‘Submarine’ star Sally Hawkins not one to seek attention – Interview with Cindy Pearlman, Chicago Sun-Times

‘Submarine’ star Sally Hawkins not one to seek attention (June 2011)

Sally Hawkins plays a woman with a lot of problems in “Submarine,” directed by Richard Ayoade.
When someone gasps in Sally Hawkins’ presence, the English actress is the one who looks around to see what famous person is in her vicinity.

No, it’s not the queen. Or even Pippa.

“I’m always flabbergasted when people recognize me,” the indie film star says. “I never think of myself as famous. In fact, I was recognized yesterday and it’s always a bit embarrassing. People are always lovely. I think they recognize that I’m shy when I’m not acting. It’s hard for me when I’m not playing a part.”

A Golden Globe winner for “Happy Go Lucky,” Hawkins grew up in London, where as a child she was obsessed with 1940s black-and-white films. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and then embarked on an acting career.

In “Submarine,” opening Friday, she plays Jill, the mother of a teenager desperate to lose his virginity while stopping his mother from having an affair. Jill is in the middle of a marital crisis with her husband, Lloyd (Noah Taylor), and then there is the entrance of her old flame Graham (Paddy Considine), a self-help guru who is hawking his motivational videos about color auras.

1 How was the royal wedding?
I was in Los Angeles doing press for this movie during the royal wedding. So, I missed it, but it was so well-covered in the states that I felt like I was standing next to them. I feel like I know every detail down to what Pippa ate.

2 When did you know you wanted to act?
It wasn’t like one day I just announced I was going to become an actress. It was a growing thing. I’ve always been interested in creating. So my family knew whatever I was going to do, it was going to be in a creative field. I always thought I’d go to art school and use art as a way of expression. I’ve always been very drawn to design, graphics and painting. That’s still a huge passion. I knew I had to follow my heart and I also liked telling stories and making people laugh. So, the acting just grew from there.

3 What was the appeal of “Submarine”?
I thought it was such a brilliant script. I’ve known Richard [Ayoade, the director] for a few years. One day, he phoned me up and asked if I’d be interested in this movie “Submarine.” I agreed to do it before I even read the script. That’s a compliment to Richard, because I knew if he was involved it would be high quality.

4 Is it fun to play a woman who is such a mess?
She’s a great character. She’s mad in the best possible way. People wouldn’t necessarily think of me playing Jill because she’s older than I am, plus she’s so uptight and so controlled. Basically, we know this woman. She’s angry and frustrated with her life. I fell in love with her because of all of her neurotic worries. She’s a tragic figure on the outside. I’ve learned that tragic characters are always the best to play. Jill has no sense of humor. She’s incredibly serious. I had to play out her neurosis in such a controlled manner.

5 Do you think she’s a poster child for someone trapped in a bad marriage?
It’s so incredibly sad to feel that trapped. There are a lot of people who don’t really know how to get out. She doesn’t know how to unravel her whole life, but partly that’s due to her narrow way of thinking and seeing the world. I find that tragic. Like so many women and men, she has forgotten herself. She has almost forgotten how to breathe. She’s so tightly held and holding on so tightly, she almost doesn’t realize she’s doing it.

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~ Interview by Cindy Pearlman for Chicago Sun-Times (5th June 2011)

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