Elizabeth in this movie, they have stripped back the glamour from your character. Did
that mean less time in hair and make-up?
It did mean less time in hair and make-up which was nice. Although I still have more
time in hair and make-up than almost anyone else in the cast. Despite the face that I'm
stripped down. But I still have to put a wig cap on. I still have to get that head scarf
right and I still have to get all the accessories on and I still have to whiten my skin everyday
and all of that.
Your character's very eccentric and provides a lot of the comic relief in what is quite
a sombre movie. Did you base that character on anybody? How much of the eccentricities
of her is your input or the director?
Some of it just came from Susan Collins who really talks about what - just in-viewed with
a sense of style first of all and a theatricality you know. She cares a lot about how you dress,
what you look like, self expression, perfection, beauty. I think that you know and I think
there's a lot of values in those qualities. I believe in those things too. I think beauty
has inspired people since the Greek times. It's something that does really matter to
people. Personal adornment obviously really matters to people.
Do you care personally to that level about style when you're not having some glamorous
red carpet event? Do you prefer to be a bit more of a tomboy and slouch around in...
Yeah, I don't slouch around so much but I don't put nearly as much care into it as Effie
of course but Effie has nothing else to do. That's all she does. You know, she's a stylist.
Most stylists I know are very stylish.
I thought there was a Vivienne Westwood-y look to... -A little bit yeah, absolutely.
Yeah, there's a little Betsy Jackson in there too maybe.
And of course, I was trying to think about how to describe your voice in that character.
It's quite sort of swishy. -Uh, huh. That's an interesting way of thinking about it.
I'm not sure that is actually a word. Was there part of you that thought oh I could
actually pretend to be her while off camera. I could wonder around L.A with this?
I mean she's a little ridiculous but in a way that is very lovable I think. You know
the voice also, it has everything to do with how she holds her arms and her hands. She
loves to gesture.
Now the franchise in general, when you get offered a role like this, is there any part
of you that goes, is there any part of you that's apprehensive - that actually considers
turning it down? Or are you in straight away?
No, I really fought to play Effie. I absolutely loved her and knew I could have a lot of fun
with her. She's very cheeky and very me and she's a role you sort of dream - I come from
a theatre background so to be able to create someone so theatrical and sort of over the
top was a very fun idea.
I've always wondered what that means when you fight for a role. How do you even go about
finding out who the hell's making it?
Oh, that's not hard. Gary Ross who directed the movie, directed me in Sea Biscuit - I
had a personal relationship with him. I love these books so when I found out he was directing
the movie I just started emailing him saying, I would love to be Effie. Let me be Effie.
I wasn't even cool about it. I was not even cool about it. I was like dude, hire me. Give
it to me.
That's brilliant and Jennifer Lawrence, you've worked with her a lot now - how have you seen
her develop as a person over the last few years and her career that's...
I mean it's an amazing parallel to the life of Katniss Everdeen you know. Little bit of
a reluctant heroine in her own life but also someone who's finding her voice and her power
and I think that's really fascinating to watch a young person really become a woman. That's
really what Jen has done.
And she deals with the pressure very well as well.
Yeah, really does.