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AE: With that in mind, do you think crimes of passion should be forgiven?
EB: When you’re in love you completely lose sight of everything. You can’t think straight. When you’re passionate about something there is that feeling that you want to rip it out of your brain. So, I don’t know. I think there should be some psychological forgiveness for that (laughs).

AE: In keeping with that, My Summer Love also offers an up close look at obsessive love. Have you ever been obsessed with someone, and if so, did it end well?
EB: I’ve definitely been in love. I’ve definitely invested so much in another person that I would put them before myself. I think that can be a dangerous game to play because you don’t look after yourself so much. I think it’s important that there is a quality of self-contentment in a relationship. But I know what it feels like to…it’s all encompassing.

AE: My Summer of Love is being released at a time when there are a number of excellent queer themed movies hitting theaters. How does it feel as an actress to be swept up in this “queer cinema revival?”
EB: It’s funny because I never saw myself being swept up by that. There’s sort of been a label that’s been attached to the film, but it was never what the film was about. It wasn’t a religious political stance, nor was it a gay versus religion (film). There’s such a simplicity to the film and what people have really responded to is the relationship between the two girls, not so much the sexual encounter. We’ve all had friends like that.

So, I guess when I accepted the role and during and after the movie, it’s sort of been a side effect of everything that I thought the movie was about. In England, people’s reactions have been different than over here (in the States). People want to stamp labels on movies here, maybe to sell it, I’m not sure.

AE: But are you prepared to become a gay icon?
EB: Me? Am I? (laughs) I don’t know what will happen.

AE: The movie also takes a close look at religious fundamentalism. Do you have an opinion about the religious fanaticism, which appears to be on the rise the world over?
EB: It’s funny, because in the UK, which is what I know because it’s where I grew up, it’s more of a parochial thing that’s going on there. It’s not so politicized. It doesn’t have the same power or resonance that it has over here. I would say that I’m Christian, but I wouldn’t say that I’m particularly religious in any way. I think that the people that I met on the movie--and they were real born-again Christians--seemed very sorted, as if God had dropped in their laps and suddenly everything was fine. I don’t know what I feel about that.

AE: Had you seen Last Resort, or any of Paul Pavlikovsky films before working with him?
EB: Yes, and I saw his short film Twockers. I haven’t seen any of his documentaries. I loved The Last Resort. He just loves people and characters and stories. As long as he casts well and finds people who will work with him. He can tease a lot out of actors. I think that’s the main thing. You fall in love with his rather layered people.

Life is ambiguous, isn’t it? It’s never as black and white as you see it in the movie. Because Paul has had such experience with documentaries, he knows what rings true and that’s why his movies move people.

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