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An interview with “Bloomington” actress Sarah Stouffer

If you liked Loving Annabelle and its lead Erin Kelly, prepare to meet and love Sarah Stouffer in Bloomington, which you can catch at your local LGBT film festival. Stouffer plays Jackie, a former child star whom, while venturing out on her own at college and attempting to adapt to everyday student life, falls for Allison McAtee’s Catherine, a fierce professor with a reputation for having affairs with her students. AfterEllen.com caught up with Stouffer to discuss the straight actress’s first film role, working with out director Fernanda Cardoso and what happened when she hit on her co-star.

AfterEllen.com: How did you first get involved with Bloomington?

Sarah Stouffer: I had an agent and got sent on the audition, and it was a whirlwind from there.

AE: Did you know you were going up for a gay role when you headed out? SS: Yes, I did. It was in the breakdown that she falls in love with her female teacher.

AE: Did you approach the role any differently because of the lesbian story line?

SS: Absolutely not. I don’t feel that for Jackie, being a lesbian is what defines her. It was more about being this person in these specific situations, as opposed to approaching it differently because she’s in love with a woman or because she’s having a relationship with a woman. AE: How was working with Fernanda Cardoso? Did you lean on her for any of the film’s lesbian content?

SS: It was awesome working with Fernanda. She’s so laid back and cool as a director. We were talking about this the other day: It worked out so well because we hit it off and now we’re great friends. The way that she would direct, if I had an idea, she’d be like, “OK, let’s try it your way and let’s try it my way and we’ll use what ever looks better.” She gave us a lot of freedom to play with our own feelings and thoughts on things.

Maybe this is totally not the right thing to say, but I don’t feel like the lesbian content was any different [from] day-to-day not lesbian content. It was just more of portraying this character who was in a relationship. I didn’t really have any insider questions that I made her answer.

AE: Was this your first time playing gay?

SS: Yes! This was my first film, first anything!

AE: What was it like filming the love scenes with Allison McAtee?

SS: This is actually really funny. For me, it was totally naturally. Once we got the first kiss out of the way – it wasn’t the first kiss in the movie — it actually ended up being one of the montage scenes where I push Allison onto the desk and kiss her and all the pencils fall off. That was the first time we ever kissed; we never kissed in rehearsals. I was kind of nervous but I think that comes any time you’re shooting and kissing someone for the first time with eight people watching. [Laughs] Because that’s normal, right? After that, it was like nothin’!

 

I have to give credit to Fernanda, she kept a closed set and only had the people we needed there. Other than that, it was totally normal. But for me – speaking for me – a group of us working on the film were at a bar one weekend. We had off in Indiana and we went to a bar and I’m like: “Isn’t it funny how I could just kiss Allison right now because she’s this totally hot chick and we’re at a bar? I could totally kiss Allison right now and I wouldn’t think anything of it. It’d be totally normal.”

I’m saying all this to Allison, and she responds, “No, I don’t feel the same way.” I was like, “Oh shut down!” [Laughs]

AE: Shot down in your first lesbian pickup line attempt!

SS: I know! I was trying really hard! I got shot down straight-up in front of all my co-workers! Then, our costume designer really enjoyed throwing it in my face a few weeks later: “Remember that time Allison totally shut you down?” “No, I totally forgot, but thanks for reminding me!”

AE: But you wound up getting the last laugh in the end when your character has so much growth and Allison’s character reverts a little bit.

SS: Before we accepted the project, Allison and I had lunch one day, and we both agreed that that’s really what the film is about. It’s not like the movie is about a bank robbery and we have to go on a heist and climb this mountain; it’s really a character-driven piece. It is about the reversal of roles and my arc and her regression. AE: Would you make another lesbian film?

SS: If the script was right, of course. The Kids Are All Right is the best movie I’ve seen. If I could play that role, I would die. So yeah, of course I would definitely do that.

AE: What’s next for you?

SS: I’m in a yogurt commercial coming up. But I don’t have an agent at the moment; I’m trying to find one so I can have a project coming up. [Laughs]

Visit bloomingtonthemovie.com to find out where and when the film is playing near you.

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