Elisha Cuthbert dishes on working with Jamie Babbit, playing a “space cadet” on “Happy Endings”
In my opinion, Jamie Babbit‘s The Quiet is completely underrated. It was a much darker movie than it’s predecessor, But I’m a Cheerleader, but it was an intense and moving portrait of a screwed up family as viewed by a teenage girl who would rather pretend to be deaf and mute than be a part of it.
Elisha Cuthbert was one of the film’s stars, and she was at last night’s TCA Winter Press Tour, promoting her new show, Happy Endings. I wanted to find out how she could go from her more dramatic work, like The Quiet, in which she stars as a young cheerleader who has a sexual relationship with her father, to an ABC comedy.
“Right now I’m all about comedy, and I kind of have been, but it took a lot of breaking down the doors to let me step into that whole world,” Elisha said. “So to break down that barrier and get here and finally to be here is awesome. It’s where I want to be!”
But Cuthbert said that working with out director Babbit was a treasured experience, and she speaks highly of The Quiet and her time on set.
“She is so lovely, fantastic woman – incredible director,” Elisha said. “We just had a blast. It ws a dark movie we did together. I produced the film so it’s close to my heart. It’s so nice to work with all women. We really only had two other male actors and our producer was her partner and myself and also Jamie being a female directing it, and then Edie Falco, Camilla Belle – it was girl power all the way and it was a lot of fun to do.”
I told Elisha she had a lesbian fanbase, and asked if she was aware of it. She emphatically said “No!” and was proud to hear she had made it into AfterEllen.com’s Hot 100. “I hope I was in the Top 10!” she said, but my face must have indicated otherwise. Maybe she’ll move up the ranks when Happy Endings comes on air, and her comedic talent shines.
“My character is a little – I don’t want to say ‘space cadet,’ but I’m definitely playing her light and sort of free spirit, carefree, sometimes doesn’t think before speaks and doesn’t mind that. She’s still trying to figure herself out,” Elisha said. And she’ll be sharing a lot of fun scenes with co-star Casey Wilson.
“We have a lot of great stuff coming up from us. I love working with her. It’s like dynamite chemistry together, so much fun,” Elisha said. “I think we just work together really well. And you’re like ‘hey, this is easy and effortless,’ and with her, it’s just easy.”
Happy Endings premieres this spring on ABC.
