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CNN Live Today

Americans in Paris

Aired August 25, 2003 - 10:47   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The new movie "Le Divorce" portrays the many cultural faux paus that can occur when American and French society clash. The movie tells the story of two American sisters in Paris, one of whom is headed for "Le Divorce" from her scoundrel of a French husband. Getting unhitched turns out to be quite a comedy of manners. The film has an all-star line-up, too, Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts, Glenn Close and Stockard Channing, and on yes, there's also this fantastic and two-time Emmy winner Bebe Neuwirth who's joining us this morning from New York.
Thanks so much for being here, Mrs. Neuwirth. We appreciate your time.

BEBE NEUWIRTH, ACTRESS: Thanks for having me.

COLLINS: So are you excited about the project? Tell us a little bit about the character that you play.

NEUWIRTH: I play a museum curator. She's from the Getty Museum in California, and I like to think that she has a special place in her heart for le tour (ph), because she's very excited to find this painting that's come up in some divorce proceedings, and she hopes to purchase it for the museum.

COLLINS: This has been written as a book, obviously, as we have said, and a lot of times, as you know, when books are adapted into movies some people get a little bit disappointed. Tell the people who have read this book how that will not happen here.

NEUWIRTH: Well, it's -- well, I can't say that they won't happen because sometimes have you just such an affection for a book, that no matter how great the movie is, you can't be swayed. But it is a different thing. It's a book, and this is a movie. It's slightly different from the book. It's lovely to see -- you know, Paris, you can't take a bad picture in Paris, and all of the actors are so fantastic. There's this whole raft of French actors we don't really know here in this country but who are fantastic, and it's really wonderful. It's really a wonderful thing to see.

COLLINS: I know that you worked with Kate Hudson just a while ago on the movie "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days." What's it like working with her again?

NEUWIRTH: She's great. Actually we did this first together. I worked on this first. And she's lovely. I like her very much. A great girl's girl. COLLINS: Tell me also about what your thoughts are as far as the relationship between the United States and France right now, a little taxed of a relationship, if you will.

NEUWIRTH: Well, I'm not really qualified to speak about foreign affairs and global politics, but it is interesting. And anybody who's traveled abroad either as a tourist or better yet, working in another country, because I do think that's the best way to learn about another country, even our own country, different areas, there are differences. You know, there are cultural differences, and I think, you know, you can't expect things to be the way they are at home. When in Rome, do as the Romans is actually really good advice.

But you know, keep home in your heart and just, you know, it's interesting to learn about people. People are the same at core. It's their cultural differences that are really fascinating. And you know, and they can expand one as a person if you, you know, if you remain open to it and let yourself learn from the experience.

COLLINS: I'm sure something that is not the same though is your experience on Broadway. We know you so well from "Chicago," and doing the movies now. Tell us a little bit about the differences. We were looking at some video of you as Thelma of course.

NEUWIRTH: Well, it's -- one is very, very physical. And obviously, I'm a dancer and I've been a dancer all my life, so my first instinct is to express physically, and when you work on a film, frequently the performance experience is much, much smaller, you know, unless there's action sequences or you know, something like that. It's just a much more visceral, muscular experience to be on the stage for me. So I am a little bit more comfortable on the stage. Also, I've been doing it since I was a very small child.

COLLINS: Right.

NEUWIRTH: I'm scared to not be on stage. I'm not scared to be on stage.

COLLINS: Last question for you. Tell us what's next for your career.

NEUWIRTH: I'm actually working on a very small project with a couple of friends, just going to go into a rehearsal room and develop a piece myself with a composer that I love very much, and try to create a theatrical evening to do in a very, very small venue, and then there's another thing I'm working on, hopefully developing a couple of Shakespeare pieces with a friend of mine.

COLLINS: All right, good for you. Thanks so much for being with us today. Bebe Neuwirth, and it is in theaters now, "Le Divorce." Appreciate your time.

NEUWIRTH: Thanks.

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 August 25, 2003 - 10:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The new movie "Le Divorce" portrays the many cultural faux paus that can occur when American and French society clash. The movie tells the story of two American sisters in Paris, one of whom is headed for "Le Divorce" from her scoundrel of a French husband. Getting unhitched turns out to be quite a comedy of manners. The film has an all-star line-up, too, Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts, Glenn Close and Stockard Channing, and on yes, there's also this fantastic and two-time Emmy winner Bebe Neuwirth who's joining us this morning from New York.
Thanks so much for being here, Mrs. Neuwirth. We appreciate your time.

BEBE NEUWIRTH, ACTRESS: Thanks for having me.

COLLINS: So are you excited about the project? Tell us a little bit about the character that you play.

NEUWIRTH: I play a museum curator. She's from the Getty Museum in California, and I like to think that she has a special place in her heart for le tour (ph), because she's very excited to find this painting that's come up in some divorce proceedings, and she hopes to purchase it for the museum.

COLLINS: This has been written as a book, obviously, as we have said, and a lot of times, as you know, when books are adapted into movies some people get a little bit disappointed. Tell the people who have read this book how that will not happen here.

NEUWIRTH: Well, it's -- well, I can't say that they won't happen because sometimes have you just such an affection for a book, that no matter how great the movie is, you can't be swayed. But it is a different thing. It's a book, and this is a movie. It's slightly different from the book. It's lovely to see -- you know, Paris, you can't take a bad picture in Paris, and all of the actors are so fantastic. There's this whole raft of French actors we don't really know here in this country but who are fantastic, and it's really wonderful. It's really a wonderful thing to see.

COLLINS: I know that you worked with Kate Hudson just a while ago on the movie "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days." What's it like working with her again?

NEUWIRTH: She's great. Actually we did this first together. I worked on this first. And she's lovely. I like her very much. A great girl's girl. COLLINS: Tell me also about what your thoughts are as far as the relationship between the United States and France right now, a little taxed of a relationship, if you will.

NEUWIRTH: Well, I'm not really qualified to speak about foreign affairs and global politics, but it is interesting. And anybody who's traveled abroad either as a tourist or better yet, working in another country, because I do think that's the best way to learn about another country, even our own country, different areas, there are differences. You know, there are cultural differences, and I think, you know, you can't expect things to be the way they are at home. When in Rome, do as the Romans is actually really good advice.

But you know, keep home in your heart and just, you know, it's interesting to learn about people. People are the same at core. It's their cultural differences that are really fascinating. And you know, and they can expand one as a person if you, you know, if you remain open to it and let yourself learn from the experience.

COLLINS: I'm sure something that is not the same though is your experience on Broadway. We know you so well from "Chicago," and doing the movies now. Tell us a little bit about the differences. We were looking at some video of you as Thelma of course.

NEUWIRTH: Well, it's -- one is very, very physical. And obviously, I'm a dancer and I've been a dancer all my life, so my first instinct is to express physically, and when you work on a film, frequently the performance experience is much, much smaller, you know, unless there's action sequences or you know, something like that. It's just a much more visceral, muscular experience to be on the stage for me. So I am a little bit more comfortable on the stage. Also, I've been doing it since I was a very small child.

COLLINS: Right.

NEUWIRTH: I'm scared to not be on stage. I'm not scared to be on stage.

COLLINS: Last question for you. Tell us what's next for your career.

NEUWIRTH: I'm actually working on a very small project with a couple of friends, just going to go into a rehearsal room and develop a piece myself with a composer that I love very much, and try to create a theatrical evening to do in a very, very small venue, and then there's another thing I'm working on, hopefully developing a couple of Shakespeare pieces with a friend of mine.

COLLINS: All right, good for you. Thanks so much for being with us today. Bebe Neuwirth, and it is in theaters now, "Le Divorce." Appreciate your time.

NEUWIRTH: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com