Our Ahna Moment!

by James Patrick Herman  Photography by Jeff Vespa

 Ahna O’Reilly has half a dozen movies coming soon to a theater near you, but all she wants to do is dance.

       

   

You rock some futuristic looks in our photo shoot, but what’s your personal style like?

“Well, I’m wearing a vintage moomoo and German old-lady orthopedic shoes.”

With roles in six new movies, you’ve come a long way from playing “Bikini Girl” in Succubus.

“I started the year doing this movie The Time Being with Wes Bentley, Sarah Paulson and Frank Langella. I never knew if I would have a job after that. I never anticipated that the roles would keep coming the way that they did. They’re all very different, so it was a fun year where I got to go from one to another and travel a lot.”

Where are you from?

“I’m from Palo Alto in Northern California. My father is a travel publisher, so I also grew up all over France during my childhood.”

What’s the most Palo Alto thing about you?

“It’s the home of Apple computers, but I’m the furthest from a tech geek. I did get to do the Jobs movie. When I was little I remember my dad would point him out at Whole Foods and whisper: ‘That’s Steve Jobs.’ He was a famously low key guy in some ways.”

When did the theater bug bite?

“My family would often spend the summers in Washington state where my grandmother lives. This local theater company was starting up and at eight years old, apparently I told my mom that’s what I wanted to do. So I made her bring me and my two little sisters to audition for The Sound of Music. We were cast as the three youngest Von Trapp children. Ever since then, I was obsessed and we had a blast—it was like going to summer camp. My parents both own independent publishing companies, but they have always been super-supportive of me wanting to be an actress…even though it’s the craziest thing anyone could want to be.”

What do you consider your first big break?

“I did a little independent movie called Herpes Boy that is ultimately the reason I was able to read for The Help. It’s a really cute and funny film with a great cast. That’s how I met [costar] Octavia Spencer—we became fast friends and now she’s one of the most inspiring people in my life. The Help audition was a tough room because it was such a hot project at the time, but she snuck me in there. Because at that point my resume was Herpes Boy. Octavia is also the reason I am in Fruitvale Station.”

It’s rare that an American film comes along that addresses racism in America. You happen to be in two such films: Fruitvale Station and The Help. Even though they are set decades apart, one can argue that as a country, we have not come very far.

“I think they’re both bold movies that started a dialogue about a difficult topic. But at the end of the day, The Help is a Disney film, and Fruitvale Station is about as far from a Disney film as it gets. The realism that director Ryan Coogler is able to portray is so impressive. I was curious how European audiences would react—if they had any idea about what Oakland, California, is like—and how they would be able to identify. At Cannes, the reaction was incredible even though it’s about such a specific place in our country. The movie translated because it deals with a universal issue. It is a socially relevant film. But it’s also beautiful. And to me, that is what makes it perfect.”

Did you enjoy your first trip to Cannes?

“I was there with Fruitvale Station and [James Franco’s] As I Lay Dying. Getting to be there with Octavia and James—people I love and support—and to see our movies at the biggest film festival in the world was amazing. But the red carpet was crazy. Kind of scary, too.”

What actresses inspire you?

“Besides Octavia? I love Marion Cotillard, Cate Blanchett, Penelope Cruise, Julianne Moore, Viola Davis, Diane Keaton. I grew up watching older actresses like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly and the women of Alfred Hitchcock. I could go on and on.”

What would be your dream role?

“I usually fantasize of people I want to work with. Directors like Paul Thomas Anderson, for instance. As for actors, Philip Seymour Hoffman would be incredible. In terms of roles, I’ve never done something physical. And I’d love to dance. That or play a warrior princess.”

Kudos to you and James Franco for daring to tackle Faulkner!

“James is a huge Faulkner fan, and As I Lay Dying is one of his favorite books. In fact, the next thing he’s doing that I think I’m going to be a part of is The Sound and The Fury.

What was he like as a director?

“James is so passionate about this project. He’s thought about it for years. In a way, he could have tried to micromanage everything. The other option was to open himself up to improvisation and everyone else’s ideas. And he was collaborative and wanted everybody to ask questions and do what they felt. This is the second movie I’ve filmed in Mississippi and it captures that sense of place—it’s beautifully atmospheric. But there is humor, too. I think As I Lay Dying is in some ways a very, very dark comedy.”

Let’s talk about Jobs. Is Ashton Kutcher believable as a technological genius—or might this movie seem like an unintentional comedy?

“I don’t know if I’ve ever worked with someone who was so well-researched and educated on the subject matter. Ashton is such a techie, so it was like a match made in heaven. As a scene partner, he was open and vulnerable.”

What can you tell me about Lucky Them, which features another killer ensemble cast?

“It’s a quirky comedy from a young female director, Megan Griffiths, with Toni Collette and Nina Arianda and Thomas Haden Church. I play his wacky fiancee.”

In CBGB, you actually play a real-life female director, Mary Harron. Did you watch her Anna Nicole biopic on Lifetime?

“No, but American Psycho is a fantastic film. I had the opportunity to speak with Mary on the phone. She’s so sweet and answered all my questions. In CBGB, she moves to New York and stumbles into working for Punk magazine. I asked Mary about interviewing the likes of Lou Reed and Talking Heads. She made it sound like nobody treated her any differently as a woman journalist.”

Before you became one of Hollywood’s most wanted actresses, did you ever have a normal job?

“I had plenty of odd jobs. I babysat, did retail in a clothing store and a book store, worked catering events and as a cocktail waitress—that was my favorite. I mean, it was horrible in a way and my hours were nuts, but at least it was social. I had to wear a really dorky outfit: a polo and khaki skirt with a little apron.”

I couldn’t help noticing the first line of your IMDB profile: “Was formerly in a relationship with James Franco.” Was it challenging to be directed by an ex-boyfriend?

“I suppose it could have been weird, but we’re really close. Our families are also close. In a way, we grew up together. So I think it could only help when you have a closeness with someone. There is certainly a level of trust, and I’ve always respected him deeply as an artist. I still have so much love for him.”

Rebecca Ferguson – Bow Down to Hollywood’s Her Majesty

By James Patrick Herman  Photography by Jeff Vespa

All hail Rebecca Ferguson, who landed the title role of The White Queen on Starz, not to mention plum parts in new projects from Brett Ratner and Ridley Scott. Bow down, L.A. ingenues!

    

What’s it like filming Brett Ratner’s Hercules: The Thracian Wars in Budapest?

“Boiling hot. It’s like 110 degrees. But I love to travel, so that’s one of the best parts of this job for me.”

You’re from Stockholm. What’s the most Swedish thing about you?

“I don’t have much IKEA furniture, but I do love caviar.”

You happen to have the same name as another Rebecca Ferguson, the singing sensation from The X Factor.

“No shit, Sherlock. Do you know I listened to her the first time last week? She is spectacular. A lot of people have said: Are you going to change your name? First of all, let’s get down to the real point: I was born before her. I am number one. So if anyone has to change her name, I believe it’s her.”

Coincidentally, you attended Adolf Fredriks, Sweden’s famed music school, so you have a musical background as well.

“At an early age, singing was something I found fun, but I never saw myself as a singer. My mother was in the avant-garde of cultural life in Sweden. She actually helped to translate ABBA’s ‘Waterloo’ from Swedish to English. Remember the woman sitting cross-legged on a chair on the album’s cover? That was my mom with the band—and they were wearing her clothes. How cool is that? And she didn’t save any of it.”

What inspired you to become an actress?

“I wasn’t brought up in the acting world—my father is a lawyer. But as a teenager, I had the opportunity to audition for this television series: a daytime soap opera. And I got the lead part. I had just finished ninth grade in school, so I skipped what we called gymnasium and started working instead. And realized that this is a life I can see myself living.”

Would you consider that your big break? 

“People began recognizing me, I guess. But I think my break came three years ago when I played the lead in a Swedish film called A One-Way Trip to Antibes. That was a lot of work for me, but it paid off well because I got an agent in London. And the first casting they sent me to was The White Queen.”

What’s the main appeal of this epic new Starz series for you?

“We’ve all seen the stories of men on the battlefield—the killing, the raping. And now we are retelling history from the female perspective: What the women of the court had to do to secure the throne for their children. It’s fascinating.”

Do you prefer making period pieces?

“I know this is sort of taboo for actors to say, but I love shifting 180 degrees and then back. In this case, I was given a chance to try a period drama. I would also love to do modern piece. And science fiction. I want to try everything. It’s my work, my job. I just want to tell brilliant stories based on fun, interesting characters.”

How did you prepare for playing Queen Elizabeth?

“Darling, you just put on a robe and it’s done! Once you get through hair and makeup and walk onto these elaborate sets and you embody a queen with her personality, it’s either there or it isn’t. And I found her quite quickly. I could relate to her—not being a queen but the person she was behind that facade. We could all look regal walking down the coronation scene. But what goes on behind all that? That’s the difficult part to grasp.”

Your performance reminds me of a young Cate Blanchett. What actresses inspire you?

“Cate Blanchett would be on top of my list. I also love Helena Bonham Carter’s craziness. The strength of Maggie Smith. The natural presence of Helen Mirren. Carrie Mulligan is wonderful, too. There are so many actresses that deliver, and I admire different parts of them.”

How does an actress from Sweden suddenly become the darling of Hollywood?

“Am I? (Laughs.) Well, there’s always been an interest not just in Sweden but Scandinavia in general: Skarsgârd and, of course, Bergman. There’s something that fascinates the world or the Americas, specifically. We have three Scandinavians on Hercules. And right now is a good time for me to be working. I mean, I’m hitting 30 this year. I’ve experienced a lot in my life—things that make us gradually grow and mature into the people we become. I’m not mature yet, but having a child certainly helps. So I think that has a lot to do with it as well. Combined with a brilliant agent!”

In Hercules, you’re playing a princess instead of a queen, correct?

“Yes, the princess of a kingdom in Greece that’s ruled by my father, played by John Hurt. We’re threatened by different warlords all over Greece and need Hercules to fight for us. My character is a widow and she has a son. It sort of resembles The White Queen, doesn’t it? I am trying to find the different parts of her, so that I don’t end up doing the same thing, and it’s difficult. At the same time, this woman is out on the battlefield because she has decided to become a nurse. She has taught herself the healing art of medicine to play her part during wartime. So she is strong in different ways: She’s a maternal bear.”

And what can you reveal about your character in Ridley Scott’s pilot for Showtime, The Vatican?

“She’s a countess of the most respected family in Italy, and she has relations to the Vatican. She is a femme fatale woman looking for…well, I can’t give away any more than that. I’m not allowed to reveal too much. Suffice to say, I’ve been lucky enough to play three strong women recently.”

Have you enjoyed working with major movie directors such as Brett Ratner and Ridley Scott?

“They have very different styles. Some directors are easy to connect to and some are…much more challenging. It’s work. I mean, as we all know, some people we just click with—and some people we don’t. But I could not give a rat’s bottom when it comes to hierarchy and names. I respect people for the work they do. I will respect anyone—whether they are Hollywood stars or independent filmmakers from Denmark—and hopefully they’ll respect me, too.”

What would be your dream role?

“I’ve always wanted to play not a victim—because it’s hard to play a victim without being a boring whiner—but someone who is put in difficult situations whether it’s with drugs or abuse. Someone who is a victim in the eyes of society and manages to be a survivor.”

Considering your recent success in Hollywood, why are you based so far away in Österlen, Sweden?

“Because I love Europe, and it’s a luxury to live here. All of this started after I had lived in Österlen for seven years. That’s my home: Not just the four walls and a roof but also my family, which is my partner and my child and my friends. People say: Why don’t you move to L.A.? But I don’t see the point. I would be one of a million actors who speak fluent American. It’s probably better for me to be seen as exotic. Plus, I love the energy of Europe. And the temperature.”

Did you ever have a normal job that did not involve traipsing around the globe?

“I love meeting people, so I’ve done a lot. I was 17 when I wrapped that soap opera. Then I took whatever job people would give me considering that I do not have a degree. I worked in restaurants, shoe shops and clothing boutiques, later realizing that I’m not interested in clothes so I really shouldn’t be doing that. My favorite job was at a daycare where I specialized in children with ADHD. The challenge of working through a problem with a child who has special needs and seeing them develop? For me that was bliss.”

Having the experience of working patiently with children should come in handy with certain male directors in Hollywood.

“Oh, really? Is that what they say? Thank God I have a son.”

Our Summer Romance with Trieste Kelly Dunn

by James Patrick Herman   Photography by Jeff Vespa

TV binge-viewing is our current obsession—and we’re loving Alan Ball’s Cinemax series, Banshee. Costar Trieste Kelly Dunn gets out of her comfort zone—not to mention her polyester cop costume—and in touch with her feminine side especially for VERGE.

  

       

You made quite an entrance with your first line on Banshee: “If you fight me again, I’ll remove your testicles.”

“It’s my nature to play a more masculine female roles than the pencil skirt-wearing types. Don’t get me wrong: I love doing network shows where I get to be, like, a hot lawyer. They’ll blow my hair out for every single scene! But playing a cop is more fun and exciting by far. Season two premieres early next year and my character will have even more of an edge. She’s aggressive—and she takes matters into her own hands.”

For example?

“I’m currently rehearsing for an upcoming fight scene and it’s intense. You can’t fake it, so there’s no way to avoid actually being beaten-up. After getting thrown on the ground, I was limping and seeing weird flashing circles in my pupils. Sometimes I am actually scared.”

Then I won’t tell you to break a leg.

“Yeah, I know, right? I’m more worried about my nose or a black eye. I seriously just left the physical therapist’s office. Will you pray for me?”

You got it. Your film Loves Her Gun won an award at South by Southwest. What’s the best thing about Austin?

“You can buy margaritas in movie theaters there! Texans aren’t shy about their drinking.”

Where did you grow up?

“Provo, Utah. Before I became an actress, I wanted to be a park ranger. That’s my real dream.”

What actresses inspire you?

“I like all the strong and androgynous female characters played by Hilary Swank and Sigourney Weaver. But what really seduced me was seeing Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire when I was 16. That’s what you want to be as an actor—raw and liberated. This sounds so clichéd, but I became obsessed with Brando’s work after that. The Godfather made me want to join the mafia.”

Did the filming of United 93 give you a fear of flying?

“Absolutely! And I’ve been paranoid ever since. We’d sometimes improvise the terrorist hijacking three times a day. Now whenever there is bad turbulence on a plane, my palms sweat. While everyone else is calmly reading books and magazines, I’m having a mild panic attack. The last time it happened, some guy in the seat next to me grabbed my hand and said: ‘It’s going to be OK.’ ”

What would be your dream role?

“I want to do a western but not play a wife or a prostitute. I want to be the one riding horses in the mountains, drinking out of creeks and shooting guns and arrows.”

Tell me about your big break.

“The first job I got out of college was a TV pilot for Showtime called What’s Not to Love starring Jonathan Ames, the novelist who wrote Bored to Death. It was crass, quirky and a little pervy. I remember one scene that featured a vagina helmet and a dildo mountain. It didn’t get picked up.”

How did you make ends meet before your acting career took off?

“I was a cater-waiter at fancy barbecues in Long Island. I’d also do humiliating promotional liquor kinds of things. Like getting dressed up in crazy outfits to pass out drinks at a sophisticated club in New York. But nobody wanted shots of Bacardi Límon from a girl wearing a wig and six-inch white go-go boots.”

 

Israel Broussard – 2013 Cannes Preview

by James Patrick Herman   Photography by Jeff Vespa

Will Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring do for Israel Broussard’s career what Lost in Translation did for Scarlett Johansson? Only Cannes will tell. One thing’s for sure: This small-town actor is ready for the big time. But Broussard is staying true to his humble roots—and driving down Hollywood’s fast lane in a pick-up truck, thank you very much.

Tell me about your rural hometown.

It’s a place with not many open-minded people who are into fishing, hunting and mud-riding. I was different, so I was a bit of an outcast.

What’s the most Mississippi thing about you?

My truck. I bought a Ford Ranger—as everybody does for their first car in L.A., right?—because it reminded me of home. It’s nothing too exciting but she has a nice little engine and gets me where I need to go. My license plate says: “Slay It!”

Nice. Any complaints from your dates?

Honestly, it could have a little more room. But I get compliments on it.

What’s tougher: Surviving Hurricane Katrina or making it as a young actor in Hollywood?

Katrina went over my head—literally. I was worried that my house was going to float away, but in the end, we had more wind damage than flooding. As far as surviving out here as an actor and auditioning, I go in with the mentality that everything happens for a reason. And laughter helps.

So your Katrina experience was nothing like Beasts of the Southern Wild?

Not at all. I knew it was serious at the time, but I was eleven. Everything was an adventure to me. And I’d like to keep it that way. Last year for Hurricane Isaac, my friend and I camped out in the woods.

You’re clearly not the high-maintenance type.

I can go from a city walk in Marc Jacobs to helping a guy jump his car. I always carry jumper cables.

Good to know. How did you get cast in The Bling Ring?

I had to submit a 90-second video of me talking about myself.

What was your pitch?

I talked about my childhood and my family and religion. My mother is a very religious woman. I think that might be what intrigued Sofia. My character is a self-conscious, vulnerable kid who is going through a lot—way too much—and I am rather self-conscious, too. Growing up, my sister was my best friend because I didn’t have many of my own.

Can you recreate that monologue for me? Just pretend I’m Sofia Coppola.

I’ll give it a try: I’m Israel Broussard. I come from Gulfport, Mississippi. I’m 18- years-old. My birthday is in August. I’m a Leo Virgo cusp—I take pride in that. There’s not much to do in my hometown. You basically hang out with your few friends and go mud-riding in trucks. I wasn’t much into fishin’ or huntin’ or anything like that. I started coming out to L.A. in 2008 because my sister wanted to be an actress. Specifically, she wanted to be on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. What pre-teen girl didn’t want to be? So I kind of followed her—in her footsteps—and we ended up switching roles: I was the one who got the call backs and she didn’t. That was a trying time for her. But she got over it; she doesn’t hate me anymore. I’ve been out here ever since and had lots of great opportunities to work with people like Rob Reiner, Alyssa Milano, Emma Watson. And I’ve filmed at places like the houses of Frank Sinatra and Paris Hilton. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without my family. I come from a good place, so I stick close to my roots. My mom was always there for me. My step-dad was strict, but if he hadn’t been tough on me, then I wouldn’t be able to live here on my own now. So they really did teach me how to grow up—and how to be independent.

Sadly, Paris Hilton wasn’t so lucky. Because you also mentioned Emma Watson, I’m wondering if you enjoyed the Harry Potter films as a kid?

I’ve yet to see any of them. My mom didn’t want us watching that at a young age. She wanted us to know the difference between real and fake.

So how is your mom going to react to seeing you misbehave in The Bling Ring?

She knows that she’s taught me well. I don’t think she’ll be worried.

I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m imagining lots of coke-snorting and sweaty three-ways to a cool indie-rock soundtrack.

There are no three-ways, I can promise you that. But yes, there are some pretty edgy scenes. Even I have a scene that I wasn’t thrilled about doing: Sofia asked me to hit a bong while dancing. My mom may not be happy about it.

Does your mom even know what a bong is?

She knows what a bong is. We’ve had those discussions before.

Despite your limited access to films, have any influenced you as an actor?

The Fantastic Mr. Fox. And V for Vendetta. That movie helped me to grow up and hit another phase in my life. I don’t know what it is about it, but my mind started sparking and turning. And ever since then, I’ve been on a role.

Natalie Portman looked hot without any hair.

Oh, my God. Thank you! A bald woman I have nothing against at all. Sometimes they can pull it off—okay, rarely can they pull it off—but Natalie Portman? Grade A job.

Do you have a favorite Sofia Coppola film?

I liked Somewhere. Who wouldn’t want to be that guy driving around a Ferrari? Or was it a Lamborghini? And living at the Chateau Marmont? A little lonely, I guess, but I could deal.

I thought it was sad.

That’s what I liked about it. He’s got this awesome life. Anybody else would say, Wow, he is a lucky man! But the reality is he’s just lonely. He can’t have a normal conversation with anybody.

You mentioned being a Leo. So are Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. Discuss.

Something you might not know about me: I’m egotistical. We’re big on drama, too. And we love being in the spotlight, I can tell you that. Also, I’m a perfectionist.

Do you share your Bling Ring character’s obsession with young Hollywood stars and the culture of celebrity?

Personally, I don’t have much interest in it. But if I saw Lindsay Lohan passed out in a corner, I would check to see if she’s okay.

Sofia started out a young actor. What did you learn from her direction?

She’s gentle. And almost timid in the way she directs you. She gives you a lot of freedom. The best thing she taught me is how to breathe and stand still so that the emotion can come through my eyes.

You’ve worked with another well-known actor-director, Rob Reiner, in Flipped. Were their styles similar?

They were both quick: Go-getters with a vision.

You played Alyssa Milano’s son on Romantically Challenged. Is she a MILF in real life?

I’m going to have to say yes. She was a nice woman. And definitely good-looking.

Are you sure you’re ready for Cannes? It’s like a hurricane of glamour!

I’m a little nervous because it’s the biggest film festival in the world, and it seems like just yesterday I was running around in the mud at home in Mississippi. I only know what I’ve seen on Entourage when Vince and his friends went to Cannes. One yacht party is all I’m asking for!

What do you consider your big break?

I’d say this, actually. It’s almost surreal how much attention this film has already gotten. People are saying, This is your moment. And I’m waiting for it! But I can’t feel it.

Before you became a member of the young Hollywood club, did you ever have a normal job?

I still do in a sense. I just got back from a small town in South Dakota where my aunt and uncle own a grocery store. I was stocking shelves, checking people out and bagging their groceries.

That may be hard for some people to believe: This hot young actor who’s running around the Cannes Film Festival helps out at a local grocery store in his free time? Can you prove it? Tell me how much a gallon of milk costs.

It’s $3.85 out there. But here it’s probably like five bucks, I’m sure.

Producer Bailey Reise

Stylist Avo Yermagyan (www.avoyermagyan.com)

Groomer Sydney Zibrak at The Wall Group (@TheWallGroup)