16 Questions with: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Who is that girl sharing screen time with Christian Bale in the hotly anticipated 'Dark Knight'? Why, it's Maggie Gyllenhaal, indie darling and sister of Jake, taking over the Katie Holmes role of love interest Rachel Dawes. Moviefone dishes with the star about her newfound love of the Bat, her take on late lamented co-star Heath Ledger ... and her intense (and violent) hatred of the paparazzi. -- By Maggie Furlong
Warner Bros.
1. Were you a 'Batman' fan before you were approached for this role?
I wasn't. [Laughs] I knew almost nothing about 'Batman.' I'd seen the movies like everyone else. But until I was standing on the edge of a building and dropped to certain death and then saved by Batman in his huge cape, I couldn't have cared less. [Laughs] That did it for me -- then I was a convert. There's something so iconic about Batman, and seeing Christian [Bale] in his costume wandering around the set did have a real effect on me.
Warner Bros.
2. And if Christian Bale in that costume doesn't do it for you, nothing will, right?
Right? Exactly! You have to be coldhearted to not feel something then. [Laughs]
Warner Bros.
3. What was it like working on this movie, since it was such a darker 'Batman'?
On set, I often forgot it was a Batman movie. I think it was important to [director] Chris Nolan that we play everything for truth, that we make these people as human as possible. Even though the situations we found ourselves in were often larger than life and based in fantasy, I think he wanted us to play all of them with as much honesty as we could find in them.
Warner Bros.
4. Did you study Katie Holmes' portrayal from the last 'Batman' movie to ... go another way?
I'm a fan of Katie Holmes; I think she's a lovely actress. I've seen her around -- she has a daughter a little older than mine ... I like her a lot. I really liked what she did in the previous 'Batman.' There were some things in terms of narrative that carried over into our movie, but I just thought of Rachel as a whole new woman. I don't think it would've served anyone for me to try to imitate Katie. You can't do that as an actress -- I wouldn't have felt free and open to do my own thing with it.
Warner Bros.
5. Did you enjoy that Rachel was not just the typical chick on the sidelines?
When I met Chris [Nolan] about doing the movie, I wasn't looking to work. I had a three month old. I'm a fan of his and, of course, the cast is amazing -- it was really hard not to take the possibility really seriously. He gave me a script and said, "She isn't quite finished yet -- keep that in mind when you read it." So I read it; I had a lot of ideas. It was important to me that she be smart and feisty and fierce and a real woman. When I talked to him about my ideas, it was clear that he wanted the same thing.
Warner Bros.
6. Without revealing too much, can you say anything about the possibility of you returning, in any way, to the next 'Batman'?
I would be happy to if they'll have me! [Laughs] I feel so proud to be part of this movie on any level. It's just been a pleasure at every turn. It really is a great movie, and I'm just so pleased to be a part of it.
Warner Bros.
7. Were you jealous that the guys had all the gadgets and cool costumes here? And is there any superpower that you'd like to have?
Watching them and the fun they got to have, I do think it's something that looked really interesting to me, to be able to sort of be a superhero or a bad guy . Rachel is not either of those things. But I'd like to fly, I guess.
Warner Bros.
8. How has having a child changed your acting career?
A lot of her life I haven't really wanted to work at all. I feel kind of renewed and really inspired by being around her all the time and by the time that I've taken off to be with her. I think, in that way, I feel really ready to work. And on another level, I keep reading things and thinking, "This isn't worth being away from her." You know, it's hard to find something that feels worth that to me. Also, I think just being a mother, birthing a child, raising a child changes you so much. For me, it really deepened me. I think that will probably make my work better ... more interesting.
Dimitrios Kambouris, WireImage.com
9. So what's next for you?
Aside from 'The Dark Knight,' I've only done one other movie since she's been born, which is a Sam Mendes movie that I finished in the spring [called 'Farlanders']. It's a comedy -- it's really funny -- and it was a lot of fun. I'm looking for something now that will be a real challenge to me, something hard. I'd like to play somebody who's powerful and graceful and elegant -- I've played a lot of people who are really broken.
Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images
Reader Comments (56)
bomchickawahwah at 12:32PM on Jul 19th 2008
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a superhero exhibit. They actually have Christian Bale's Batman costume on display, aswell as Superman, Spiderman(and Venom), and many others.
steve at 11:55AM on Jul 18th 2008
saw DARK KNIGHT last night, and MAGGIE SUCKED!!!! SHE WAS THE ONLY BAD THING IN IT! THEY PICKED THE WRONG REPLACEMENT FOR KATIE HOLMES
Andrei at 6:03PM on Jul 18th 2008
she needs to eat a dick and die!!!!!!!!!!!! The movie was so good but she was terrible and she is ugly as hell. WTF !!!
glorfindel01 at 8:00PM on Jul 18th 2008
I enjoyed her performance very much, and appreciate her natural beauty.
Curtis Smith at 7:57PM on Jul 18th 2008
I enjoyued her performance very much, and appreciate her natural beauty.
mike at 11:27PM on Jul 18th 2008
shut the F*** up the two ppl below cause its not like you could do any better. So just leave her alone. She did great.
dan at 12:51AM on Jul 19th 2008
why is this girl famous? unattractive, no talent, big mouth (and nose for that matter) I'd take katie holmes any day. Why would anyone listen to what she has to say - let alone pay her to be in a movie - riding on the coattails of her brother
Bar at 3:10AM on Jul 19th 2008
She has such an "I'm better than you" attitude and nasty-ass face to match. She is plain at best, less that average in talent and always looks pissed. She's lucky she has a talented brother. I don't think all actresses have to be beautiful to be great - but this girl lacks any positive qualities what-so-ever!
tguerra2 at 1:39PM on Jul 19th 2008
Poor Maggie, Her role should have been the MAID for Bruce. With all that money I'm sure he could fish a sapper better looking than that mullet. She did not fit the role and her acting lacked credability. Now as a maid she would have been good for Bruce to use every now and then went he feld the need. So please tell Maggie she can come to house to clean and give me a hand or what ever. I won't stop until I hear those magic words " I'm calling the police ! ! "
tguerra2 at 1:58PM on Jul 19th 2008
Poor Maggie, Her role should have been the Maid for Bruce Wayne. With all that money I'm sure Bruce could fish a snapper better looking than that mullet. She lacked creditability and did not fit the role. Now as a Maid she would have been good for Bruce to use everynow and then when he felt the need. So please tell Maggie she can come to my house and clean and give me a hand or whatever. I won't stop until I hear those magic words " I'm calling the police ! ! "
jessi at 4:10PM on Jul 19th 2008
She is just so plain looking! My grandmother dresses with more style and class than this woman, she is surely not in the same league as say, Halle Berry, Jennifer Garner, and so many other beautiful women in Hollywood! I am also curious as to why so many people are idolizing Heath Ledger, it's not like he did oodles of movies, and in the end, he was just another drug addict who killed himself because he was so strung out he could not remember if he took his drugs, so he took more and dropped dead! Really classy guy, so kind of him to remember he had a daughter to care for!
babiboi5 at 4:46PM on Jul 19th 2008
I LOVE Maggie so much more than Katie Holmes. I think Katie acted as if they should've been glad to have Mrs. Tom Cruise, but Maggie made Rachel a REAL person. And her last scene was something that i KNOW Katie couldn't have done her best dat on Dawson's Creek(...she couldn't act in that either) So kudos to Maggie for her performance and even more kudos to Warner Bros for agreeing with me and kicking Katie to the curb!!!!
Lora Ristau at 10:15PM on Jul 20th 2008
Why does everyone have to be so mean? if you don't care about or like these people, then why are you even reading the interview?
babiboi5 at 4:53PM on Jul 19th 2008
I feel that Maggie did a much better job than Katie Holmes. She ACTED all the way to last scene with everything she had. That's something Katie(...or Mrs. Cruise) COULD NOT have done. Hell, look at 'Mad Money'...need I say more? So kudos to Maggie to making Rachel a real person and even more kudos to Warner Bros for agreeing and kicking Mrs. Cruise to the curb!!!!!
babiboi5 at 4:54PM on Jul 19th 2008
I feel that Maggie did a much better job than Katie Holmes. She ACTED all the way to last scene with everything she had. That's something Katie(...or Mrs. Cruise) COULD NOT have done. Hell, look at 'Mad Money'...need I say more? So kudos to Maggie to making Rachel a real person and even more kudos to Warner Bros for agreeing and kicking Mrs. Cruise to the curb!!!!!
Jai at 5:39PM on Jul 19th 2008
I think that Maggie did a good job. There is but so much that you can do with that character. The focus of the movie was on Batman & the Joker. Heath Ledger did an excellent job! How & why Heath died does not matter. The Joker totally stole the movie. Too bad he will not be around for the next movie. Either way, the movie was really good & I look forward to the next one.
shari at 6:13PM on Jul 19th 2008
I don't see anything wrong with her. I read her interview and there's nothing bad about what she said. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder. None of the actresses out there -or models - look the way they do in movies or magazines, when seen in the flesh. So what?
Bradly at 8:12PM on Jul 19th 2008
Scandal!!! Paris Hilton's NEW Sex Tape Here:
http://celebritiezvidz.com/video.php?v=Paris_Hilton's_sex_tape
Julie smith at 8:21PM on Jul 19th 2008
OK, when the paps get to be SO unbearable and SO intrusive and SO nasty and SO wormish, here's what you do, bitch. Stop making movies. Amazingly simple, isn't it? If you suck the teat, you risk worms. Otherwise, move to Vermont and STFU.
Fred at 8:36PM on Jul 19th 2008
JUST SAW IT ! ! Heath Ledger WAS GEAT and will be missed!