Mena Suvari: Interview

Interview by Clint Morris

Interview with Mena Suvari
Starring in the movie Beauty Shop and Domino.

Clint Morris catches up with Mena Suvari as she's cramming her suitcases for a promotional trip to New York. Unfortunately, packing her bags, and more so, going on an lengthy plane-trip and facing a looming media blitzkrieg, is the last thing the beautiful 26 year old feels like doing now.

She's got the flu, and for the past week or so hasn't been able to even crawl out of bed, let alone decide which cosmetics to take with her on a plane ride. But Suvari's convinced she'll kick the wog soon - if only because she's usually hale and hearty, and takes a lot of pride in both her eating and exercise habits, as we discover.

Mena Suvari with Queen Latifah in a scene from Beauty Shop

Mena Suvari feeling fruity

Suvari's been called away to the big Apple to plug Beauty Shop, a new comedy she stars with Queen Latifah and Alicia Silverstone in.

A spin-off of the popular Barbershop film series - starring Ice Cube - it revolves around the workers and clients of a busy but small beauty salon run by Latifah's character, Gina. Suvari plays Joanne, one of the regulars.

"I had been a huge fan of both of the Barbershop films and was excited to hear that they were finally doing a female-oriented version," says Suvari.

"The cast was so great, and I loved that I would able to play such a wacky, overtop kind of character. It sounded like a lot of fun!

"I had done ensemble films before, but never with this many women. What I love, is that every kind if woman is represented. I had a blast working with all if these diverse women and became good friends with them.

"Working with Queen Latifah was wonderful. She is such an amazing, strong woman. She is a role model for many women. She was funny on the set and always kept the environment light and fun. I was impressed with them having music playing on the set in between takes. Everyone was dancing and interacting with one another in such a relaxed fashion. It was very refreshing!"

The usually blonde Suvari, who sports brown-hair these days, says she's always gone to the same beauty shop in real-life, so it made sense for her to play someone that's loyal to a haircutter.

"I have been going to the same woman here in L.A. for about seven years. She has done me every colour that I have been. She is one of my close friends and we talk about everything. That really is the case in any beauty salon - when woman are together, conversation begins!" she laughs.

The actress says when she was blonde she'd have to attend the beauty shop about every two weeks and usually spend about half-a-day having her hair re-dyed, washed and toned.

She's gone brown for no reason but she wanted a change - but still finds herself going just as regular to the salon, if only for a good blab with the stylist.

Though she didn't have to learn how to blow wave or dye hair for the film, Suvari says her co-stars did. "There was a beauty boot camp that was really just for the actresses who were going to be portraying stylists.

"They had to learn basics like: how to put on a smock properly, how to hold the instruments, for instance the curling iron, flat iron, and how to work certain hairstyles. I didn't attend, because my character Joanne was just a client."

Not surprising, since she's named after a Hotel (the Mena Hotel at the base of the pyramids in Egypt) Mena Suvari's career has reached towering levels in recent years.

From commercials to modelling to acting, she's had her fingers in quite a few pies since a young age, but only earning a place on the map recently, thanks to her roles in such films as American Pie, and the Oscar winning American Beauty, which she won a SAG award for outstanding performance by a cast member, and received a BAFTA award nomination.

"You know, things have definitely changed since I worked on American Beauty. I think that it changes for most people who stay in the business for a long time, but, you know, everyone - directors, producers - has their own way of working. I can't say that everything I've worked on since American Beauty has been an offer. It's just never like that. I don't think for anybody," she gushes.

In the first two American Pie films she played Heather, the darling of the school choir. "I really enjoyed working on the American Pie films. It was a very fun time for me, especially to be able to work with so many young, talented actors and great directors."

We haven't seen as much of Suvari over the past couple of years - it might have something to do with the fact that she's grown tired of playing teenage roles and is holding out for more adult parts.

Not that Suvari has been out of the spotlight, if anything she's been smack-bang in the middle of it, since marrying a man whose 16 years older than her - cinematographer Robert Brinkmann. She even just appeared in one of her hubby's films.

Called Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party, the film has been a pet-project of Brinkmann's for a number of years - and is essentially an hour and a half of actor Tobolowsky (Groundhog Day) telling stories about his life and professional career.

"I have had such a great time touring around with the boys. I love the film and I love Stephen. They did such an amazing job on the movie and people really like it. It was a great experience for me to travel to these cities that I hadn't been to. We had a wonderful time," Suvari, who also appears in the film, says.

Suvari's wait for adult roles has seemingly paid off - in 2005 she'll be seen in no less than six new films - none of which have cast her as a teenager. One of her most anticipated new films is Domino, an action-thriller in which she co-stars with Keira Knightley.

"Domino was a great movie to work on. Tony Scott is one of the best directors that I have worked with. He is so passionate about what he does and adds so much energy and inspiration to the set environment."

Besides the characters age, what else does Suvari look for in a script? "You know, it's really just about the material. I always want to challenge myself and work on projects with characters that I have never played before. I never want to do the same thing. I always want to move forward".

Beauty Shop screens from Thursday June the 2nd, 2005 in Australian cinemas.

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