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CNN Live Today

Awards Buzz

Aired January 13, 2004 - 10:53   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Remember this name: Shohreh Aghdashloo. She stars in "The House of Sand and Fog" as an Iranian wife and mother caught up in an unexpected legal struggle. Her role has earned her the best supporting actress award from the New York Film Critics Circle and also from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
The movie is causing quite a bit of Oscar buzz as well. Aghdashloo joins us live from New York to talk about her role and her own life. Good morning.

SHOHREH AGHDASHLOO, ACTRESS: Good morning, Daryn. How are you?

KAGAN: I'm thrilled to be talking with you. I went to see the movie last weekend in anticipation of getting to talk to you via satellite, if nothing else. It's an incredible film. And congratulations on your performance.

AGHDASHLOO: Thanks very so much.

KAGAN: You play a character called Nadi, a wife, a mother, an immigrant. And your husband Ben Kingsley in the movie is caught up in this battle over this house with Jennifer Connolly. It's a battle that your character Nadi doesn't really understand as evident by the scene we just saw.

AGHDASHLOO: That's right for the fact of the language barrier and also because Nadi is a pretty traditional woman. She's been brought up to take care of her kids, dedicate her life to the family life and obey her husband.

And she's, by tradition, she's learned not to talk about her difficulties at home to her husband. And her husband is also a traditional all man who's been brought up to take care of all the difficulties outside the home and not discuss it with his wife.

Therefore, because she cannot discuss her problems, she remains at home unhappy and voiceless.

KAGAN: What struck me about this film, there are so many different characters, you kind of wonder who thought about this idea, to bring all these characters together. But there's one central theme, it seems to me, and that I think people can identify with. And that's no matter where you come from, each of us is looking for a home and a place to belong.

AGHDASHLOO: Absolutely. I totally agree with you, Daryn. And I do believe that the core of the idea or message of the film is this, what you're referring to, is the universal question of man's quest for a piece of land. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) universal quest for man's research for a piece of land. That's right. I totally agree with you.

KAGAN: You have a different path in your character of Nadi and yet you have a fascinating life yourself. You were raised in Iran but left during the revolution. You went through England and then here to the states. You've had your own acting career. But how closely do you think this book and this movie gets to the true immigrant experience?

AGHDASHLOO: Well, pretty close, although I didn't take the same path as Nadi did. But I have witnessed many families, many voiceless women, not necessarily Iranians, but coming from all over the world, who I call unhappy immigrants.

We're in exile because of some other reasons except themselves. And I had witnessed these scenes. I had seen immigrants who were trying to adjust themselves to their new lives.

KAGAN: Let me ask you this. How does it feel 25 years into a career as a successful actress, suddenly you're an overnight success? Host of Hollywood. That must be fun.

AGHDASHLOO: It is. Absolutely, it's pure fun. And, Daryn, I keep telling friends it took me 25 years to become successful overnight. And I am extremely happy about it, especially with the critics choice because throughout my career, I have always believed in criticism. Positive or negative, I do believe that criticism is pretty constructive for actors who do believe in criticism.

KAGAN: Well, the film has received Golden Globe attention. Will we see you there on the red carpet? Are you coming to the awards?

AGHDASHLOO: no, I'm afraid not.

KAGAN: Perhaps at the Oscars?

AGHDASHLOO: I hope so.

KAGAN: We'll see.

AGHDASHLOO: That would be another dream coming true. I hope so.

KAGAN: January 27 the nominations come out. So we'll keep our fingers crossed for you. Good luck with the movie and with future success.

AGHDASHLOO: Thank you very much. Thank you for having me.

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 January 13, 2004 - 10:53   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Remember this name: Shohreh Aghdashloo. She stars in "The House of Sand and Fog" as an Iranian wife and mother caught up in an unexpected legal struggle. Her role has earned her the best supporting actress award from the New York Film Critics Circle and also from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
The movie is causing quite a bit of Oscar buzz as well. Aghdashloo joins us live from New York to talk about her role and her own life. Good morning.

SHOHREH AGHDASHLOO, ACTRESS: Good morning, Daryn. How are you?

KAGAN: I'm thrilled to be talking with you. I went to see the movie last weekend in anticipation of getting to talk to you via satellite, if nothing else. It's an incredible film. And congratulations on your performance.

AGHDASHLOO: Thanks very so much.

KAGAN: You play a character called Nadi, a wife, a mother, an immigrant. And your husband Ben Kingsley in the movie is caught up in this battle over this house with Jennifer Connolly. It's a battle that your character Nadi doesn't really understand as evident by the scene we just saw.

AGHDASHLOO: That's right for the fact of the language barrier and also because Nadi is a pretty traditional woman. She's been brought up to take care of her kids, dedicate her life to the family life and obey her husband.

And she's, by tradition, she's learned not to talk about her difficulties at home to her husband. And her husband is also a traditional all man who's been brought up to take care of all the difficulties outside the home and not discuss it with his wife.

Therefore, because she cannot discuss her problems, she remains at home unhappy and voiceless.

KAGAN: What struck me about this film, there are so many different characters, you kind of wonder who thought about this idea, to bring all these characters together. But there's one central theme, it seems to me, and that I think people can identify with. And that's no matter where you come from, each of us is looking for a home and a place to belong.

AGHDASHLOO: Absolutely. I totally agree with you, Daryn. And I do believe that the core of the idea or message of the film is this, what you're referring to, is the universal question of man's quest for a piece of land. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) universal quest for man's research for a piece of land. That's right. I totally agree with you.

KAGAN: You have a different path in your character of Nadi and yet you have a fascinating life yourself. You were raised in Iran but left during the revolution. You went through England and then here to the states. You've had your own acting career. But how closely do you think this book and this movie gets to the true immigrant experience?

AGHDASHLOO: Well, pretty close, although I didn't take the same path as Nadi did. But I have witnessed many families, many voiceless women, not necessarily Iranians, but coming from all over the world, who I call unhappy immigrants.

We're in exile because of some other reasons except themselves. And I had witnessed these scenes. I had seen immigrants who were trying to adjust themselves to their new lives.

KAGAN: Let me ask you this. How does it feel 25 years into a career as a successful actress, suddenly you're an overnight success? Host of Hollywood. That must be fun.

AGHDASHLOO: It is. Absolutely, it's pure fun. And, Daryn, I keep telling friends it took me 25 years to become successful overnight. And I am extremely happy about it, especially with the critics choice because throughout my career, I have always believed in criticism. Positive or negative, I do believe that criticism is pretty constructive for actors who do believe in criticism.

KAGAN: Well, the film has received Golden Globe attention. Will we see you there on the red carpet? Are you coming to the awards?

AGHDASHLOO: no, I'm afraid not.

KAGAN: Perhaps at the Oscars?

AGHDASHLOO: I hope so.

KAGAN: We'll see.

AGHDASHLOO: That would be another dream coming true. I hope so.

KAGAN: January 27 the nominations come out. So we'll keep our fingers crossed for you. Good luck with the movie and with future success.

AGHDASHLOO: Thank you very much. Thank you for having me.

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