- Title: FESTIVAL-TORONTO-BULLOCK/CLOONEY Bullock, Clooney talk women in film at TIFF
- Date: 12th September 2015
- Summary: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (SEPTEMBER 11, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF SANDRA BULLOCK (SOUNDBITE) (English) SANDRA BULLOCK SAYING: "Well that they're willing to give us those juicy roles. They don't have to be the lead. They can be a great supporting role, but just that they're willing to see women in as a complex package as they are men. We're human. We're all complex. We all have baggage and luggage. So I'm excited about showing people as human and not perfect. Who's perfect? Nobody's perfect. And this character is so, I don't want to say damaged, she's just very complex." BULLOCK SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SANDRA BULLOCK SAYING: "I'm not fascinated by it, I'm frightened by it because I want the world to be as amazing as I think it can be for my son. So it scares me. And then I go, what do I have to do in order to secure that? So it scares me, but it also motivates me to do my part. I don't know what that is, but I'll figure it out when I get there." BULLOCK WALKING INTO THEATER VARIOUS OF GEORGE CLOONEY (SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGE CLOONEY SAYING: "Sandy read the screenplay. It's something we worked on for about eight years. And Sandy read it and called up and said, "I'd like to play that part.' And we were like, "Which part?" And she said, 'the Bodine part.' And we were like, 'Wow, that's a great idea.' It was really easy to change. Grant sat down with the writer. I think it took a couple of days, really. It wasn't very long. And by the way, with the lack of roles we keep talking about for women, it's something a lot of people should be thinking about when you look into screenplay development." CLOONEY SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGE CLOONEY SAYING: "People don't know this: Sandy is 63-years old. When I was a young actor, up and comer, she was already a middle-aged actress, she guided my way through 'The Facts of Life' and some of those series."
- Embargoed: 27th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVACOX4AYDO04TW78SALDPOIVIFK
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Two of Hollywood's biggest stars hit the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday (September 11). Oscar winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney walked the red carpet for the premiere of "Our Brand Is Crisis," about a woman who heads an American management team tasked with helping a Bolivian presidential candidate win an election.
The role, based on the documentary of the same name, was originally written for a leading man, reported Clooney. The part was changed to a female lead after Bullock expressed interest.
"Sandy read the screenplay. It's something we worked on for about eight years. And Sandy read it and called up and said, "I'd like to play that part.' And we were like, "Which part?" And she said, 'the Bodine part.' And we were like, 'Wow, that's a great idea.' It was really easy to change. Grant sat down with the writer. I think it took a couple of days, really. It wasn't very long. And by the way, with the lack of roles we keep talking about for women, it's something a lot of people should be thinking about when you look into screenplay development," said Clooney, who came on as a producer.
The fact that they were willing to change the script was, for Bullock, an important sign that the tides may be changing in Hollywood in favor of a more balanced, and not male-centric, industry.
"[It means] that they're willing to give us those juicy roles. They don't have to be the lead. They can be a great supporting role, but just that they're willing to see women in as a complex package as they are men. We're human. We're all complex. We all have baggage and luggage. So I'm excited about showing people as human and not perfect. Who's perfect? Nobody's perfect. And this character is so, I don't want to say damaged, she's just very complex," said Bullock.
Despite the film's political base, Bullock said she's actually very wary of the political world.
"I'm not fascinated by it, I'm frightened by it because I want the world to be as amazing as I think it can be for my son. So it scares me. And then I go, what do I have to do in order to secure that? So it scares me, but it also motivates me to do my part. I don't know what that is, but I'll figure it out when I get there."
"Our Brand Is Crisis" is due out in theaters in October.
The Toronto International Film Festival screens more than 300 films from 60 different countries over its 10-day run, which wraps on September 20. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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