She started acting very early, but she became a star recently. She was older than her parents, but sometimes she allows herself to be a child. Today she, unlike her complex heroines, is happier than ever. An interview with an actress who finally found herself.
The first thing that catches your eye when meeting with Claire Danes is her facial expressions, which are extremely active even for an American. It is not for nothing that after the release of the cult TV series Motherland, where the actress plays a CIA agent suffering from bipolar disorder, the Internet exploded with a flurry of jokes about her impressive grimace. However, jokes are jokes, and it was this role that brought the 35-year-old Danes a truly loud fame. Despite several works in the films of eminent directors, she has long been considered an actress of the middle echelon, although those who worked with her have long discerned a talent for creating multi-layered dramatic images saturated with deep psychologism. But now critics have honored Claire with the title of «Meryl Streep of her generation.» In life, she, like Meryl, gives the impression of a strikingly balanced and cheerful person: an open look, a free style in clothes, soft intonations, sincere laughter. A year and a half ago, Danes and her husband, British actor Hugh Dancy, had a son. Enthusiastically undertaking to build a family nest (due to the frequent traveling of both parents — in several cities at once), Claire, however, did not suspend her acting career, as she once did for the sake of studying at Yale University. However, after two years of study at the Faculty of Psychology, she nevertheless returned to the cinema. Is it possible that this experience influenced her choice of roles?
Psychologies: Homeland’s Carrie is often compared to your other prominent role, the prominent autistic Temple Grandin in Mick Jackson’s 2010 film of the same name. First autism, then manic-depressive disorder… Maybe this is another manifestation of interest in the mysteries of the psyche?
Claire Danes: Oh yes, I just decided to methodically work through the handbook of mental disorders. What is next in line — kleptomania, schizophrenia? But seriously, I really have always been interested in the secrets of human psychology, as a child I was even going to combine the work of a psychologist with acting, because I was sure that you could not earn a living by acting. And with age, I also discovered that playing a person in a state of mental crisis is the most interesting thing. The more solid you are, the further you can look into the abyss and the more pleasant it is to emerge back later, with a new sharpness feeling that everything is fine with you. In addition, in the process you learn a lot about yourself and about others. In my opinion, there is a lot in common between psychologists and actors — both of them study people, try to understand how their inner world works. So in a sense, I am a part-time psychologist (laughs).
When you entered Yale, you left your acting career. Have you seriously considered changing careers?
K.D.: Well, how can I say … Actually, by that time I was really tired of being an actress, I wanted to explore other sides of my nature. I did not feel like an established personality: I did not have my own system of values, aesthetic views, philosophy. It was necessary for a while to disconnect from the usual rhythm of life in order to find yourself. I decided that studying is the ideal option.
And in the end, the search led to the same place?
K.D.: In fact, I just missed work. Although at first it was unusual to play after a long break, I developed a kind of too academic approach — I analyzed my characters as if I were going to write an essay. I had to relearn my intuition. But these two years at Yale were definitely good for me — primarily for socialization. At school, I had problems with this: I didn’t like all these stupid divisions into circles of popular and unpopular, some ridiculous social rules. I refused to fit into this system, for which I repeatedly got punched in the nose. She changed schools twice due to conflicts with classmates, and eventually switched to private education. Teenagers are terribly mean, especially girls. Only after university did I cease to be afraid of my peers — as it turned out, many of them turn into quite decent people over the years. Otherwise, she could have lived her whole life like this, considering all women to be the fiends of hell.
“THIS SEASON OF THE MOTHERLAND IS DARK. CARRIE FELT ESPECIALLY LONELY AND UNHAPPY. SUCH A CONTRAST WITH MY CONDITION!”
That is, in the series “My So-Called Life”, where your extremely reliable teenage rebellion was remembered by many, did you talk about your problems?
- Matthew McConaughey: «I make my own track»
K.D.: It so happened that this series, in fact, replaced my experience in high school. Because of the filming, I dropped out of this life, looked at it from the side. I even had my first kiss on screen. I started working very early and immediately wanted to be taken seriously by everyone. She built herself out of herself and demanded too much from others. Then I realized that one of the main joys of adult life is to behave like a child, discarding seriousness. To be honest, I’m glad that youth is over.
- Penelope Cruz: «I stopped feeling restless»
It turns out that because of work you have matured too quickly?
K.D.: Not only because of work. In general, almost from infancy I played an adult. Moreover, in an adult in a child’s view — too important and commanding. At the age of three, she demanded to sit at the head of the table (by the way, they allowed me). At four, dissatisfied with the new haircut, she attacked her mother: “Why did you allow this to be done to me? This is my body, I want to manage it myself.” I also had a fad about keeping the routine. I remember I often had a nightmare that I opened Christmas presents ahead of time. I was an absurdly serious child obsessed with responsibility. I even treated my parents patronizingly, considered them too infantile, in a sense, I became a “parent” to my parents. I suspect this feeling arose partly from the fact that my mother ran a home daycare and I had to share it with a bunch of other children younger than me. Probably, I tried to patronize everyone around just because I myself lacked care a little.
And with your son and yourself, do you try not to repeat parental mistakes?
K.D.: I wouldn’t say that I think it’s wrong the way I was raised. I like that my parents were very creative in their upbringing: take at least the fact that we had a swing, a trampoline and a whole suitcase of fancy dresses in our apartment. I continue this tradition and dressed up Cyrus in King Kong on his first Thanksgiving Day. And she herself portrayed the Empire State Building skyscraper, attaching a plunger painted with silver paint to her head. And of course, I try to be with my son as much as possible. When he was a baby, I carried him everywhere with me — to the shooting, to receptions, on flights. Wherever I fed him: in the courthouse, in a psychiatric hospital, in a hotel where some award was presented. The most amazing thing I’ve discovered since becoming a mom is the physiological need to be with my son. A mother’s attachment to her child is something so powerful… I don’t know, it’s like superglue. At first, I couldn’t do anything outsider when he was around — neither read nor watch TV. Just watch him, watch how he constantly changes. I was even afraid that after giving birth I would not want to work anymore.
- Emma Thompson: «I’m a clown at heart»
Nevertheless, you continued filming in Rodina. The role of Carrie, which requires a lot of nervous tension, somehow does not fit with the image of a nursing mother.
K.D.: Yes, the contrast was stark. This season turned out to be especially gloomy, Carrie felt more lonely and unhappy than ever. The exact opposite of my state of happy relaxation and euphoria from intimacy with my husband and child. But because I feel more whole, a more mature person today, I can dive more boldly into the scary and come out unscathed. Now I am capable of it. It’s actually an amazing feeling — from the inside of your roles to understand what it means to be a person in general.
Your husband is also an actor. Do you discuss work moments with him or manage to leave them outside the house?
K.D.: I learned a long time ago to «turn off» my heroines, leaving the set, so that the work process does not invade personal life. We rarely talk about work at all, unless we help each other learn roles. In addition, Hugh does not allow me to tell what will happen next in the series — he loves it himself and is afraid of spoilers. And yet, I must say, the features of his British character turned out to be very useful. I grew up in a country where any problems are solved with the help of a psychoanalyst. And Hugh helped me understand that often it’s just tiredness. Sometimes it is not necessary to delve into yourself in search of deep anxieties — just getting enough sleep is enough.
It seems that you and your husband are in complete harmony.
K.D.: Absolute! It’s hard to describe what you feel when you find your man. Everything suddenly makes sense, and you stop thinking about what you are doing right or wrong. I have always taken the “relationship needs work” thesis too literally, and because of this, for a long time I refused to admit that it was time to leave. But in reality, relationships should be easy and interesting. Do you know when I really realized that Hugh is exactly who I need? I love throwing themed parties with champagne and crafts, which my friends call “kindergarten sophistication” style. So, one day my guests and I were making Christmas decorations. Hugh made an amazing garland of little cowboys with the words «Happy holidays!» And then I thought: with a person who loves to do something with his own hands just like me, I am ready to spend the rest of my life.
- Catherine Deneuve: «I want to stay free»