USA: Singer Norah Jones takes her first crack at the big screen in "My Blueberry Nights"

Record ID: 402359

  • Title: USA: Singer Norah Jones takes her first crack at the big screen in "My Blueberry Nights"
  • Date: 4th April 2008
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK USA (APRIL 1, 2008) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) NORAH JONES SAYING: "I enjoyed working with him because he's a very musical director, he goes by feel and instinct. From what I've heard, most movies have to be so planned out and rehearsed so it's a very different way of working."
  • Embargoed: 19th April 2008 13:00
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  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA40X64SV1ZTCNE1ZGBC89Z8SSN
  • Story Text: Grammy award winning singer Norah Jones brings a musical touch to her big screen debut in "My Blueberry Nights."
    Grammy-winning singer Norah Jones says an improvisational approach and a strong supporting cast helped overcome her nerves in her first acting role, in director Wong Kar Wai's film 'My Blueberry Nights.' Hong Kong director Wong relied on improvisation as much as the script in his rich, deeply visual story of losing and finding love filmed across the United States -- his first movie in English.
    The decision to do a film in English, came after Wong hand picked Jones to star in a film. Attracted by Jones' looks and cinematic voice, Wong approached her for the film without having met her and in spite of her lack of acting experience.

    "I'm very impressed by Nora, first of all in her talent and in her spirit, because I can see that she is a very confident woman and I also like the freshness, because I was very curious to see what she would do in front of the cameras," Wong told Reuters.

    "He's a very musical director, he goes by feel and instinct,"
    Jones said in an interview with Reuters.
    The daughter of Indian sitarist and composer Ravi Shankar, Jones leaped to fame with her debut album 'Come Away With Me' which won Album of the Year at the 2003 Grammy Awards.
    Jones stars as Elizabeth, who embarks on a soul searching journey after she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with another woman.
    The film, which opens in the United States this month after debuting at the Cannes film festival last year, has seen more attention than Jones had expected when she agreed to appear in "a little indie film."

    "I liked his film-making style. It seemed like the right opportunity to try it with the right person," Jones said.
    Jones was cast first and initially was nervous when she heard of the rest of the high profile cast, which includes Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz, though their experience helped put her at ease.

    "I probably wouldn't have said yes if I'd have known everything going in but there was no cast when I first got approached to do the film and agreed to do it," she said. "So, I'm kind of glad that I didn't know that much because I agreed to do it and It was great, it's like playing with a great band, they make you look better."
    Jones says she says she is open, if not in a rush, to act again.

    "It would be fun to do it in a more traditional way with more preparation. I would love to see how much I could do, if I'd be really good at it or not," she said.
    'My Blueberry Nights,' hits theatres across the United States on April 4th.
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