Since Director Lee Demarbre’s H.G. Lewis love letter SMASH CUT recently splashed across screens at FANTASIA in Montreal, I figured I’d run a recent interview I did with porn legend Sasha Grey, who stars in the film.
Grey is gorgeous and – as evidenced in Steven Soderbergh’s recent drama THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE – ultra talented, gifted with acting chops as well as a dynamic physical presence. She’s well on her way to a career that doesn’t exclusively involve engaging in pummelling carnal knowledge….though anyone even casually aware of her trademark talents might mourn the loss of that.
Anyway, here we go…the lovely Sasha Grey. Chris Alexander: Tell me about your role in SMASH CUT. Sasha Grey: I play April, a TV news personality who goes undercover as an actress in a horror film to discover the killer of her older sister who’s a stripper.
CA: Is this a "straight" role for you? As in, nothing above an 'R'? SG: Yes …it’s not an adult film …and just in case your questions is a double entendre I don’t play a lesbian either. CA: Were you familiar with the kind of films profiled in SMASH CUT already? SG: Some of them yes … the H.G. Lewis pantheon was new to me but Lee made sure to give me a crash course before filming began.
CA: Are there any actors working today -or in the past - that truly inspire Your non-porn work? SG: There’s the obvious Nouvelle Vague subtlety of Anna Karina, and I really appreciate Benicio Del Toro, Daniel Day-Lewis is pretty dope too. I borrow a lot from Stanislavski…so I really do my home-work and take this acting thing pretty seriously.
SG: There’s the obvious Nouvelle Vague subtlety of Anna Karina, and I really appreciate Benicio Del Toro, Daniel Day-Lewis is pretty dope too. I borrow a lot from Stanislavski…so I really do my home-work and take this acting thing pretty seriously.
CA: Is there anything that 'offends' you in film? SG: Absolutely…the late Jack Valenti. Sarah Jessica Parker is pretty offensive… CA: All in all, how was Lee as a director? SG: It was really fun… he listens to your input but he also knows what he wants in regards to tone which was really important with this project…it was a great way to test my feet in a none adult venue ….he really encouraged camaraderie within the cast and crew. I think he’s up there with the best directors. Keep your eyes peeled here for more SMASH CUT release details and info about Sasha Grey as it, um, comes… Alexander Out.