blunt is amazing!»

That’s about «no work» I also wanted to ask. How did it happen that you starred with Steven Spielberg himself, Leonardo DiCaprio himself was your partner, all doors should have opened for you, and there was a pause?

EA: Of course, the problem was with me — not with the directors. And she’s probably from adolescence somewhere. Now I think it’s from there. Years out of 15… You know, I wanted to become a doctor. But in our family there were seven children, my parents separated, there was not much money, I was at school not so much a brilliant student, but a good one. And good students are not given scholarships. Parents could not pay for the university.

I am an absolute pragmatist and therefore calmly decided: I need to think about what I can do in life. What can I start doing right after school? I have always been a dancer and love to sing. I still sing now — when I cook, when I put on makeup, when I drive a car, I sing to myself when I’m waiting on the set. Sometimes not to myself…

In general, we lived in Colorado. And there, in Boulder, there is the oldest dinner theater in America — a variety show on stage, and tables with service in the auditorium. They took me. And I played there for four years. Great school! Teaches concentration and curbs self-love.

She also worked as a waitress in a restaurant chain, their special feature is waitresses in swimsuits. This is also, I tell you, the school. Then she moved to Minnesota and worked there again in the dinner theater. And got into the film, which was filmed in Minnesota — it was «Killer Beauties.»

I didn’t dream of any movie career, I thought: Hollywood is a scary place, only stars survive there. And everyone who was there seemed to me made of a completely different dough … But the wonderful Kirstie Alley starred in the film. And she said, “Listen, you need to go to Los Angeles. You are young, with a sense of humor, you dance, you can work. Move!» It was like lightning — everything lit up! It turns out that «young, with a sense of humor, you can work» — that’s enough!

I did move. But then something like this started… I was 24, but I didn’t orientate myself either in the area or in myself. Probably, childhood again affected.

And I just wanted to ask: how does it feel to be a child in such a large family? This is the first time I meet a man who has six brothers and sisters.

EA: Yes, that’s the point. I even named my production company «Born Four». I am the middle of the seven. It defined a lot in me. Parents, although they left the Mormon church when they divorced, but seven children are Mormon. My father was a military man, he served abroad, I was born not far from here, in Vicenza, and since childhood I adore Italy. So… I was eight when we returned to America. But they continued to move after their father.

There were always seven of us at school, it’s a protective cocoon — when there are seven of you, you are no longer just newbies who need to get comfortable in a new school. It was as if I did not need to adapt to new realities, to grow up. But among relatives, I had to be very flexible … In my opinion, all this slowed down my development. I lived an adult life, but I was not an adult. I needed someone’s guidance.

I am still grateful to my first agent. I tried to work in Hollywood for two years, I was hired as a pilot for two series and fired from both. I ran to the auditions and didn’t know what to play, because I didn’t know who I was — and this is the material. I already thought about what to do next. And then my agent said: “Yes, you were fired from two series. But after all you and took in two series. And that in itself is an achievement.” I then, of course, did not leave.

So you finally managed to grow up?

EA: I managed to understand something about myself. My friend had a golden retriever. Cheerful such. Ginger. Very personable. I suddenly thought: I am by nature a cheerful red dog, waving my tail at everyone. What am I wise? You just have to live and try to understand in the process of life — who I am. After all, it’s hereditary.

After your father retired from the army, do you know what he became? He always loved to sing and started singing professionally in an Italian restaurant. And my mother realized her true sexuality and united with her beloved, they are a family. She went to work as a trainer in a fitness club, and then became a bodybuilder. Mormons by birth and upbringing discovered something in themselves and were not afraid to make it clear! And I had to stop depending on other people’s opinions.

But how can you not depend on other people’s opinions in your business?

EA: Yes, in any case, you need to separate yourself from the case. Don’t let work devastate you. I felt it when I had a daughter. I need and want to be with her entirely. And was absent from her life for more than a week only once in her first six years. Then it was 10 days, and they were not easy for me.

But I also began to appreciate the work more — if I have to leave Evianna, then for the sake of something worthwhile. So I am present not only in my daughter’s life. I became more present in mine. And I’m not such a “damn restless” anymore — I broke up with perfectionism.

But dad is always afraid that something will upset me. He probably did not believe that I would achieve something in acting. He thinks it takes a «killer instinct» and I don’t have that. I think he is still waiting for my carriage to turn into a pumpkin. That’s why he tries to support me. For example, every time before the “Oscar” he says: “No, Em, the role is beautiful, but, in my opinion, this is not your year.”

Are you not offended?

EA: On the father? Yes you. I console him instead: «Dad, I’m 42. I’m fine, I’m an adult.» And at the same time … I recently left here, left Evianna with Darren (Darren Le Gallo — Adams’ partner. — Approx. ed.) And told her: “Dad will be with you, he will take care of you. You’ll have a great time.» And she told me: “Mom, who will take care of you?” I answer: “I’m an adult, I can take care of myself.” And she: “But someone has to spend time with you” …

She began to understand what the feeling of loneliness is. And she said goodbye to me: «When I grow up, I will be your mother.» You know, I liked this perspective.