Post by annee on Aug 29, 2006 0:29:43 GMT -5
This interview is from The Independent, July 7th 2002. Alice was promoting The Abduction Club.
Alice Evans, 30, grew up in Bristol but moved to France shortly after graduating. She achieved fame via a leading role in the popular French TV soap Elisa - Top Model. Her international break came with Disney's 102 Dalmations. She has since appeared in a number of films, including The Abduction Club, which opens later this month, and Ma Femme S'Appelle Maurice. Evans lives in north London and is dating the actor Ioan Gruffudd.
What's The Abduction Club all about?
It's a romance set in 1780s Ireland, about a group of younger sons who are not going to inherit, so they "abduct" attractive, wealthy young ladies. They then gave themselves a certain amount of time to convince the women to marry them ...
Is it strange to be more famous in France than in Britain?
Over here, people can't understand how English people can do things outside England. They say, "Well, she's obviously not 18, where has she come from and how did she get these roles?"
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But you're from Bristol. How did all this francophilia start?
Probably a summer romance when I was on holiday with my parents. I was about 15, his name was Laurent. After that, I went to university and did French, then graduated and thought I might as well go. I went to France for two weeks and ended up staying for over seven years.
Is it true that Ioan sleeps with his Hornblower sword next to his bed?
Yes - it's a really smart sword, but very heavy. It's tucked into a little niche by the bed. Hornblower is very important to Ioan - he says it's grounding to have it there. It's also for self-defence of course, although it's not very sharp. There was one time when his flat-mate, Matthew Rhys, came home when he was meant to be in Wales. Ioan thought he was a burglar. He was hiding behind the door, waiting to attack him with his sword, and scared the nuts out of Matthew.
Which character in fiction do you most identify with?
Madame Bovary. It's that eternal problem: you think what is happening to you is not as good as what you could be doing. Madame Bovary goes to a ball, and from that minute on she's not happy with the life she thought she wanted. I think I'm very prone to that - not enjoying the moment because I think I should be going off to do something else.
You recently had to dye your hair brown for a film. Was life any different as a brunette?
Since I became a brunette I have noticed that men have become a lot bolder with me. Perhaps it's got something to do with the "ice- queen" image of people who are very blonde. At the same time though, builders don't whistle at me any more, and I have to hail cabs now. I never had to put my hand out for a taxi when I was blonde. I guess I'm much more invisible as a brunette.
Aren't you pretty friendly with the Prince of Wales?
I'm a member of the Prince's Trust, yes, but I've only met Prince Charles a few times. He's lovely. At one dinner, he let me get through half the plot of a TV drama I was in, Best of Both Worlds, politely listening.
So you were chatting about bigamy with the heir to the throne?
Yes! And he was absolutely adorable. He was like: "I'll have to have a look at that, that sounds lovely," and "Please send me the cassettes." What an actor, to be able to talk to so many people all the time, yet always look interested and ask the appropriate questions.
What has been the defining moment of your life?
When my mum died, definitely. Nothing is ever as much fun again after you lose someone that close to you. You can't experience anything without thinking that you won't be able to tell that person, that you won't be able to see them or talk to them again. Every moment is tainted. I still find myself reaching for the phone to tell my mum things; it's awful. But in the same way, sometimes you do make more out of experiences, because you know life is very short, so you try to appreciate the moment.
You've been quoted as saying that you're a bit of a prude, but you've been called on to do fairly heavy sex scenes. Is that something that you find difficult?
Yes, I think it's uncomfortable for everyone. I used to get nervous about kissing scenes, but I don't have so many problems any more. It's just a very weird situation to be in. I was shooting an American film last year and there was one scene that the director wanted me to do without any knickers on. He said that would mean he could "be freer with the camera", but I had a clause in my contract for absolutely no nudity. In the end I put on a massive Winnie the Pooh g-string and he had to lump it. That way I knew the camera wouldn't wander.
`The Abduction Club' is released on 19 July
The Independent
Alice Evans, 30, grew up in Bristol but moved to France shortly after graduating. She achieved fame via a leading role in the popular French TV soap Elisa - Top Model. Her international break came with Disney's 102 Dalmations. She has since appeared in a number of films, including The Abduction Club, which opens later this month, and Ma Femme S'Appelle Maurice. Evans lives in north London and is dating the actor Ioan Gruffudd.
What's The Abduction Club all about?
It's a romance set in 1780s Ireland, about a group of younger sons who are not going to inherit, so they "abduct" attractive, wealthy young ladies. They then gave themselves a certain amount of time to convince the women to marry them ...
Is it strange to be more famous in France than in Britain?
Over here, people can't understand how English people can do things outside England. They say, "Well, she's obviously not 18, where has she come from and how did she get these roles?"
Advertisement
But you're from Bristol. How did all this francophilia start?
Probably a summer romance when I was on holiday with my parents. I was about 15, his name was Laurent. After that, I went to university and did French, then graduated and thought I might as well go. I went to France for two weeks and ended up staying for over seven years.
Is it true that Ioan sleeps with his Hornblower sword next to his bed?
Yes - it's a really smart sword, but very heavy. It's tucked into a little niche by the bed. Hornblower is very important to Ioan - he says it's grounding to have it there. It's also for self-defence of course, although it's not very sharp. There was one time when his flat-mate, Matthew Rhys, came home when he was meant to be in Wales. Ioan thought he was a burglar. He was hiding behind the door, waiting to attack him with his sword, and scared the nuts out of Matthew.
Which character in fiction do you most identify with?
Madame Bovary. It's that eternal problem: you think what is happening to you is not as good as what you could be doing. Madame Bovary goes to a ball, and from that minute on she's not happy with the life she thought she wanted. I think I'm very prone to that - not enjoying the moment because I think I should be going off to do something else.
You recently had to dye your hair brown for a film. Was life any different as a brunette?
Since I became a brunette I have noticed that men have become a lot bolder with me. Perhaps it's got something to do with the "ice- queen" image of people who are very blonde. At the same time though, builders don't whistle at me any more, and I have to hail cabs now. I never had to put my hand out for a taxi when I was blonde. I guess I'm much more invisible as a brunette.
Aren't you pretty friendly with the Prince of Wales?
I'm a member of the Prince's Trust, yes, but I've only met Prince Charles a few times. He's lovely. At one dinner, he let me get through half the plot of a TV drama I was in, Best of Both Worlds, politely listening.
So you were chatting about bigamy with the heir to the throne?
Yes! And he was absolutely adorable. He was like: "I'll have to have a look at that, that sounds lovely," and "Please send me the cassettes." What an actor, to be able to talk to so many people all the time, yet always look interested and ask the appropriate questions.
What has been the defining moment of your life?
When my mum died, definitely. Nothing is ever as much fun again after you lose someone that close to you. You can't experience anything without thinking that you won't be able to tell that person, that you won't be able to see them or talk to them again. Every moment is tainted. I still find myself reaching for the phone to tell my mum things; it's awful. But in the same way, sometimes you do make more out of experiences, because you know life is very short, so you try to appreciate the moment.
You've been quoted as saying that you're a bit of a prude, but you've been called on to do fairly heavy sex scenes. Is that something that you find difficult?
Yes, I think it's uncomfortable for everyone. I used to get nervous about kissing scenes, but I don't have so many problems any more. It's just a very weird situation to be in. I was shooting an American film last year and there was one scene that the director wanted me to do without any knickers on. He said that would mean he could "be freer with the camera", but I had a clause in my contract for absolutely no nudity. In the end I put on a massive Winnie the Pooh g-string and he had to lump it. That way I knew the camera wouldn't wander.
`The Abduction Club' is released on 19 July
The Independent
