FOLKS, MY FIRST GUEST IS A GOLDEN-GLOBE WINNING ACTRESS YOU
KNOW FROM "PULP FICTION" AND "KILL BILL."
SHE'S MAKING HER DEBUT IN "THE PARISIAN WOMAN."
PLEASE WELCOME UMA THURMAN.
♪ ♪ ♪
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> THAT WAS A NICE WELCOME.
THANK YOU!
>> Stephen: YEAH.
WHY-- WHY SHOULDN'T THEY BE EXCITED?
NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> Stephen: NOW, I JUST SAW YOU-- I JUST SAW YOU A FEW
NIGHTS AGO.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE ON BROADWAY IN "THE PARISIAN WOMAN."
>> YES.
>> WRITTEN BY BEAU WILLIMON, THE CREATOR OF "HOUSE OF CARDS."
AND I WANT TO GET TO THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.
IT'S A VERY FUNNY AND VERY SAD PLAY AT THE SAME TIME.
>> IT'S A TRAGIC COMEDY.
>> Stephen: IT REALLY IS.
>> ABOUT NOW.
>> Stephen: SO THIS IS YOUR BROADWAY DEBUT.
>> IT IS!
>> Stephen: OKAY.
WHAT WAS YOUR THEATRICAL BAIDU?
THIS IS, LIKE, THIS IS, LIKE, SORT OF THE PEAK FOR A STAGE
ACTOR TO BE ON BROADWAY.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST TIME ON STAGE, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME
ACTING?
>> WELL, MY FIRST TIME ON STAGE WAS, LIKE, IN SOME CHRISTMAS
SHOW WHEN I WAS PROBABLY THIS BIG.
>> Stephen: GOOD PART?
WERE YOU, LIKE, AN ANGEL OR A SHEEP?
>> I THINK I WAS A SNOWMAN OR SOMETHING.
>> Stephen: A SNOWMAN AT THE MANGER.
>> MY FIRST MEMORY OF BEING ON STAGE WAS A BALLET PERFORMANCE
WITH MY PARENTS AND THEIR FRIENDS IN THE FRONT ROW.
AND I WENT TO DO MY BOW, AND I LOOKED UP AND I SAW THE PEOPLE
AND I FROZE, AND THEN THEY SENT THE CURTAIN OUT ANYWAY AND IT
KNOCKED ME OVER.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: HOW OLD-- HOW OLD WERE YOU?
>> LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, SEVEN.
>> Stephen: DID YOU-- DID YOU-- DID YOU TAKE DANCE FOR A
LONG TIME?
>> I DID-- I DID DANCE, QUITE UNSUCCESSFULLY.
I WAS NOT VERY COORDINATE, BUT I TRIED HARD.
>> Stephen: I SAW-- I SAW YOU AS OLA IN "THE PRODUCERS.
OF THE.
>> I DID THAT.
>> Stephen: THAT WAS SOME PRETTY GOOD DANCING.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: SOME OF IT SUNK IN.
>> IT TOOK ME ABOUT 35 YEARS OR SO TO KIND OF GET USED TO MY
SIZE.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: WERE YOU-- WERE YOU-- DID YOU PLAY SPORTS?
BECAUSE YOU'RE TALL.
I IMAGINE-- JIERVETION HOPELESS AT SPORTS.
I MEAN, I WAS TALL, SO, LIKE, THEY TOLD ME TO TRY OUT FOR
BASKETBALL.
I GOT THERE AND WAS LIKE, OKAY, OKAY, NOPE, NOPE, NOT ME!"
AND THEN I TRIED FIELD HOCKEY.
I GOT HIT IN THE LEG WITH A STICK.
I SAID, "NOPE!
NOT ME."
SO, NO, CONTACT SPORTS-- ACTING IS A CONTACT SPORT.
>> Stephen: CERTAINLY BROADWAY MUST BE.
>> THE ONLY ONE I'VE EVER ENJOYED.
>> Stephen: YOU-- YOU-- SO -- BROAD-- HOW MANY SHOWS DO YOU DO
A WEEK?
>> EIGHT.
>> Stephen: GO SEE THE SHOW.
IT'S.
>> @.
>> THAN THANK YOU FOR COMING.
>> Stephen: I'M SO GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO COME.
WE LOVED IT.
YOU DON'T LEAVE STAGE FOR MORE THAN 30 SECONDS TAME TIME FOR
BASICALLY TWO HOURS.
>> .
>> WHICH IS HARDER, DOING A THREE-MONTH RUN OF THAT OR
SHOOTING "KILL BILL"?
BECAUSE THAT'S TRULY ATHLETIC AS WELL.
>> THAT WAS VERY ATHLETIC AND VERY CHALLENGING.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY, PROBABLY THIS IS THE HARDEST WORK AS AN ACTOR
YOU CAN DO, TO DO EIGHT SHOWS A WEEK AND, YOU KNOW, CARRYING A
PLAY.
>> Stephen: CAN I ASK WHO THIS YOUNG LADY IS RIGHT HERE?
>> THAT'S SILLY ME FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
( APPLAUSE ) >> I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FOUND
THAT PICTURE.
>> Stephen: IT WAS HANDED TO ME BY A PRODUCER.
>> THAT'S THE BEST WAY.
>> Stephen: BUT I AM TOLD HERE THAT IS, THIS IS ALSO YOU HAD
SOME SORT OF ACTING BREAKTHROUGH YOUR SOPHOMORE YEAR OF--
>> THIEW TRUE.
WHEN I WAS IN BOARDING SCHOOL, I AUDITIONED FOR "THE CRUCIBLES."
>> Stephen: ARTHUR MILLER.
>> ARTHUR MILLER'S "THE CRUCIBLE" AND I GOT THE LEAD
PART OF ABIGAIL AND IT WAS A REAL COUP.
IT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY ENTIRE ACADEMIC CAREER.
>> Stephen: OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER.
GOLDEN GLOBE, THIS.
>> THAT WAS PROBABLY MORE EXCITING.
>> Stephen: WELL, THE-- "THE PARISIAN WOMAN" ITSELF IS-- IT'S
ABOUT WASHINGTON, D.C., IN A WAY.
>> UH-HUH.
>> Stephen: IT'S ABOUT SELFISHNESS?
IT'S ABOUT-- WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IT'S ABOUT?
>> WELL, I MEAN, IT'S ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.
IT'S ABOUT-- IT'S A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIVE PEOPLE.
AND IT-- IT'S SET NOW IN THE TRUMP ERA.
>> Stephen: YES.
( LAUGHTER ) THERE ARE A LOT OF REFERENCES --
THERE ARE A LOT OF REFERENCES-- KIND OF OBLIQUELY TO THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
I DON'T THINK HIS NAME IS EVER SAID.
>> HIS NAME IS SAID ONCE AT THE END OF THE PLAY, NOT BY ME.
MY CHARACTER REFUSES TO SAY HIS NAME.
>> Stephen: OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
( APPLAUSE ) ( CHEERS ).
>> Stephen: I FORGOT THAT.
>> BUT I THINK AT ONE POINT I THINK I PUNCH MYSELF IN THE HEA
HEAD, TO SORT OF LET IT OUT.
BUT, YEAH, SO IT'S SET-- IT'S SET TODAY.
IT'S ABOUT A WASHINGTON COUPLE, BASICALLY, TRYING WORK THEIR WAY
UP THE-- YOU KNOW, THE POWER SYSTEM OF WASHINGTON TODAY.
>> Stephen: AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ACTING PRETTY
SELFISHLY IN THIS PLAY.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S FUNNY AND SAD AT THE SAME TIME.
IT GETS A LOT OF LAUGHS IN REFERENCE TO THE PRESENT
ADMINISTRATION, AMONG OTHER THINGS AND WANT AUDIENCE-- THERE
WAS A LOT OF KNOWING LAUGHTER FROM THE AUDIENCE I WAS IN.
DO YOU EVER GET AN AUDIENCE THAT IS NOT AWARE OF THE PRESIDENT'S
SHORTCOMINGS?
>> WELL, SINCE I NEVER LEAVE THE STAGE, I-- I DON'T QUITE KNOW,
BUT I HAVE HEARD THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF PLAYBILLS SHOVED
ANGRILY AT USHERS BY SOME WELL-ATTIRED PEOPLE.
AND I'M-- MAYBE THEY BOUGHT AN ADVANCE AND THOUGHT THERE WOULD
BE, LIKE, KUNG FU IN IT.
I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE REPUBLICANS THAT ACTUALLY REALLY
APPRECIATED IT.
I DON'T THINK THAT -- >> Stephen: OH, YEAH.
THE DEMOCRATS DO NOT COME OFF LOOKING GOOD.
>> IT'S-- IT'S-- IT'S A MIXTURE.
IT'S A MIXTURE.
IT'S -- >> Stephen: NOBODY'S THE HERO.
NOT EVEN THE PARISIAN WOMAN, IN MY OPINION.
>> WELL, SHE'S A PRETTY TOUGH NUT.
IT'S A COMPLICATED PART.
I MEAN SHE DOES-- SHE DOES BAD TO DO GOOD.
SHE'S VERY LIBERATE GLD IT SEEMS REALISTIC TO ME, THOUGH, HAVING
SPENT SOME TIME AMONG PEOPLE WHO SEEK POWER IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
DO YOU THINK YOU COULD EVER BE PART OF THAT?
WASHINGTON HAS BEEN CALLED-- WHAT'S-- SOMEBODY ONCE CALLED
WASHINGTON "HOLLYWOOD FOR UGLY PEOPLE."
( LAUGHTER ) SO I ASSUME HOLLYWOOD IS, YOU
KNOW, WASHINGTON FOR BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE.
>> WELL, IF YOU'RE-- IF YOU'RE ASKING IF I COULD BE, LIKE, A
WASHINGTON WIFE.
>> Stephen: YUP.
>> I HAVEN'T MANAGED TO BE ANYBODY'S WIFE SO...
>> Stephen: SO WHY START THERE?
>> WHY START IN WASHINGTON, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE.
>> Stephen: WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A SHOW TONIGHT.
>> I DO.
>> Stephen: YEAH, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WHEN YOU HAVE A
SHOW TONIGHT.
BUT WHAT IS YOUR-- EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN PRESHOW RITUAL, AND
THIS IS YOUR FIRST BROADWAY SHOW.
HAVE YOU HAD TO COME UP WITH YOUR OWN PRESHOW RITUALS RIGHT
AWAY?
>> I DO A LOT OF THINGS I USUALLY DO WHEN I'M FILMING, IN
BETWEEN, LIKE, BEFORE I DO A TAKE.
YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR BLOOD GOING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, VOCAL WARM-UPS AND BLLLL-- I CAN'T DO IT RIGHT
NOW.
IT'S TOO COLD IN HERE.
>> Stephen: IT'S TOO COLD TO BRRRR!
>>UN, DO VOCAL WARM-UPS AND I DO, LIKE, THESE-- THESE, LIKE,
LAME BABY PUSHUPS.
>> Stephen: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY "BABY PUSHUPS?"
>> I CAN'T DO THEM FROM MY TOES SO I DO THEM FROM MY KNEE.
>> Stephen: OH, SURE, SURE.
THAT WAS THE PUSHUP WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THE GIRLS WERE
ALLOWED TO DO FOR THE PRESIDENT'S PHYSICAL FITNESS
TEST.
>> IS THAT RIGHT?
>> Stephen: YES.
>> I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
>> Stephen: I WAS READY TO DECLARE MYSELF IN TRANSITION IF
I COULD JUST GET THAT BADGE BECAUSE I WAS SO WEAK I COULDN'T
DO-- I COULDN'T DO PUSHUPS WHEN I WAS A KID.
>> THEY'RE HARD!
>> Stephen: THEY ARE.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: THEY ARE.
I HAVE A THING BEFORE I COME ON STAGE EVERY NIGHT.
>>ING WHAT DO YOU DO?
>> Stephen: I SLAP MYSELF IN THE FACE.
>> I'VE DONE THAT!
I'VE DONE THAT!
>> Stephen: HARD, TWICE.
AND I KNOW THAT I'VE DONE IT HARD ENOUGH IF I REGRET HAVING
DONE IT.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> YOU HAVE EVER LEFT A MARK?
>> Stephen: WHAT?
>> DID YOU EVER LEAVE A MARK?
>> Stephen: I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I'M WEARING SO MUCH
MAKEUP I CAN'T TELL.
>> YOU HAVE EVER SMACKED THE MAKEUP OFF YOUR FACE.
>> Stephen: PROBABLY, DO YOU DO THAT BEFORE YOU GO ON?
>> I DO THAT-- NOT WITH THIS PLAY.
I MIGHT HAVE TO START DOING IT NOW, NOW THAT YOU'VE REMINDED ME
OF IT AS A GREAT TECHNIQUE.
I USED TO DO IT WHEN I WAS FILMING JUST TO, YOU KNOW-- ONE
SORT OFS DID DOES, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO DELIVER THE BEST
PERFORMANCE YOU CAN.
>> Stephen: ESPECIALLY IN FILM, LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE ONE
SHOT.
THIS IS THE DAY YOU'RE SHOOTING THE SCENE.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
>> Stephen: IN THEATER YOU'RE DOING THE SHOW TONIGHT AND
TOMORROW-- >> THERE MIGHT BE NINE HUNDRED
ANGRY PEOPLE IF YOU DON'T DO A REALLY GOOD JOB.
I ALREADY CONSIDER THE PRESSURE OF DELIVERING THE WHOLE PLAY
EVERY NIGHT TO BE EVEN MORE THAN, YOU KNOW-- IN A FILM, YOU
CAN DO DIFFERENT TAKES AND YOU CAN TRY REALLY STUPID THINGS,
WHICH I DO SOMETIMES ON THE STAGE AND EVERYONE GETS MAD AT
ME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TRY ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN THE SORT OF
SAFETY OF THE EDIT, YOU KNOW.
IT'S IN THE HANDS OF THE DIRECTOR AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT
STUFF.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ON STAGE, YOU HAVE ONE-- EVERYONE IN THE ROOM
WITH YOU IS GOING TO HAVE ONE EXPERIENCE OF HEARING THIS WHOLE
STORY AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S-- IT'S MORE PRESSURE, ACTUALLY.
>> Stephen: WELL, YOU'RE HANDLING THE PRESSURE
BEAUTIFULLY.
EVERYBODY SHOULD GO SEE THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: SHE IS FUNNY.
SHE IS SAD SAIMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> Stephen: A PLEASURE.
>> Stephen: THE "THE PARISIAN WOMAN" IS ON BROADWAY AT THE
HUDSON THEATRE, EVERYBODY.
UMA THURMAN.