Jenna Fischer, the Emmy-nominated St. Louis native who co-stars in the hit TV series “The Office,” has maintained a parallel career in movies such as “Blades of Glory” and “Walk Hard.” In “Solitary Man,” Fischer plays the daughter who shows tough love to ne’er-do-well car dealer Michael Douglas. Susan Sarandon plays her mother.
We recently spoke with Fischer by phone.
Q. You worked with some Hollywood legends in this movie. Have you reached the point in your career where you’re not impressed by other celebrities, or do you still get a kick out of meeting them?
A. I totally get a kick out of it. It’s not so much the acting as the time between the scenes, when someone like Susan Sarandon is being warm and generous and telling me stories. Or when I’m talking to Michael Douglas about travel and the places he loves. Those moments make me pinch myself.
Q. Is this your first movie that would qualify as a drama more than a comedy?
A. Yes. I did do some television that would qualify as a drama, like my stunning performance in an episode of “Strong Medicine” where my brain melted. I had such a high fever that my brain melted, and I died.
Q. Your next movie is called “A Little Help,” which is listed on IMDB.com as both a comedy and a drama. Is that a dramedy?
A. It is. I play an alcoholic mother whose husband dies, so I have to raise our son by myself. Then I start falling in love with my sister’s husband. So it’s got some heavy themes, but a light touch.
A lot of scripts with female protagonists are romantic comedies about somebody’s quest for love. Which is fine. I like watching those movies, and I’d be happy to do “Sex and the City 3.” But maybe because of my theater background, I’m interested in stories where the woman wants something more than a cute guy.
Q. As an actor, do you employ a different set of skills for drama than for comedy?
A. For me the difference isn’t that big, because in either case I try to approach the work honestly and make it as realistic as possible. But I will say that when I’m working in a drama, I’m less likely to improvise, like we do on “The Office.”
Q. When the cast members on the show come back from vacation, do you compare notes on the movies that you made?
A. The thing about “The Office” is that most of us spent years as struggling actors before we got hired, so we’re very supportive of each other and excited when we get the movie roles that we want. We try to go to each other’s premieres.
Q. You’re getting married later this summer (to writer Lee Kirk). Do some fans of “The Office” think that you’re cheating on John Krasinski?
A. John is engaged to a very famous, very talented actress (Emily Blunt), so I think most people understand the difference between the TV show and real life. But there are people who think I just had a baby. I didn’t.
|
We have some photos of Jenna at the Warner Bros. Golden Globe After Party and her appearence at the SAG awards. Enjoy!
