EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Piper was was led into a room with her costars, JJ, Ingrid, and Danny, and they sat down on the chairs opposite the interviewer. Piper noticed the large poster with her face on it and it still freaked her out. She grinned nervously.
Interviewer: Welcome everyone! I'm here with the stars from the long-awaited for adaptation of the iconic book, Anne's Garden. Why don't we go around introducing yourselves and the characters you play?
The French woman pointed at Piper first who happened to have sat down on the corner. She cleared her throat nervously, fiddling with one of the rings around her fingers.
Piper: Hi! My name's Piper James, and I play Anne!
Ingrid: Salut, je m'appelle Ingrid Paradis, and I play Helene.
Danny: Hello, everyone! I'm Danny Sullivan and I play the role of Peter.
JJ: Hi, I'm Jennifer Jones, and I play Sophie.
Piper caught JJ's gaze across the room. She cleared her throat and turned to look at the interviewer again.
Interviewer: Great! I wanna start off by saying how wonderful it is to have you all here, how big of an honour to meet you all. You know, I've read this book growing up, and it was revolutionary to me at the time, as I think it is for everyone else who has read it. It's really so great that you are here, giving these beloved characters life— so, I wanted to ask, what was that experience like, for you?
Danny: I think I'll sit this one out...
They all laughed at his playfulness.
Interviewer: Piper, you play the main character, the lead. What was it like, for you?
Piper took a second to collect her thoughts, focusing her gaze on the ring, rolling in her palm.
Piper: It was a real honour, honestly. You know, growing up, I loved reading books, I loved the classics, and well, when I was sixteen, I picked up Anne's Garden from the local library on my way home from school and— I read it, all in one night. There was something in Anne that called out to me, that I think calls out to every young woman who reads this book. She's sort of— she's a modern woman, in Victorian London. She's real— she's this real person, which I think is why I believe we can all relate to her, to her feelings. The way she was written was just so raw and— human, I don't think you could describe it any other way. These characters, all of them, they're the epitome of truly being human. And I think we can all agree, it was a challenge portraying them and trying not to butcher the roles. There were so many times where we would have to step back, take a breather, find new and creative ways to deliver the lines, you know. The same word could mean different things depending on how you say it, and it all has to do with your understanding of your character. Putting yourself in their shoes and really feeling their emotions. And... It probably won't make sense but I think it was both easy and challenging for me to do so. Easy, in that, I could understand Anne perfectly, and challenging in that I needed to find the right way to portray that to the audience and... I think I did a good job. Yeah...
Piper took in a shaky breath and exhaled through a chuckle. Ingrid, who was sitting next to her, smiled and squeezed her hand.
Ingrid: I think we can all agree that you did such a fantastic job... tu étais sublime.
Interviewer: I agree with Ingrid. You did a magnificent job. You all did. Jennifer, you're the only American here.
JJ: The intruder among the British, I know!
They chuckled and Danny wrapped his arm around her shoulder, teasing her.
Interviewer: Was it difficult?
JJ: If you mean delivering the lines in a believable accent... I hope I don't sound too arrogant if I say I think I did a pretty decent job. She chuckled softly and brushed her hair behind her ears. But, uhm, you know, getting into Sophie's head... just like Pipes said, this was a character that I've admired growing up, and I just wanted to do her justice. So, it was a very delicate job, you know, you had to be very precise, very... well, I mean, of course, you have to allow for some freedom in your acting to allow that authenticity between the characters to really show. To show that chemistry between them that slowly starts to build as they get to know each other. So, I can agree, that it was a little challenging. But, certainly in the good way.
Interviewer: Of course. Now, you mentioned the building chemistry between these two characters which I think is very essential to the whole story. They're two characters who simply defy the laws of physics in how they attract one another. And I think, it's just as important for the actors to have a good chemistry, good friendship to be able to portray that, for the audience to feel the tension whenever necessary, and to feel their growing love, and passion, and anger, and pain, toward each other.
Piper hadn't meant to, but she let out a soft chuckle under her breath. She tried to cover it up by letting out a cough.
Interviewer: So, did you guys get along well? Did you meet and get to know each other before hand? When you first met, what did you think?
Ingrid: Oh, when I met Danny, I knew I was going to want to just devour him!
Danny: Oh, you flatter me!
Interviewer: Laughing quietly. What about you Jennifer, what was your first impression of Piper?
JJ: she shifted in her seat, crossing one leg over the other. Well, we met a little before I was cast in the movie, actually. It was just a coincidental bumping into each other
Piper: Quite literally.
JJ leaned over to catch her gaze and she grinned.
JJ: Yeah, and then... well, we met again properly at the first table read and well, you can tell I think just looking at Piper how warm and welcoming she is as a person. Maybe a little quiet and reserved but, I don't think you'll ever meet anyone kinder out there. And we went out for hot chocolate, if my memory serves me right, and then... JJ shrugged, smiling softly at Piper. We got along well, I think. The whole environment that was created was a safe space, you know, and it was easy to build friendships and be comfortable during the filming process. You know, uhm, we all gave each other the space we each needed during scenes, and we supported one another.
Piper: Yeah... it was... it was just heartwarming. For lack of a better word. It was a great experience.
Interviewer: That's so wonderful to hear. Now, we're almost out of time but my final question, what was your favourite scene to film? Danny?
Piper glanced at JJ, biting down softly on her lower lip. JJ was still staring at her. Her beam widened and she winked subtly before returning her attention back to Danny who was describing his favourite scene. Piper couldn't focus.
Ingrid: I think mine is that scene when — okay, no spoilers, but it's in the book! So, when Peter gets slapped pretty hard by Helene.
Danny: she actually slapped me! My cheek was red for a really long time!
Ingrid: You survived, mon amour.
Interviewer: What about you, Piper?
Piper: Oh, uhm... well, it was always my favourite scene in the book. And when I got to film it, it was I think the hardest time I had throughout the entire shooting process. It's the one in the garden. When Anne's working with the flowers, and she's teaching Sophie about every single flower she's got there, you know, their names and everything, and then, spoiler alert, that's when they have their first kiss.
Interviewer: Oh, how sweet! It's certainly one of the best moments in the story. And Jennifer?
Piper was looking down at her shoes, bashful, and she could feel JJ's gaze burning holes into the side of her face until she slowly peeled it away to give her answer.
JJ: I'll have to agree with Piper.
Interviewer: Wonderful! Thank you so much for being here today. The cast of Anne's Garden, everyone. Out in theatres everywhere tomorrow!
Piper turned to look at JJ, her brows furrowed. Was that really how she felt?