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Shannyn Sossamon: Love after death?
by Paul Gallagher

Wristcutters: A Love Story is an off-beat indie romance set in an imagined afterlife for people who commit suicide. As dark as that sounds, it's actual a sweet and romantic road movie, and stars actress Shannyn Sossamon - who first found success opposite Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale - as Mikal, a wandering girl who claims to have arrived in this netherworld "by accident". She gave us her perspective on Wristcutters and told us about how she'd love to have another big box office hit when we spoke to her recently...


So Wristcutters - how do you describe it?
I think what I say is that it really is a simple love story that just happens to be set in this 'after-world' of people who have committed suicide. But the actual story itself is a very simple story of friendship and love, and growth.

What did you think when you first heard the concept?
I didn't hear a concept, actually, I was given a screenplay called Wristcutters: A Love Story, and told Patrick Fugit's going to be in it - who I really really adore - and that's all I heard. Of course when I heard the title - I'm not disgusted by the title by any means, but it was a strange title where I was like "gosh, what is this gonna be like?" And I just started to read it. I had to get back to my agent very quickly so it was a very rushed process, but I read it on my bed, and couldn't put it down, and that was it. I loved it. I loooved it.

Do you think the film is meant to make us think about reality, or is it just a cool story to tell?
I think the end product does make you think about reality, but I think when people make films where they are forcing you to think about reality don't work as much as when someone is being really true to themselves, and like you said, just doing something that is a cool idea. And doing something that's driven by passion, with good preparation and a strong point of view, all those things relate to life and will provoke people to think about real life. I think people do it the wrong way when they try to force the audience into thinking about reality and it can almost come on too strong, and the audience doesn't respond.

So what would you like someone to take away from watching this movie?
Hopefully they just get it. It's a slow film, a quiet film, but an enjoyable experience. I just would like for them to have gotten it.

And what's your opinion on afterlife? Is there one?
Yeah. Absolutely. I don't know what that is, but I think we're all on deep journeys (laughs).

There's not much backstory given to any of the characters in the film. How did that affect your approach to the performance?
I was very concentrated on her and how she ended up there, if she really didn't commit suicide. I came up with a few things, like she was obviously doing drugs, and not taking care of herself very well, pretty self-destructive. And her internal emotional state at the time that she did that particular hit [the overdose that killed her] made it look to the People In Charge like a suicide. But there's a difference between feeling like you want to die and actually killing yourself. So that's why when she's there she's like "no no no, I know that I was a mess, but I didn't kill myself"!

What was the experience of making the film like?
It was great. It felt like a real team. It was definitely hard because it was so low-budget, and it was hot, summer in the desert! But the overall experience is dear to my heart. I'm still really good friends with the director Goran Dukic and his wife, Mikal - she plays Nanuk, the eskimo girl. I really adored the experience.

You said earlier that you really loved Patrick Fugit - did working with him live up to your expectations?
Well, it's not that I had certain expectations of working with him, it was more that I really liked his presence on-screen, I thought there was something special about him. But yes he was great - a gentleman and a great actor.

This film is very removed in terms of budget and size of the production from the likes of your first film, A Knight's Tale. Is that an intentional move?
That's a good question. A lot of people are asking me that lately, and I think right now I really actually need a big box office success.

So you do want that? Your not intentionally tyring to be 'indie'?
No, no no. It's actually just necessity. I'm still paying my dues. But check it out - I know for a fact that if I had more big box office success I'd have the ability to do the independent films I really wanted to do. Because you're absolutely right, I respond to material that's more unique, absolutely. That's true and that's a given, and I'll never not be able to fit in to that. It's part of who I am, I like things that are not even darker so much as just different. But I want to be a really good actress, and I want to be able to mould myself into anything, and I do think that there's very much room for me in mainstream things as well, where I can still be true to my style, myself and my talents. I am at the place where I'm craving that, I need the help on all different levels. But it's exciting to want to get there.

So is it quite a search for you to find decent roles? I get the impression that you don't have a huge raft of options before you in terms of parts to play?
Yeah. Absolutely. It's competitive right now, even in the independent film world. For a good, solid screenplay, it's like, oh my goodness, you wouldn't believe. Every young woman wants it because there's so many of them. It would be nice to have the creative control to do my own things, because then you're not at the mercy of like, "gosh there's only three screenplays this year that are interesting to me", so that means they're interesting to 20, 30 other actresses.

And you do want to move into producing, writing, making your own films?
Absolutely, I plan on it. I've made a short film already that I'm in the middle of editing, I'm getting my website up right now. I want to make a couple of music videos just so people can get used to my work that way. Because it's definitely... I don't know what it is but it's mine! But I'm treating it so seperate in a sense that I'm just doing it, and we'll see what happens. I'm trying not to talk about it too much, but I get excited about it, so, you know!

What type of films inspire you?
I love the atmosphere of David Lynch, I love how anal and what a strong point of view Wes Anderson has, and I think Steven Soderbergh is a true classic - he just makes classic Hollywood films that you just want to be in. And I love the comedy that's out these days, I love Will Ferrell. There's certain things that inspire me about being in the mainstream element of the business.

What can you tell us about your upcoming movie called Heavy? It has a very random cast including Christopher Lee, Vinnie Jones and Lee Ryan from Blue!
I would love to tell you about that film but I haven't seen it yet! I was there for about 10 days, I liked the director Marcus Warren a lot, and Gary Stretch and I just couldn't stop laughing! I don't know about anyone else because they grouped my days together - I worked with Vinnie Jones for one day.

Finally, have you ever been to Scotland?
I wish! I would love to go to Scotland. Scotland and Ireland, I've always wanted to go to. From an ignorant stance, I romanticize the greenery.

You should get a movie that lets you come to Scotland.
I'm gonna try. I would absolutely love to. It's always on my list!


Interview by Paul Gallagher
Original posted on november 23, 2007
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