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CNN Larry King Live
Interview with Melanie Griffith
Aired November 22, 2002 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, her life has been an open book and a tabloid target, a rare interview with Melanie Griffith. From Hollywood wild child to Oscar-nominated actress to children's rights activist. She is here for the hour. She bears it all. Melanie is next on LARRY KING LIVE.
We have a very special show for you tonight with an old friend. A dear lady, terrific talent.
Melanie Griffith, the Oscar-nominated actress. The wife, the mother, the charity activist on the behalf of the SABERA Foundation, which tries to aid the street children of Calcutta. And later in the program we'll be devoting a lot of time to that -- how did you get involved with that, by the way? What got you and SABERA together?
MELANIE GRIFFITH, ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz, actually. She and Tom had a screening of a documentary that was done on SABERA at CAA and Antonio and I went, and when we saw the little girls take a shower -- Mongoli (ph) -- for the first time, and she's two years old, it just -- that's what got me. That, and the whole -- I had never seen Calcutta. I have since seen it in real life, and it's even worse than no film. And it just -- it -- I don't know, it just sort of...
KING: Touched you...
GRIFFITH: ... yes.
KING: Later in the program we'll be giving you how you can help the SABERA Foundation; how you can get more interested. We're going to touch some bases first.
Last time Melanie was here, that was five years ago, 1997.
GRIFFITH: Really?
KING: Yes. You were on with Antonio. You and Antonio were on together. How time flies.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Have you gotten, ever, over being the subject of tabloids and the like? I -- do you ever get through it where you can just look and say, ah, another story?
GRIFFITH: Most of the time, most of the time. But sometimes they're really mean. You know?
KING: Have you ever thought of taking action?
GRIFFITH: Yes, thought about it, but what's the point? I mean, they just -- they're not journalists, they're -- I don't know what they are. They're like leeches; they're parasites. And -- and -- they never write anything that is true. And I guess they enjoy hurting other people. The thing that bothers me is that don't they think about people's children? You know?
KING: I don't think it matters, right? They're just -- they get a tip or they get a semi-truth, right, and run with the semi-truth.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: But how do you live with reading lies, or hearing about lies if you don't read it.
GRIFFITH: Well, I have one -- Antonio and I had a thing recently that was very difficult; that was totally misconstrued.
KING: Was that the Gabriel Byrne thing?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: You made a movie with him, right?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Great talent.
GRIFFITH: I made a movie with him nine years ago, and he's a dear friend...
KING: So what was it -- they took pictures of you and him?
GRIFFITH: You know what it was?
KING: Yes? What?
GRIFFITH: I let -- Yoko gave Gabriel the rights to "Imagine" to give to Amnesty, to just use the music. So, I asked Gabriel if he could maybe allow us to put it on the album that we'd done, the peace -- the SABERA Peace album. And, so, it -- that's how it started.
So, we -- and -- we were making a movie together that's called "Shade, with Sly Stallone and Gabriel...
KING: And -- what happened between you and Gabriel that...
GRIFFITH: So what happened was we went to lunch to talk about "Imagine." To talk about how to do it, how to get it so that we could use it on the SABERA CD. We went to Le Dome, like idiots. I haven't been out to lunch with anyone -- I mean, with another man -- and I didn't even think about it. You know what I mean? It was innocent, and it was about the children.
KING: Le Dome is a very popular restaurant -- here on Sunset Boulevard.
GRIFFITH: Yes. And the paparazzi were waiting when we came out.
KING: So what's the big deal?
GRIFFITH: So they took pictures.
KING: And from this they concoct...
GRIFFITH: They concoct a romance; they put a horrible thing of my tattoo of Antonio -- I mean, it hurt my husband so badly, so badly, that...
KING: Did he get mad at you?
GRIFFITH: Yes, he got mad at me. Of course.
KING: But you didn't do anything wrong.
GRIFFITH: No, I didn't do anything wrong. And that's why we're OK and we're happy and we're...
KING: That's that Spanish volatility; that blood that builds...
GRIFFITH: That Latin...
KING: He can't handle...
GRIFFITH: And you know what? I think that anybody who's in love can't handle that. Don't you?
KING: Yes, so I guess what you have to be from now on is, you can't be seen with a guy anywhere.
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: Is that the rule?
GRIFFITH: I will never go to lunch with a man ever again alone, you know.
KING: And the same has to hold true for Antonio. He can't go to lunch with a woman.
GRIFFITH: Right. Yes.
KING: That's -- isn't that an insane way to live, or is that -- just goes with the territory?
GRIFFITH: I think it's an insane way to live. Yes. It's so stupid. I mean, look what's going on in the world. That's what really bothers me. Who cares?
KING: Well, obviously, ladies at checkout counters across America -- either care or are amused or are interested in the lives of people more glamorous or famous. GRIFFITH: Oh, I thought you were going to say they all want Antonio and so all the checkout counter babes are just waiting for him to get rid of me and go after him.
KING: Has this caused problems in your marriage? You're both pretty volatile. You can be volatile.
GRIFFITH: Yes. We're both very jealous.
KING: Yes. I love Antonio.
GRIFFITH: I know you do.
KING: He's one of my favorite people. Our guest also one of my favorite people, Melanie Griffith, lots to talk about, be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: On the other side with Melanie Griffith, I -- you said you're both jealous. Have there been times you've gotten ticked at him?
GRIFFITH: Oh, yes. Yes. But, you know what? I think also -- yes, absolutely. I mean, Madonna was after him publicly. You know. So, and I was pregnant when he was doing "Evita." I was pregnant -- I had just gotten pregnant, and I went with him. So the press made a big thing about how Melanie's watching over Antonio and she won't leave him alone with Madonna because she's afraid that Madonna's going to -- the Material Girl -- will steal him. And -- it really wasn't the case.
KING: But you got mad at him. Or you got hurt.
GRIFFITH: No, no, no. No, I was -- I was fine. I was hurt because I was banned from the set. They didn't let me go on the set.
KING: You're kidding?
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: And what -- didn't Antonio take up the fight for you?
GRIFFITH: Yes, he -- I went to the set. I mean, I went to his trailer -- I -- you know.
KING: But you couldn't go on where they were shooting?
GRIFFITH: Yes, yes. Yes.
KING: How's life in general, Melanie? How's everything going? I worry about you.
GRIFFITH: Everything's good. Why?
KING: Because you've had so many ups and downs and you're such a talent. You're also such a good lady. You're a good lady. GRIFFITH: Thank you.
KING: And so, a lot of life's things that hit you.
GRIFFITH: You mean like drugs?
KING: Yes, no -- how did you battle it? Well, first of all, I guess this is an impossible question. Why did you ever go to drugs?
GRIFFITH: I think that it is genetic. I think that if you are a sensitive person like me or I think many actors are -- I think many performers like yourself are. I mean, I think that many people are.
You're sensitive, and if you don't have a real strong family base and a good role -- and -- well, I'm not saying my mom's not a good role example. But, someone to turn to all the time, that you turn to something that makes you feel good and so when I -- in the 70s -- you know it was alcohol and cocaine. And the 80s. And then I went into rehab and got rid of that. And then I tore my knee skiing and I was turned on to painkillers. And doctors give them out regularly.
KING: Like getting (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
GRIFFITH: Percocet. I mean, like hard core. And then Norcal (ph) and...
KING: Is that as hard to lick as...
GRIFFITH: Harder. Well, I don't know. I never did heroin.
KING: But is it harder than cocaine?
GRIFFITH: Oh, yes.
KING: Really?
GRIFFITH: You go through a physical detox that's intense.
KING: Tougher?
GRIFFITH: It's...
KING: How did you finally beat it?
GRIFFITH: Finally through my husband's patience with me. He knew what was going on and, you know, we had talked about it a little bit but they -- I had a neck problem. You know, any excuse, actually. Because now I fix my neck myself. But...
KING: Any excuse to take something.
GRIFFITH: Yes. To ease the pain. And also because I was addicted. I was addicted. And you can't stop taking them.
KING: Did you know you were? GRIFFITH: I did once I tried to stop taking them and I started to get the shakes and fever -- you know -- the sweating and all that kind of stuff and -- and -- and -- Antonio, you know, would hold me and he said, I'm here. And, when you're ready to get some help, just tell me, and I'll help you in every way I can.
KING: And you went somewhere?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: And how do they work? How did that help? What do they do?
GRIFFITH: They take you off it. And you are -- I did an eight- day program. They give you other medication that is not -- not -- that is not benzodiazapine or -- or...
KING: Not addicting.
GRIFFITH: But not addicting, but it can take you down so that you're not -- because some people can, you know, have a heart attack. You can -- anything can happen.
KING: So after the eight days, though, do you have to stay on that kind of medication?
GRIFFITH: No. You don't have anything.
KING: How long have you been -- what's the term -- sober, I guess?
GRIFFITH: Two years. Two years? Yes, from pills.
KING: And from liquor, too? Do you -- are you -- do you stay away from everything?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Pretty much. I mean, honestly, I have to say that I do enjoy a glass of red wine every now and then, but I can't any more because now my son's in the program.
KING: How old is he?
GRIFFITH: He's 17.
KING: How's he doing?
GRIFFITH: He's great! He's great. He's a different guy. And it didn't last very long; it lasted about nine months.
KING: But you had to stop red wine after that.
GRIFFITH: Yes, I can't do that.
KING: Do you remain friendly with your exes?
GRIFFITH: Yes. KING: Do you keep in -- you don't keep in touch every day, but you do have children.
GRIFFITH: Yes. Yes. And with Stephen it's fantastic. And, Don is great. And Kelly (ph), his wife, is great. And their children are beautiful. And, I mean -- ideally it would be wonderful if, you know -- I guess. In my mind it would be great to all have dinner together but I don't think that's ever going to happen, you know?
KING: Wouldn't be bad. But Antonio -- if somebody looked the wrong way, Antonio is through the roof, right?
GRIFFITH: Well -- Antonio is the best. He is the most compassionate and humble and...
KING: Did you love him at first sight, almost?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Absolutely.
KING: I remember that. You did, right?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Blew you away.
GRIFFITH: He asked me how old I was, that was the first thing he said to me. I mean ...
KING: We want to talk about your career and other things.
GRIFFITH: Oh, my career. What career? I'm over 40.
KING: We're going to talk a lot about the SABERA Foundation. Our guest is Melanie Griffith who, by the way -- if you saw "Stuart Little," she played the bird. We're going to ask her to do the voice. This is one of the best -- the best cartoon-type flicks ever made. You had to be proud of that. We'll be right back with Melanie Griffith right after this, don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELANIE GRIFFITH, VOICE ACTRESS: Well, to tell you the truth, I've never flown before. It is kind of a dream of mine.
MICHAEL J. FOX, VOICE ACTOR: Then how come you haven't done it?
GRIFFITH: Something is always stopping me.
FOX: Yes, something is always stopping me too. Everyone around here thinks I am too small to accomplish anything.
GRIFFITH: Hey. The way I see it, you are as big as you feel.
FOX: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFITH: You know where you can bury your hatchet? Now get your bony ass out of my sight.
And if you really think that I said I loved you as part of some scheme, then that is really pathetic, you know?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God. She'll stop at nothing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of a show are you people running here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I am sorry he has got to see this, but it means nothing to us. Jack, let's get upstairs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not without her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: We're back with Melanie Griffith who said, I'm over 40, what career? What do you mean?
GRIFFITH: Well, I mean -- well, actually, I've been working. But something happens -- and I never believed it when I was like 34 and people would say -- you know -- who would ask me, Well, what's going to happen to you when you're 40? What are you going to do? You know, you don't have much time left.
And I was like, what are you talking about? And then -- and then -- with the Revlon contract that I had, which I don't have any more, because now I'm really too old -- I got the age-defying line. And I was 34. And I -- I was extremely flattered and I loved Ronald (ph) really, and Revlon -- really...
KING: Pearlman (ph) and Revlon. But their only appeal is to young people, they don't appeal to people over 30? Is that it?
GRIFFITH: Well, I don't know. I mean, it's -- age-defying at 34? It's like -- why don't you just be healthy, and then you know what I mean? Shouldn't age-defying be at, like, 50 or 60?
KING: You lose Revlon, then did you stop seeing good scripts?
GRIFFITH: Yes. The other thing is it could be -- I married -- met Antonio and we had Stella I didn't want to work. You know? So I took some time off and...
KING: Can't do that in this business, right?
GRIFFITH: I don't know. Katharine Hepburn did pretty good.
KING: How did the "Stuart Little" thing come? GRIFFITH: The "Stuart Little" thing came because Doug Wick, who produced "Working Girl," called me, and Lucy Fisher, and asked me if I would do it. And...
KING: Had you ever done a voice before? Cartoons?
GRIFFITH: No. No. And I thought it would be a piece of cake; that it would be really easy. And, whoa, is it a whole different deal.
KING: Why?
GRIFFITH: Because you can't use your face; you can't use yourself to hide -- you know, you can't manipulate the -- with whatever your...
KING: It's all voice.
GRIFFITH: Yes, it's all in the voice. And they do have a camera on you that -- so that the animators can copy you when they're drawing your character.
KING: So you do it before the drawings are made?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: So you didn't see the bird? Just maybe a picture of the bird.
GRIFFITH: I saw a picture. Yes.
KING: How did you find that voice and then retain that voice? How many days did you shoot that movie?
GRIFFITH: How many times did I go in there? Oh, gosh, I don't know. Twenty. Over a year. Like for a year.
KING: Now how did you find that voice?
GRIFFITH: Through Rob Menkoff and also through the head of the studios, I mean, down and saying -- Rob had to call me one day and say you -- you suck.
It's hard. It's really hard because you have to be very big; you have to...
KING: Broad?
GRIFFITH: Yes! It's almost -- I guess it's like radio. Like if...
KING: Yes. And Richard Dreyfus told me once, people who think radio acting is easy are wrong.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Because you got nothing to work with but your voice.
GRIFFITH: Exactly.
KING: So you've got to really make it believable. Then you finally found it?
GRIFFITH: Yes. . Yes.
KING: Melanie, give me a little of the bird.
GRIFFITH: Life's an adventure, Stuart. Walking out that door is an adventure. And I can't say it now.
KING: But you got that lilt, though.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Did you work with -- when you're doing it, are you doing it with the other actors? Is everyone standing around?
GRIFFITH: The first time I got to do it with Michael J. Fox, which is really beautiful and...
KING: He's great.
GRIFFITH: And -- -- and we did it in the same room, and we were across from each other and he was so -- he's so fabulous. And so animated and he was doing all these -- you know -- he was being Stuart while he was doing it and I didn't know how to do it. And so...
KING: What was it like when you saw the finished product? The first time you saw the complete "Stuart Little"; that little bird and your voice?
GRIFFITH: It was great because I had my kids with me and they loved it. So it was good.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Stuart Little II")
GRIFFITH: Stuart pull up!
FOX: I can't. It's stuck.
GRIFFITH: Well try harder!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Are we going to have a "Stuart Little III?"
GRIFFITH: I don't know. That's too...
KING: Would you do it again?
GRIFFITH: Sure. Absolutely.
KING: Now you mentioned that you have a movie coming, right? With Gabriel Byrne, right?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: That's going to come out.
GRIFFITH: That's called "Shade." I also have one called "Temple."
KING: Done already?
GRIFFITH: Done already; that I did in Europe earlier this year. And then I'm going to go and do "The Night They Called It A Day." The one that is about Frank Sinatra and Barbara Marx when they went to Australia.
KING: Was that a short story or a magazine?
GRIFFITH: It was a true story -- I mean -- it's a true story, but the script is not true to -- you know...
KING: And you play Barbara Marx?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: And who plays Frank?
GRIFFITH: Dennis Hopper.
KING: Whoa!
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Have you worked with him before?
GRIFFITH: No, my -- one of my ex-husbands did and so...
KING: Like him?
GRIFFITH: Yes, very much. Very much.
KING: He's a great talent.
GRIFFITH: Yes. And he's very cool.
KING: "The Night They Called It A Day."
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: All right.
Before we talk about SABERA, which we're going to pick up in the next portion, is everything good in your life now?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Everything is good. I mean, I wouldn't mind making some good movies, you know. I wouldn't mind making movies -- I don't know why you have to be 25 to -- you know -- star in a movie. Or 30.
And I know a lot of other women -- and I -- you know -- I know there's a lot of other actresses say that.
KING: I mean, you made quite a lot of movies.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Was "Working Girl" the best?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Working Girl")
GRIFFITH: I have a head for business and a body for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFITH: I would -- I think it's one of the best. I must say that -- that -- Jonathan Demme, "Something Wild," was very special.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Something Wild")
GRIFFITH: Tomorrow you're going to wake up and you're still going to be Charlie Driggs, you know? And this will all be over and done with. So why don't we enjoy it while we can.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFITH: And also "Night Moves" with Arthur Penn. And also "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman who is -- I am his biggest fan.
KING: Our guest is Melanie Griffith. We'll be right back.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Nobody's Fool")
PAUL NEWMAN, ACTOR: You're going to be the best looking woman in Hawaii. You're going to be fine.
GRIFFITH: We would have been terrific together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Bonfire of the Vanities")
BRUCE WILLIS, ACTOR: Mrs. Ruskin, I understand that you're Sherman McCoy's lover.
GRIFFITH: Excuse me?
WILLIS: And that not only were you with him on the night of his unfortunate accident in the Bronx, but that you were driving the car.
GRIFFITH: Sherman would never tell you that.
WILLIS: Well I was hoping you could tell me what happened that night.
GRIFFITH: Listen, mister...
WILLIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
GRIFFITH: Peckerhead! I'm hear for my husband's funeral, understand? Now go away. Disappear. Disintegrate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Our guest is Melanie Griffith, and one of the purposes in Melanie coming here tonight to talk about this -- we've talked about other things. We'll touch some other bases later -- is the SABERA Foundation, which tries to aid the street children of Calcutta. Who are they?
GRIFFITH: They are -- well, actually, I haven't -- there's 12 million people that live in Calcutta. And there's six million that are homeless. And...
KING: And?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: The people have no homes.
GRIFFITH: Yes. They live on the streets. They sleep on the streets. And, we went walking one night to rescue a little girl because a lot of the parents, they can't take care of their children.
KING: So what do they do, go away?
GRIFFITH: Well, now that -- Nacho Cano who started this whole thing, and Carlos who works with him -- Carlos goes around and looks for children that are in trouble. And he brings them into Kalitala, which is where the -- where SABERA is. But, the Goddess House, I call it.
KING: And by in trouble, meaning they're drifting around the streets; they're...
GRIFFITH: Meaning that they're either -- either their parents have left, and they're alone, or that their parents are drug addicts and they're -- or they're being prostituted. You know -- I mean -- it's just -- it's beyond -- beyond any -- you're -- any way that I can explain it in words. It's an assault upon your whole being, your -- every sense -- your touch, feel, sight, smell...
KING: Indian government does nothing for them?
GRIFFITH: I am not a politician; I don't know what to say about that.
KING: What do they do for these lost children when they take them to SABERA?
GRIFFITH: They -- well -- we only take in girls right now. Little girls.
KING: Why?
GRIFFITH: Well, because -- because -- because it's the patriarchal society. The boys are taken care of. The girls are not.
KING: So little boys get treated better than little girls.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: So you take in girls and do what?
GRIFFITH: And we are rehabilitating them. It depends on how old they are. Shamoli (ph), one of the little girls, she's 17. She came in three years ago. She had been -- I don't know -- abused many many times. She was very angry. And now she is an angel. She is -- she's found herself. She is helping other people; she is helping other kids. She's -- I mean, now we have 140 girls, and there's 95 on the waiting list and what we've done is we've bought a huge building -- it's not very expensive in India -- to build a hospital.
And half of -- the building is so huge that it can be half of a hospital and then half of a school, because the way that the children are treated in regular schools there, they're treated like lower class. They're beaten -- they're, you know, made fun of. They are hurt. A lot of things happen that are not very nice. So, we need to put the school in, but -- so that's what I've been working on. And I've been calling my friends -- all my friends that I know that can possibly help.
KING: And you raise money?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: How do people help?
GRIFFITH: Well...
KING: Is there a number they can call or...
GRIFFITH: You go to saberafoundation.org.
KING: Get all the information there. It's SABERA -- saberafoundation.org.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Now, tell me about this -- this -- CD and video, together, which we're going to show you some clips of.
GRIFFITH: My sister and I came -- she actually came up with this idea because she's a great singer. You met her back there. She said why don't we go over there and, you know, do a CD with the girls singing and then we can kind of -- maybe somebody would release it and we could make some money for the foundation.
And, so I told Nacho Cano who's a musician, who's fantastic, amazing and -- you know -- from Spain. And he said, Why not -- why don't we get our friends to do it.
KING: Yes, and what friends you got. Let's take them down.
GRIFFITH: Well -- well -- so the first person that I called, and he needs to get this credit because he is an amazing friend, is Sting. And I called him and...
KING: He said yes.
GRIFFITH: He said yes immediately.
KING: And that's something you're going to be seeing -- what a song that is. What a job they did on this video too. We'll be right back with Melanie Griffith, don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now this cassette also features Ricky Martin, Bob Dylan, all these names...
GRIFFITH: Wait, wait, wait -- before you got to go Antonio first.
KING: Well, we've talked about him. How does -- he sings "Imagine."
GRIFFITH: Yes; he sings "Imagine" -- he sings two songs. He sings "Imagine" and Yoko -- I called Yoko, and said please and she allowed Antonio -- only Antonio -- to sing it. And, it's so beautiful and -- and you'll see -- we have this...
KING: We've got it -- at the end of this segment you're going to see Antonio singing -- or hear him singing -- "Imagine" beautifully.
GRIFFITH: And, then he also is singing with Alejandro Sanz and Vicente Amigo, who is one of the greatest guitar players in the world.
KING: Did we know that Antonio was a singer? Of course, his early career was just acting. "Evita" made him a singer. Right?
GRIFFITH: Well, he's always sung.
KING: I gather that, but we didn't know it until "Evita."
GRIFFITH: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFITH: But he's a natural -- he plays the piano and plays guitar and sings and he doesn't read a note.
KING: And he's going to play Poncho Villa right?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: OK, now, how did they get Dylan and...
GRIFFITH: Dylan was gotten by Penelope. And then Esther Canadas came in -- who's fantastic -- who is -- is just the great -- you know who she is?
KING: Sure.
GRIFFITH: So she has the fashion school. She's doing -- teaching the kids how to sew and they make their own uniforms and it's amazing.
KING: But how did you get all these artists? How did you put this kind of album together?
GRIFFITH: I called them. I called them and asked really nicely. And so did Penelope.
KING: On this album is -- is -- Sting. Noah (ph). Ricky Martin.
GRIFFITH: Ricky Martin -- I ran into him in a restaurant in Paris when I was having a meeting with Carlos Ituino, who is the head of Universal Music in Spain. And...
KING: You asked him?
GRIFFITH: And Ricky said you're going -- what are you doing with India -- he sent a note over, very politely, and said, Could I come over and -- and -- so I said well, would you -- you know -- would you sing a song on this album? And he said absolutely. So he wrote it for this...
KING: Omare (ph).
GRIFFITH: Yes, and it's amazing.
KING: And then Alanis Morissette, we discussed that. GRIFFITH: She wrote also, and that's beautiful.
KING: OK, are there any other shakers on it?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: And Antonio of course, and Katima (ph) and Juanes (ph) -- is it Juanes (ph)?
GRIFFITH: Juanes (ph).
KING: And Tracy Griffith and Melanie Griffith.
GRIFFITH: It's Catama (ph).
KING: Melanie sings "Cross Our Hearts." You sing. You're a singer.
GRIFFITH: Of sorts. My sister is the singer.
KING: But you were -- you join her on this. And then...
GRIFFITH: And then...
KING: Wait a minute. "Living Like Horses," by Elton John, sung by Pavarotti.
GRIFFITH: Both of them.
KING: They both sing.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: You don't fool around with low lives, do you? You don't hang around with them, the slums.
GRIFFITH: No. But that is so amazing to hear that and then to hear Placido Domingo sing "The Real Madrid Hymn" (ph) with the boys in Calcutta because they are...
KING: Now, where do people get this CD?
GRIFFITH: You'll be able to get it everywhere. It will come out in November.
KING: What's it called? Got a...
GRIFFITH: It's called the SABERA Peace CD. Hopefully, there will be another -- little voices of the world or something like that -- some thing. But, basically I think everybody will know about it.
KING: And the video will be available too?
GRIFFITH: Well, now they have this new thing, you know, on the computer where if you pop in your floppy -- your disc -- you can also have the video come up on your computer. KING: I don't know anything about computers.
GRIFFITH: You don't?
KING: No, so you can pop in your floppy disk...
GRIFFITH: Well, no, no, you put in your disc.
KING: It flops?
GRIFFITH: See, that's how much I know about computers, too, and I have an Internet company...
So you put your -- you put your CD in and as you listen to the music, you see the video.
KING: It pops up. Is the disc -- I've got to know this -- floppy? When they say a floppy...
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: No, it's not.
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: OK, so how did it get that name?
GRIFFITH: Uh...
KING: Ah-ha!
GRIFFITH: Floppy. It was somebody named Mr. Floppy.
KING: Soltys Floppy -- he never gets any credit.
GRIFFITH: That's who it was; that's right.
KING: You're going to go back to Calcutta?
GRIFFITH: Yes. I never thought I would say that, but absolutely.
KING: How do you deal with walking around in that kind of misery? How do you emotionally deal with that when you come from a place of plenty?
GRIFFITH: You cry. A lot. And also they drive like maniacs -- maniacs -- I mean, you sit there and you see -- Tracy, my sister and Olan (ph) and I were like I was going -- calling my mother and pray for us sinners now (UNINTELLIGIBLE) like that. And then -- and that was like God, just if we have a little bit of grace, we'll make it through it. We'll get to the hotel. Or we'll get to Kalitala. And it's wild.
KING: And walking among that... GRIFFITH: Walking among that -- especially being blonde and my sister being redheaded. But you know what? It's not that. It's the heart. It's the -- it's just your heart and your -- we have to change. It's not just Calcutta. It's not just Calcutta that needs to be changed but, but my ideal -- if I could do anything, it would be to make this a prototype that you could take all over the place. That you could take to Afghanistan...
KING: For children everywhere.
GRIFFITH: For children. Because they are our future and...
KING: We'll be back with our remaining moments with Melanie Griffith, and as we go to break here, as promised, Antonio.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did he die, if you don't mind me asking?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I killed him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well. I guess that fixed his little red wagon.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's following me, though. I mean, not him. It is his ghost. Only it don't sound like a ghost, it sounds like just like him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you sure he is dead?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes. I made sure of that. Do you ever need to get rid of somebody that just would not go away?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My first husband. Honey, he used to yell out his mother's name when we were doing it. You know, making love.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The only thing Chester (ph) ever yelled was touchdown.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Again, if you want to help, it is the saberafoundation.org, and Penelope Cruz also sings on this CD, which will be available in November, and with your floppy disc, you can even see a great video. I'm going to touch some other bases. You concerned about security at all?
GRIFFITH: Security...
KING: Yes.
GRIFFITH: Where, here?
KING: Yes. Yes, against you and...
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: Stalkers? Ever have to deal with anything like that?
GRIFFITH: They mostly want to stalk my husband so if that happened I would just -- you know...
KING: Women stalk you? You were hit by a car once, right?
GRIFFITH: How did you know that?
KING: They told me. I didn't know. How old were you? Young?
GRIFFITH: I think I was 22.
KING: What effect did that have on you?
GRIFFITH: I woke up in the hospital and I had been very drunk and I was walking in the crosswalk and the drunk driver hit me.
KING: Drunk driver hit a drunk.
GRIFFITH: Yes. See, God's been trying to tell me this the whole time, to stop.
KING: And you've been very honest; you have a Web site; you talk about your -- the kind of life you were -- early -- too early sexually involved. How do you deal with teaching your children?
GRIFFITH: Chastity belts. No, I -- I -- have said there's no way that it's going to happen. And, I'm doing it for your own protection and I don't care if you fall in love with a 22 year old guy; it's not going to happen, you are not going to go out -- you know? But I'm really open with them, and then -- I talk about it, everything, and they -- basically -- I mean, not with Stella. She's too little. But...
KING: Your mom has been on this show and she's an old friend -- Tippi Hedren. How's she doing?
GRIFFITH: She's great.
KING: Are you an animal lover, too?
GRIFFITH: Of course.
KING: Your mothers an animal...
GRIFFITH: Freak. KING: Gave up a career for animals, right?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Yes.
KING: Has she been close -- have you and her been close through all of the ups and downs and travails of the life of Melanie Griffith?
GRIFFITH: On and off. On and off.
KING: Is it currently on?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Of course.
KING: How about the death of your father? How old was he?
GRIFFITH: Sixty-seven.
KING: Too young.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: What did he die of?
GRIFFITH: Alcohol.
KING: This is rampant.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Do you have to watch yourself all the time...
GRIFFITH: Sorry.
KING: ... It's OK. Do you have to watch yourself all the time? I mean, with that much...
GRIFFITH: Yes, I do. It's just -- you know -- I hope that they find -- you know how they found in DNA that that 150 people family that they didn't have a thumb, they found this DNA that fixed it? Well, hopefully they're going to find the one that will fix alcoholism and drug addiction, you know?
KING: Do you feel lucky or unlucky? I mean, if you look at your life...
GRIFFITH: I feel so lucky, are you kidding?
KING: Because you had so many bad thing happen. I mean, you've had a lot of great thing happen to you, but you've had bad things happen to you, you know? You've had ups and downs; you've lost things in your life.
GRIFFITH: Yes, but everybody has, you know? Haven't you?
KING: Yes, sure. GRIFFITH: Everybody has; it's just that you -- you're in the public eye and they -- you know -- and nothing else better to write about.
KING: Yes, I've never understood cheapness. Never understood it.
Where were you on 9/11, dear?
GRIFFITH: I was in L.A. I was in L.A.
KING: Were you awake or asleep?
GRIFFITH: I was asleep and my husband woke me up because he'd just flown in from Spain and he was awake and he watched it live.
KING: Remember what -- what went through your mind?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Yes.
KING: Were your children there?
GRIFFITH: They were in the house with us, yes.
KING: Did you talk to them about it?
GRIFFITH: Later. Not -- Stella not right away. But I...
KING: How old is Stella?
GRIFFITH: Well, then she was four. But, it -- it was just unbelievable to me that -- I shouldn't say what I want to say because it's political and I'm not a politician and I'll get myself in trouble.
KING: Why? You -- well, you're certainly saddened by it. What were you going to say?
GRIFFITH: Well, I just -- I don't know how -- if there were so many warnings which we're now hearing that there were. Why weren't they taken care of? Why weren't they listened to?
KING: That's a fair thing to say. Everyone wonders why -- in other words, how did we let this happen?
GRIFFITH: And also why does it come out a year later? You know?
KING: Yes. Well, investigations go on. We learn things all the time. Do you have a -- do you have a fear for your safety?
GRIFFITH: No, I don't walk around with fear. I walk around with strength. I mean, I believe in cause and effect.
KING: So, isn't it hard for two attractive people, married, working in film, and they travel opposite ways. By nature it's got to be tough. GRIFFITH: Yes, it's hard but we try not to do it very much. The thing is the kids are getting older, they can't -- we can't travel with them now like we used to. They've got to be in school. You know?
And so we do the best that we can and we try not to be away from each other for more than two weeks at time.
KING: Can you make that rule in your business?
GRIFFITH: Well, yes. He can. I mean, he can put it in his contract. You know? But...
KING: Are you saying he's a bigger star than you?
GRIFFITH: Of course.
KING: You were bigger than him once.
GRIFFITH: But you know what? There are no small parts; there are only small actors.
KING: Well put. Want to have any other children?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Trying?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Every day, actually.
KING: Oh, every day you try?
GRIFFITH: No, I would love to have another baby, and Antonio would love to have another baby, and you know, maybe. God willing.
KING: You like being pregnant?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Yes.
KING: Even though it reduces your workload. You don't get parts when you're...
GRIFFITH: Well, hey, you know. Like they're flowing in so heavily.
KING: Did you like the comparisons, when people make comparisons of you to Monroe?
GRIFFITH: It was extremely flattered -- I was born in the hospital, but she was having a miscarriage, the day of...
KING: You're kidding. The day you were born -- what hospital was it?
GRIFFITH: Doctor's Hospital in New York.
KING: Doctor's Hospital in New York. Marilyn Monroe had a miscarriage that day.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: And was in the hospital that day.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
I've apologized to my mother since because at one point I said I think God switched me -- you know -- at the last minute. And, my mom got very upset.
KING: If you want to help it's the SABERA -- S-A-B-E-R-A Foundation and just click into that -- saberafoundation.org -- you'll get all the information from a wonderfully talented lady and a great guest. Thank you, Melanie.
GRIFFITH: Thank you, Larry, so much.
KING: Melanie Griffith.
Stay tuned for "NEWSNIGHT" with Aaron Brown. I'm Larry King. Thanks for joining us and good night.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 22, 2002 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, her life has been an open book and a tabloid target, a rare interview with Melanie Griffith. From Hollywood wild child to Oscar-nominated actress to children's rights activist. She is here for the hour. She bears it all. Melanie is next on LARRY KING LIVE.
We have a very special show for you tonight with an old friend. A dear lady, terrific talent.
Melanie Griffith, the Oscar-nominated actress. The wife, the mother, the charity activist on the behalf of the SABERA Foundation, which tries to aid the street children of Calcutta. And later in the program we'll be devoting a lot of time to that -- how did you get involved with that, by the way? What got you and SABERA together?
MELANIE GRIFFITH, ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz, actually. She and Tom had a screening of a documentary that was done on SABERA at CAA and Antonio and I went, and when we saw the little girls take a shower -- Mongoli (ph) -- for the first time, and she's two years old, it just -- that's what got me. That, and the whole -- I had never seen Calcutta. I have since seen it in real life, and it's even worse than no film. And it just -- it -- I don't know, it just sort of...
KING: Touched you...
GRIFFITH: ... yes.
KING: Later in the program we'll be giving you how you can help the SABERA Foundation; how you can get more interested. We're going to touch some bases first.
Last time Melanie was here, that was five years ago, 1997.
GRIFFITH: Really?
KING: Yes. You were on with Antonio. You and Antonio were on together. How time flies.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Have you gotten, ever, over being the subject of tabloids and the like? I -- do you ever get through it where you can just look and say, ah, another story?
GRIFFITH: Most of the time, most of the time. But sometimes they're really mean. You know?
KING: Have you ever thought of taking action?
GRIFFITH: Yes, thought about it, but what's the point? I mean, they just -- they're not journalists, they're -- I don't know what they are. They're like leeches; they're parasites. And -- and -- they never write anything that is true. And I guess they enjoy hurting other people. The thing that bothers me is that don't they think about people's children? You know?
KING: I don't think it matters, right? They're just -- they get a tip or they get a semi-truth, right, and run with the semi-truth.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: But how do you live with reading lies, or hearing about lies if you don't read it.
GRIFFITH: Well, I have one -- Antonio and I had a thing recently that was very difficult; that was totally misconstrued.
KING: Was that the Gabriel Byrne thing?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: You made a movie with him, right?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Great talent.
GRIFFITH: I made a movie with him nine years ago, and he's a dear friend...
KING: So what was it -- they took pictures of you and him?
GRIFFITH: You know what it was?
KING: Yes? What?
GRIFFITH: I let -- Yoko gave Gabriel the rights to "Imagine" to give to Amnesty, to just use the music. So, I asked Gabriel if he could maybe allow us to put it on the album that we'd done, the peace -- the SABERA Peace album. And, so, it -- that's how it started.
So, we -- and -- we were making a movie together that's called "Shade, with Sly Stallone and Gabriel...
KING: And -- what happened between you and Gabriel that...
GRIFFITH: So what happened was we went to lunch to talk about "Imagine." To talk about how to do it, how to get it so that we could use it on the SABERA CD. We went to Le Dome, like idiots. I haven't been out to lunch with anyone -- I mean, with another man -- and I didn't even think about it. You know what I mean? It was innocent, and it was about the children.
KING: Le Dome is a very popular restaurant -- here on Sunset Boulevard.
GRIFFITH: Yes. And the paparazzi were waiting when we came out.
KING: So what's the big deal?
GRIFFITH: So they took pictures.
KING: And from this they concoct...
GRIFFITH: They concoct a romance; they put a horrible thing of my tattoo of Antonio -- I mean, it hurt my husband so badly, so badly, that...
KING: Did he get mad at you?
GRIFFITH: Yes, he got mad at me. Of course.
KING: But you didn't do anything wrong.
GRIFFITH: No, I didn't do anything wrong. And that's why we're OK and we're happy and we're...
KING: That's that Spanish volatility; that blood that builds...
GRIFFITH: That Latin...
KING: He can't handle...
GRIFFITH: And you know what? I think that anybody who's in love can't handle that. Don't you?
KING: Yes, so I guess what you have to be from now on is, you can't be seen with a guy anywhere.
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: Is that the rule?
GRIFFITH: I will never go to lunch with a man ever again alone, you know.
KING: And the same has to hold true for Antonio. He can't go to lunch with a woman.
GRIFFITH: Right. Yes.
KING: That's -- isn't that an insane way to live, or is that -- just goes with the territory?
GRIFFITH: I think it's an insane way to live. Yes. It's so stupid. I mean, look what's going on in the world. That's what really bothers me. Who cares?
KING: Well, obviously, ladies at checkout counters across America -- either care or are amused or are interested in the lives of people more glamorous or famous. GRIFFITH: Oh, I thought you were going to say they all want Antonio and so all the checkout counter babes are just waiting for him to get rid of me and go after him.
KING: Has this caused problems in your marriage? You're both pretty volatile. You can be volatile.
GRIFFITH: Yes. We're both very jealous.
KING: Yes. I love Antonio.
GRIFFITH: I know you do.
KING: He's one of my favorite people. Our guest also one of my favorite people, Melanie Griffith, lots to talk about, be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: On the other side with Melanie Griffith, I -- you said you're both jealous. Have there been times you've gotten ticked at him?
GRIFFITH: Oh, yes. Yes. But, you know what? I think also -- yes, absolutely. I mean, Madonna was after him publicly. You know. So, and I was pregnant when he was doing "Evita." I was pregnant -- I had just gotten pregnant, and I went with him. So the press made a big thing about how Melanie's watching over Antonio and she won't leave him alone with Madonna because she's afraid that Madonna's going to -- the Material Girl -- will steal him. And -- it really wasn't the case.
KING: But you got mad at him. Or you got hurt.
GRIFFITH: No, no, no. No, I was -- I was fine. I was hurt because I was banned from the set. They didn't let me go on the set.
KING: You're kidding?
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: And what -- didn't Antonio take up the fight for you?
GRIFFITH: Yes, he -- I went to the set. I mean, I went to his trailer -- I -- you know.
KING: But you couldn't go on where they were shooting?
GRIFFITH: Yes, yes. Yes.
KING: How's life in general, Melanie? How's everything going? I worry about you.
GRIFFITH: Everything's good. Why?
KING: Because you've had so many ups and downs and you're such a talent. You're also such a good lady. You're a good lady. GRIFFITH: Thank you.
KING: And so, a lot of life's things that hit you.
GRIFFITH: You mean like drugs?
KING: Yes, no -- how did you battle it? Well, first of all, I guess this is an impossible question. Why did you ever go to drugs?
GRIFFITH: I think that it is genetic. I think that if you are a sensitive person like me or I think many actors are -- I think many performers like yourself are. I mean, I think that many people are.
You're sensitive, and if you don't have a real strong family base and a good role -- and -- well, I'm not saying my mom's not a good role example. But, someone to turn to all the time, that you turn to something that makes you feel good and so when I -- in the 70s -- you know it was alcohol and cocaine. And the 80s. And then I went into rehab and got rid of that. And then I tore my knee skiing and I was turned on to painkillers. And doctors give them out regularly.
KING: Like getting (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
GRIFFITH: Percocet. I mean, like hard core. And then Norcal (ph) and...
KING: Is that as hard to lick as...
GRIFFITH: Harder. Well, I don't know. I never did heroin.
KING: But is it harder than cocaine?
GRIFFITH: Oh, yes.
KING: Really?
GRIFFITH: You go through a physical detox that's intense.
KING: Tougher?
GRIFFITH: It's...
KING: How did you finally beat it?
GRIFFITH: Finally through my husband's patience with me. He knew what was going on and, you know, we had talked about it a little bit but they -- I had a neck problem. You know, any excuse, actually. Because now I fix my neck myself. But...
KING: Any excuse to take something.
GRIFFITH: Yes. To ease the pain. And also because I was addicted. I was addicted. And you can't stop taking them.
KING: Did you know you were? GRIFFITH: I did once I tried to stop taking them and I started to get the shakes and fever -- you know -- the sweating and all that kind of stuff and -- and -- and -- Antonio, you know, would hold me and he said, I'm here. And, when you're ready to get some help, just tell me, and I'll help you in every way I can.
KING: And you went somewhere?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: And how do they work? How did that help? What do they do?
GRIFFITH: They take you off it. And you are -- I did an eight- day program. They give you other medication that is not -- not -- that is not benzodiazapine or -- or...
KING: Not addicting.
GRIFFITH: But not addicting, but it can take you down so that you're not -- because some people can, you know, have a heart attack. You can -- anything can happen.
KING: So after the eight days, though, do you have to stay on that kind of medication?
GRIFFITH: No. You don't have anything.
KING: How long have you been -- what's the term -- sober, I guess?
GRIFFITH: Two years. Two years? Yes, from pills.
KING: And from liquor, too? Do you -- are you -- do you stay away from everything?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Pretty much. I mean, honestly, I have to say that I do enjoy a glass of red wine every now and then, but I can't any more because now my son's in the program.
KING: How old is he?
GRIFFITH: He's 17.
KING: How's he doing?
GRIFFITH: He's great! He's great. He's a different guy. And it didn't last very long; it lasted about nine months.
KING: But you had to stop red wine after that.
GRIFFITH: Yes, I can't do that.
KING: Do you remain friendly with your exes?
GRIFFITH: Yes. KING: Do you keep in -- you don't keep in touch every day, but you do have children.
GRIFFITH: Yes. Yes. And with Stephen it's fantastic. And, Don is great. And Kelly (ph), his wife, is great. And their children are beautiful. And, I mean -- ideally it would be wonderful if, you know -- I guess. In my mind it would be great to all have dinner together but I don't think that's ever going to happen, you know?
KING: Wouldn't be bad. But Antonio -- if somebody looked the wrong way, Antonio is through the roof, right?
GRIFFITH: Well -- Antonio is the best. He is the most compassionate and humble and...
KING: Did you love him at first sight, almost?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Absolutely.
KING: I remember that. You did, right?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Blew you away.
GRIFFITH: He asked me how old I was, that was the first thing he said to me. I mean ...
KING: We want to talk about your career and other things.
GRIFFITH: Oh, my career. What career? I'm over 40.
KING: We're going to talk a lot about the SABERA Foundation. Our guest is Melanie Griffith who, by the way -- if you saw "Stuart Little," she played the bird. We're going to ask her to do the voice. This is one of the best -- the best cartoon-type flicks ever made. You had to be proud of that. We'll be right back with Melanie Griffith right after this, don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELANIE GRIFFITH, VOICE ACTRESS: Well, to tell you the truth, I've never flown before. It is kind of a dream of mine.
MICHAEL J. FOX, VOICE ACTOR: Then how come you haven't done it?
GRIFFITH: Something is always stopping me.
FOX: Yes, something is always stopping me too. Everyone around here thinks I am too small to accomplish anything.
GRIFFITH: Hey. The way I see it, you are as big as you feel.
FOX: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFITH: You know where you can bury your hatchet? Now get your bony ass out of my sight.
And if you really think that I said I loved you as part of some scheme, then that is really pathetic, you know?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God. She'll stop at nothing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of a show are you people running here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I am sorry he has got to see this, but it means nothing to us. Jack, let's get upstairs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not without her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: We're back with Melanie Griffith who said, I'm over 40, what career? What do you mean?
GRIFFITH: Well, I mean -- well, actually, I've been working. But something happens -- and I never believed it when I was like 34 and people would say -- you know -- who would ask me, Well, what's going to happen to you when you're 40? What are you going to do? You know, you don't have much time left.
And I was like, what are you talking about? And then -- and then -- with the Revlon contract that I had, which I don't have any more, because now I'm really too old -- I got the age-defying line. And I was 34. And I -- I was extremely flattered and I loved Ronald (ph) really, and Revlon -- really...
KING: Pearlman (ph) and Revlon. But their only appeal is to young people, they don't appeal to people over 30? Is that it?
GRIFFITH: Well, I don't know. I mean, it's -- age-defying at 34? It's like -- why don't you just be healthy, and then you know what I mean? Shouldn't age-defying be at, like, 50 or 60?
KING: You lose Revlon, then did you stop seeing good scripts?
GRIFFITH: Yes. The other thing is it could be -- I married -- met Antonio and we had Stella I didn't want to work. You know? So I took some time off and...
KING: Can't do that in this business, right?
GRIFFITH: I don't know. Katharine Hepburn did pretty good.
KING: How did the "Stuart Little" thing come? GRIFFITH: The "Stuart Little" thing came because Doug Wick, who produced "Working Girl," called me, and Lucy Fisher, and asked me if I would do it. And...
KING: Had you ever done a voice before? Cartoons?
GRIFFITH: No. No. And I thought it would be a piece of cake; that it would be really easy. And, whoa, is it a whole different deal.
KING: Why?
GRIFFITH: Because you can't use your face; you can't use yourself to hide -- you know, you can't manipulate the -- with whatever your...
KING: It's all voice.
GRIFFITH: Yes, it's all in the voice. And they do have a camera on you that -- so that the animators can copy you when they're drawing your character.
KING: So you do it before the drawings are made?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: So you didn't see the bird? Just maybe a picture of the bird.
GRIFFITH: I saw a picture. Yes.
KING: How did you find that voice and then retain that voice? How many days did you shoot that movie?
GRIFFITH: How many times did I go in there? Oh, gosh, I don't know. Twenty. Over a year. Like for a year.
KING: Now how did you find that voice?
GRIFFITH: Through Rob Menkoff and also through the head of the studios, I mean, down and saying -- Rob had to call me one day and say you -- you suck.
It's hard. It's really hard because you have to be very big; you have to...
KING: Broad?
GRIFFITH: Yes! It's almost -- I guess it's like radio. Like if...
KING: Yes. And Richard Dreyfus told me once, people who think radio acting is easy are wrong.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Because you got nothing to work with but your voice.
GRIFFITH: Exactly.
KING: So you've got to really make it believable. Then you finally found it?
GRIFFITH: Yes. . Yes.
KING: Melanie, give me a little of the bird.
GRIFFITH: Life's an adventure, Stuart. Walking out that door is an adventure. And I can't say it now.
KING: But you got that lilt, though.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Did you work with -- when you're doing it, are you doing it with the other actors? Is everyone standing around?
GRIFFITH: The first time I got to do it with Michael J. Fox, which is really beautiful and...
KING: He's great.
GRIFFITH: And -- -- and we did it in the same room, and we were across from each other and he was so -- he's so fabulous. And so animated and he was doing all these -- you know -- he was being Stuart while he was doing it and I didn't know how to do it. And so...
KING: What was it like when you saw the finished product? The first time you saw the complete "Stuart Little"; that little bird and your voice?
GRIFFITH: It was great because I had my kids with me and they loved it. So it was good.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Stuart Little II")
GRIFFITH: Stuart pull up!
FOX: I can't. It's stuck.
GRIFFITH: Well try harder!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Are we going to have a "Stuart Little III?"
GRIFFITH: I don't know. That's too...
KING: Would you do it again?
GRIFFITH: Sure. Absolutely.
KING: Now you mentioned that you have a movie coming, right? With Gabriel Byrne, right?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: That's going to come out.
GRIFFITH: That's called "Shade." I also have one called "Temple."
KING: Done already?
GRIFFITH: Done already; that I did in Europe earlier this year. And then I'm going to go and do "The Night They Called It A Day." The one that is about Frank Sinatra and Barbara Marx when they went to Australia.
KING: Was that a short story or a magazine?
GRIFFITH: It was a true story -- I mean -- it's a true story, but the script is not true to -- you know...
KING: And you play Barbara Marx?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: And who plays Frank?
GRIFFITH: Dennis Hopper.
KING: Whoa!
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Have you worked with him before?
GRIFFITH: No, my -- one of my ex-husbands did and so...
KING: Like him?
GRIFFITH: Yes, very much. Very much.
KING: He's a great talent.
GRIFFITH: Yes. And he's very cool.
KING: "The Night They Called It A Day."
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: All right.
Before we talk about SABERA, which we're going to pick up in the next portion, is everything good in your life now?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Everything is good. I mean, I wouldn't mind making some good movies, you know. I wouldn't mind making movies -- I don't know why you have to be 25 to -- you know -- star in a movie. Or 30.
And I know a lot of other women -- and I -- you know -- I know there's a lot of other actresses say that.
KING: I mean, you made quite a lot of movies.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Was "Working Girl" the best?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Working Girl")
GRIFFITH: I have a head for business and a body for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFITH: I would -- I think it's one of the best. I must say that -- that -- Jonathan Demme, "Something Wild," was very special.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Something Wild")
GRIFFITH: Tomorrow you're going to wake up and you're still going to be Charlie Driggs, you know? And this will all be over and done with. So why don't we enjoy it while we can.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFITH: And also "Night Moves" with Arthur Penn. And also "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman who is -- I am his biggest fan.
KING: Our guest is Melanie Griffith. We'll be right back.
Don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Nobody's Fool")
PAUL NEWMAN, ACTOR: You're going to be the best looking woman in Hawaii. You're going to be fine.
GRIFFITH: We would have been terrific together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "Bonfire of the Vanities")
BRUCE WILLIS, ACTOR: Mrs. Ruskin, I understand that you're Sherman McCoy's lover.
GRIFFITH: Excuse me?
WILLIS: And that not only were you with him on the night of his unfortunate accident in the Bronx, but that you were driving the car.
GRIFFITH: Sherman would never tell you that.
WILLIS: Well I was hoping you could tell me what happened that night.
GRIFFITH: Listen, mister...
WILLIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
GRIFFITH: Peckerhead! I'm hear for my husband's funeral, understand? Now go away. Disappear. Disintegrate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Our guest is Melanie Griffith, and one of the purposes in Melanie coming here tonight to talk about this -- we've talked about other things. We'll touch some other bases later -- is the SABERA Foundation, which tries to aid the street children of Calcutta. Who are they?
GRIFFITH: They are -- well, actually, I haven't -- there's 12 million people that live in Calcutta. And there's six million that are homeless. And...
KING: And?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: The people have no homes.
GRIFFITH: Yes. They live on the streets. They sleep on the streets. And, we went walking one night to rescue a little girl because a lot of the parents, they can't take care of their children.
KING: So what do they do, go away?
GRIFFITH: Well, now that -- Nacho Cano who started this whole thing, and Carlos who works with him -- Carlos goes around and looks for children that are in trouble. And he brings them into Kalitala, which is where the -- where SABERA is. But, the Goddess House, I call it.
KING: And by in trouble, meaning they're drifting around the streets; they're...
GRIFFITH: Meaning that they're either -- either their parents have left, and they're alone, or that their parents are drug addicts and they're -- or they're being prostituted. You know -- I mean -- it's just -- it's beyond -- beyond any -- you're -- any way that I can explain it in words. It's an assault upon your whole being, your -- every sense -- your touch, feel, sight, smell...
KING: Indian government does nothing for them?
GRIFFITH: I am not a politician; I don't know what to say about that.
KING: What do they do for these lost children when they take them to SABERA?
GRIFFITH: They -- well -- we only take in girls right now. Little girls.
KING: Why?
GRIFFITH: Well, because -- because -- because it's the patriarchal society. The boys are taken care of. The girls are not.
KING: So little boys get treated better than little girls.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: So you take in girls and do what?
GRIFFITH: And we are rehabilitating them. It depends on how old they are. Shamoli (ph), one of the little girls, she's 17. She came in three years ago. She had been -- I don't know -- abused many many times. She was very angry. And now she is an angel. She is -- she's found herself. She is helping other people; she is helping other kids. She's -- I mean, now we have 140 girls, and there's 95 on the waiting list and what we've done is we've bought a huge building -- it's not very expensive in India -- to build a hospital.
And half of -- the building is so huge that it can be half of a hospital and then half of a school, because the way that the children are treated in regular schools there, they're treated like lower class. They're beaten -- they're, you know, made fun of. They are hurt. A lot of things happen that are not very nice. So, we need to put the school in, but -- so that's what I've been working on. And I've been calling my friends -- all my friends that I know that can possibly help.
KING: And you raise money?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: How do people help?
GRIFFITH: Well...
KING: Is there a number they can call or...
GRIFFITH: You go to saberafoundation.org.
KING: Get all the information there. It's SABERA -- saberafoundation.org.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Now, tell me about this -- this -- CD and video, together, which we're going to show you some clips of.
GRIFFITH: My sister and I came -- she actually came up with this idea because she's a great singer. You met her back there. She said why don't we go over there and, you know, do a CD with the girls singing and then we can kind of -- maybe somebody would release it and we could make some money for the foundation.
And, so I told Nacho Cano who's a musician, who's fantastic, amazing and -- you know -- from Spain. And he said, Why not -- why don't we get our friends to do it.
KING: Yes, and what friends you got. Let's take them down.
GRIFFITH: Well -- well -- so the first person that I called, and he needs to get this credit because he is an amazing friend, is Sting. And I called him and...
KING: He said yes.
GRIFFITH: He said yes immediately.
KING: And that's something you're going to be seeing -- what a song that is. What a job they did on this video too. We'll be right back with Melanie Griffith, don't go away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now this cassette also features Ricky Martin, Bob Dylan, all these names...
GRIFFITH: Wait, wait, wait -- before you got to go Antonio first.
KING: Well, we've talked about him. How does -- he sings "Imagine."
GRIFFITH: Yes; he sings "Imagine" -- he sings two songs. He sings "Imagine" and Yoko -- I called Yoko, and said please and she allowed Antonio -- only Antonio -- to sing it. And, it's so beautiful and -- and you'll see -- we have this...
KING: We've got it -- at the end of this segment you're going to see Antonio singing -- or hear him singing -- "Imagine" beautifully.
GRIFFITH: And, then he also is singing with Alejandro Sanz and Vicente Amigo, who is one of the greatest guitar players in the world.
KING: Did we know that Antonio was a singer? Of course, his early career was just acting. "Evita" made him a singer. Right?
GRIFFITH: Well, he's always sung.
KING: I gather that, but we didn't know it until "Evita."
GRIFFITH: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFITH: But he's a natural -- he plays the piano and plays guitar and sings and he doesn't read a note.
KING: And he's going to play Poncho Villa right?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: OK, now, how did they get Dylan and...
GRIFFITH: Dylan was gotten by Penelope. And then Esther Canadas came in -- who's fantastic -- who is -- is just the great -- you know who she is?
KING: Sure.
GRIFFITH: So she has the fashion school. She's doing -- teaching the kids how to sew and they make their own uniforms and it's amazing.
KING: But how did you get all these artists? How did you put this kind of album together?
GRIFFITH: I called them. I called them and asked really nicely. And so did Penelope.
KING: On this album is -- is -- Sting. Noah (ph). Ricky Martin.
GRIFFITH: Ricky Martin -- I ran into him in a restaurant in Paris when I was having a meeting with Carlos Ituino, who is the head of Universal Music in Spain. And...
KING: You asked him?
GRIFFITH: And Ricky said you're going -- what are you doing with India -- he sent a note over, very politely, and said, Could I come over and -- and -- so I said well, would you -- you know -- would you sing a song on this album? And he said absolutely. So he wrote it for this...
KING: Omare (ph).
GRIFFITH: Yes, and it's amazing.
KING: And then Alanis Morissette, we discussed that. GRIFFITH: She wrote also, and that's beautiful.
KING: OK, are there any other shakers on it?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: And Antonio of course, and Katima (ph) and Juanes (ph) -- is it Juanes (ph)?
GRIFFITH: Juanes (ph).
KING: And Tracy Griffith and Melanie Griffith.
GRIFFITH: It's Catama (ph).
KING: Melanie sings "Cross Our Hearts." You sing. You're a singer.
GRIFFITH: Of sorts. My sister is the singer.
KING: But you were -- you join her on this. And then...
GRIFFITH: And then...
KING: Wait a minute. "Living Like Horses," by Elton John, sung by Pavarotti.
GRIFFITH: Both of them.
KING: They both sing.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: You don't fool around with low lives, do you? You don't hang around with them, the slums.
GRIFFITH: No. But that is so amazing to hear that and then to hear Placido Domingo sing "The Real Madrid Hymn" (ph) with the boys in Calcutta because they are...
KING: Now, where do people get this CD?
GRIFFITH: You'll be able to get it everywhere. It will come out in November.
KING: What's it called? Got a...
GRIFFITH: It's called the SABERA Peace CD. Hopefully, there will be another -- little voices of the world or something like that -- some thing. But, basically I think everybody will know about it.
KING: And the video will be available too?
GRIFFITH: Well, now they have this new thing, you know, on the computer where if you pop in your floppy -- your disc -- you can also have the video come up on your computer. KING: I don't know anything about computers.
GRIFFITH: You don't?
KING: No, so you can pop in your floppy disk...
GRIFFITH: Well, no, no, you put in your disc.
KING: It flops?
GRIFFITH: See, that's how much I know about computers, too, and I have an Internet company...
So you put your -- you put your CD in and as you listen to the music, you see the video.
KING: It pops up. Is the disc -- I've got to know this -- floppy? When they say a floppy...
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: No, it's not.
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: OK, so how did it get that name?
GRIFFITH: Uh...
KING: Ah-ha!
GRIFFITH: Floppy. It was somebody named Mr. Floppy.
KING: Soltys Floppy -- he never gets any credit.
GRIFFITH: That's who it was; that's right.
KING: You're going to go back to Calcutta?
GRIFFITH: Yes. I never thought I would say that, but absolutely.
KING: How do you deal with walking around in that kind of misery? How do you emotionally deal with that when you come from a place of plenty?
GRIFFITH: You cry. A lot. And also they drive like maniacs -- maniacs -- I mean, you sit there and you see -- Tracy, my sister and Olan (ph) and I were like I was going -- calling my mother and pray for us sinners now (UNINTELLIGIBLE) like that. And then -- and that was like God, just if we have a little bit of grace, we'll make it through it. We'll get to the hotel. Or we'll get to Kalitala. And it's wild.
KING: And walking among that... GRIFFITH: Walking among that -- especially being blonde and my sister being redheaded. But you know what? It's not that. It's the heart. It's the -- it's just your heart and your -- we have to change. It's not just Calcutta. It's not just Calcutta that needs to be changed but, but my ideal -- if I could do anything, it would be to make this a prototype that you could take all over the place. That you could take to Afghanistan...
KING: For children everywhere.
GRIFFITH: For children. Because they are our future and...
KING: We'll be back with our remaining moments with Melanie Griffith, and as we go to break here, as promised, Antonio.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did he die, if you don't mind me asking?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I killed him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well. I guess that fixed his little red wagon.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's following me, though. I mean, not him. It is his ghost. Only it don't sound like a ghost, it sounds like just like him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you sure he is dead?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes. I made sure of that. Do you ever need to get rid of somebody that just would not go away?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My first husband. Honey, he used to yell out his mother's name when we were doing it. You know, making love.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The only thing Chester (ph) ever yelled was touchdown.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Again, if you want to help, it is the saberafoundation.org, and Penelope Cruz also sings on this CD, which will be available in November, and with your floppy disc, you can even see a great video. I'm going to touch some other bases. You concerned about security at all?
GRIFFITH: Security...
KING: Yes.
GRIFFITH: Where, here?
KING: Yes. Yes, against you and...
GRIFFITH: No.
KING: Stalkers? Ever have to deal with anything like that?
GRIFFITH: They mostly want to stalk my husband so if that happened I would just -- you know...
KING: Women stalk you? You were hit by a car once, right?
GRIFFITH: How did you know that?
KING: They told me. I didn't know. How old were you? Young?
GRIFFITH: I think I was 22.
KING: What effect did that have on you?
GRIFFITH: I woke up in the hospital and I had been very drunk and I was walking in the crosswalk and the drunk driver hit me.
KING: Drunk driver hit a drunk.
GRIFFITH: Yes. See, God's been trying to tell me this the whole time, to stop.
KING: And you've been very honest; you have a Web site; you talk about your -- the kind of life you were -- early -- too early sexually involved. How do you deal with teaching your children?
GRIFFITH: Chastity belts. No, I -- I -- have said there's no way that it's going to happen. And, I'm doing it for your own protection and I don't care if you fall in love with a 22 year old guy; it's not going to happen, you are not going to go out -- you know? But I'm really open with them, and then -- I talk about it, everything, and they -- basically -- I mean, not with Stella. She's too little. But...
KING: Your mom has been on this show and she's an old friend -- Tippi Hedren. How's she doing?
GRIFFITH: She's great.
KING: Are you an animal lover, too?
GRIFFITH: Of course.
KING: Your mothers an animal...
GRIFFITH: Freak. KING: Gave up a career for animals, right?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Yes.
KING: Has she been close -- have you and her been close through all of the ups and downs and travails of the life of Melanie Griffith?
GRIFFITH: On and off. On and off.
KING: Is it currently on?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Of course.
KING: How about the death of your father? How old was he?
GRIFFITH: Sixty-seven.
KING: Too young.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: What did he die of?
GRIFFITH: Alcohol.
KING: This is rampant.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Do you have to watch yourself all the time...
GRIFFITH: Sorry.
KING: ... It's OK. Do you have to watch yourself all the time? I mean, with that much...
GRIFFITH: Yes, I do. It's just -- you know -- I hope that they find -- you know how they found in DNA that that 150 people family that they didn't have a thumb, they found this DNA that fixed it? Well, hopefully they're going to find the one that will fix alcoholism and drug addiction, you know?
KING: Do you feel lucky or unlucky? I mean, if you look at your life...
GRIFFITH: I feel so lucky, are you kidding?
KING: Because you had so many bad thing happen. I mean, you've had a lot of great thing happen to you, but you've had bad things happen to you, you know? You've had ups and downs; you've lost things in your life.
GRIFFITH: Yes, but everybody has, you know? Haven't you?
KING: Yes, sure. GRIFFITH: Everybody has; it's just that you -- you're in the public eye and they -- you know -- and nothing else better to write about.
KING: Yes, I've never understood cheapness. Never understood it.
Where were you on 9/11, dear?
GRIFFITH: I was in L.A. I was in L.A.
KING: Were you awake or asleep?
GRIFFITH: I was asleep and my husband woke me up because he'd just flown in from Spain and he was awake and he watched it live.
KING: Remember what -- what went through your mind?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Yes.
KING: Were your children there?
GRIFFITH: They were in the house with us, yes.
KING: Did you talk to them about it?
GRIFFITH: Later. Not -- Stella not right away. But I...
KING: How old is Stella?
GRIFFITH: Well, then she was four. But, it -- it was just unbelievable to me that -- I shouldn't say what I want to say because it's political and I'm not a politician and I'll get myself in trouble.
KING: Why? You -- well, you're certainly saddened by it. What were you going to say?
GRIFFITH: Well, I just -- I don't know how -- if there were so many warnings which we're now hearing that there were. Why weren't they taken care of? Why weren't they listened to?
KING: That's a fair thing to say. Everyone wonders why -- in other words, how did we let this happen?
GRIFFITH: And also why does it come out a year later? You know?
KING: Yes. Well, investigations go on. We learn things all the time. Do you have a -- do you have a fear for your safety?
GRIFFITH: No, I don't walk around with fear. I walk around with strength. I mean, I believe in cause and effect.
KING: So, isn't it hard for two attractive people, married, working in film, and they travel opposite ways. By nature it's got to be tough. GRIFFITH: Yes, it's hard but we try not to do it very much. The thing is the kids are getting older, they can't -- we can't travel with them now like we used to. They've got to be in school. You know?
And so we do the best that we can and we try not to be away from each other for more than two weeks at time.
KING: Can you make that rule in your business?
GRIFFITH: Well, yes. He can. I mean, he can put it in his contract. You know? But...
KING: Are you saying he's a bigger star than you?
GRIFFITH: Of course.
KING: You were bigger than him once.
GRIFFITH: But you know what? There are no small parts; there are only small actors.
KING: Well put. Want to have any other children?
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: Trying?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Every day, actually.
KING: Oh, every day you try?
GRIFFITH: No, I would love to have another baby, and Antonio would love to have another baby, and you know, maybe. God willing.
KING: You like being pregnant?
GRIFFITH: Yes. Yes.
KING: Even though it reduces your workload. You don't get parts when you're...
GRIFFITH: Well, hey, you know. Like they're flowing in so heavily.
KING: Did you like the comparisons, when people make comparisons of you to Monroe?
GRIFFITH: It was extremely flattered -- I was born in the hospital, but she was having a miscarriage, the day of...
KING: You're kidding. The day you were born -- what hospital was it?
GRIFFITH: Doctor's Hospital in New York.
KING: Doctor's Hospital in New York. Marilyn Monroe had a miscarriage that day.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
KING: And was in the hospital that day.
GRIFFITH: Yes.
I've apologized to my mother since because at one point I said I think God switched me -- you know -- at the last minute. And, my mom got very upset.
KING: If you want to help it's the SABERA -- S-A-B-E-R-A Foundation and just click into that -- saberafoundation.org -- you'll get all the information from a wonderfully talented lady and a great guest. Thank you, Melanie.
GRIFFITH: Thank you, Larry, so much.
KING: Melanie Griffith.
Stay tuned for "NEWSNIGHT" with Aaron Brown. I'm Larry King. Thanks for joining us and good night.
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