Actress Katherine Heigl talks to Rachel Clark about work, wedding-day obsessions and karaoke at the weekend
She might have portrayed the perpetual bridesmaid in her latest movie 27 Dresses, but in real life Katherine Heigl has just married actor and musician Josh Kelley. We meet her to talk about her controversial comments regarding hit film Knocked Up, what she misses about being single, and why she was no bridezilla.
Who designed your outfit?
The coat is Oscar de la Renta and I think the dress is Temperley… I don’t even know.
Was it fun to make yourself look less attractive than usual in 27 Dresses?
It’s fun to play against the type that I’m always cast in, and that’s generally ‘the blonde’. I had to fight hard to do the dishwater-brown hair. Jane is sort of who I am on a daily basis, because I don’t have people doing my hair and make-up when I’m hanging out at home.
Did you relate to the obsession of the wedding day that some girls have?
No, it makes me angry because I think it kind of ruins it for the rest of us. The wedding industry is a total racket – they charge you three times as much as they would if it were just a party but they know they’ve got you, because most women want their big day to be exactly the way they’ve always imagined. They’ll pay any price to have that. I was not willing to be completely had for the sake of one nice day.
So you went for a simpler wedding?
Yeah – well, kind of. It cost money but I kept the numbers as small as possible because I wanted it to be intimate. What I noticed from going to other people’s weddings was that it’s your duty to work the room and see everybody and thank everybody for coming, and if you’ve got 300 people you don’t get to sit down for one second to eat the food or drink the cocktails. I wanted to keep it smaller so I didn’t feel I was working the room all night and so I could get drunk too! [laughs].
What did your bridesmaids wear?
I tried to pick really classic, elegant cocktail-type dresses.
…Ones that they can wear again?
Yes… I’m telling you, they can! And if they don’t it will be a travesty because they’re delightful.
Has your relationship changed much from when you were just living together?
We didn’t actually live together in a formal sense before. When Josh returned to LA from being on tour he stayed at my house, which was full of my stuff. Now we’re living together in a home with both our stuff. You have to make compromises and learn how to deal with each other day in and day out, so some of those things are a bit different, but I think the relationship as a whole is the same.
When did you know he was the one for you?
I knew within five weeks I was madly in love with him, which seems really fast. I’m 29 now; at the time we started dating I was 26 or 27 and I was getting to that place in my life where I was ready for a real commitment. I didn’t want to just date so I had to broach the topic and figure out where he was at and what he was thinking, because if he just wanted to date and have a good time then I wasn’t the girl.
Why him?
There are a lot of things about him that make him great for me. I’m a fairly stressed-out, high-strung kind of gal, and he really lightens the burden. He doesn’t take himself or life that seriously and he’s really passionate about what he does. He has a great way of approaching life, and it’s helped me be a better person.
Is your character in 27 Dresses going for the wrong guy or for the illusion?
Jane is living in a fantasy world about marriage and relationships, and she sort of idolised this guy who seemed like the perfect man, but when it comes down to it they have no chemistry. It’s safe to make somebody so perfect and unattainable that you never have to risk anything. She doesn’t risk annoying people by saying no; she doesn’t risk her job by hitting on her boss; she doesn’t risk heartbreak by proclaiming her love.
To what extent does the character of Tess take advantage of Jane?
It’s actually what Jane wants – she’s the go-to girl; the saint who’s so put-upon. It’s a selfish way to live. She probably could have used a couple of years of therapy, but this is a movie, and we have to resolve it by the end.
Can you clear up the controversy surrounding your remarks about Knocked Up being sexist?
I couldn’t believe everyone paid so much attention to that. It was one of those moments where I speak without realising how people might react. I try to be as honest as possible, and in that instance I felt like, ‘My God – I have told people why they shouldn’t love this movie’. But that’s not what I was trying to do. It’s a hilarious movie and I’m proud to have been a part of it. But I stand by my opinion.
What do you miss about being single?
I suppose just living exactly the way I want to live without any compromise. I mean, we all compromise for our family and friends to some degree, but when you’re living with a partner I think there are more compromises. If you like to live sloppily, suddenly you’re going to have to rein it in because somebody likes to live neatly. In my world it’s the reverse – he needs to clean up a little more! [laughs]
How did you find the singing and dancing in this film?
It was really fun. It wasn’t nearly as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be. I think it’s because for a couple of years I really loved karaoke! I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s made me far braver to sing badly in front of people.
What’s your song?
Don’t Stop Believing by Journey, or I Wanna Be Your Lover by Prince. Those two are really good because it’s not possible to sing them well.
Has everything happened really fast for you?
It’s a strange dichotomy in that I’ve been doing this for 17 years and then within one year everything I hoped and dreamed of happened at once. Suddenly it was one thing after another.
And a wedding…
Yeah! [smiles] Without a doubt the past year has been the most perfect year of my life, and I couldn’t be more grateful or more excited.
FR La tenue du succès
Elle a sans doute interprété la perpétuelle demoiselle d’honneur dans son dernier film 27 Robes, mais dans la vie réelle Katherine Heigl vient juste d’épouser l’acteur et musicien Josh Kelley.
Vous êtes-vous sentie concernée par l’obsession du mariage, à l’instar de certaines jeunes filles?
Non, cela m’énerve plutôt. L’industrie du mariage est un vrai racket – ils vous facturent trois fois le prix simplement parce que la plupart des femmes sont prêtes à débourser plus que nécessaire en prévision du grand jour.
Quand avez-vous su que Josh était fait pour vous?
Dans l’espace de cinq semaines, je suis tombée éperdument amoureuse de lui. Lorsque nous avons commencé à sortir ensemble, j’étais prête à m’engager dans une relation sérieuse, j’ai donc dû me rendre compte à quel stade lui-même se trouvait.
Sur votre personnage dans 27 Robes, tombet-elle toujours sur le mauvais numéro ou vitelle dans l’illusion?
Jane vit dans un monde de rêve, et elle idéalise cet homme qui lui paraît être le partenaire parfait, mais quand elle est confrontée à la réalité, la chimie ne se fait pas.
Vos critiques selon lesquelles ‘En cloque, mode d’emploi’ serait un film sexiste ont suscité la controverse. Pouvez-vous nous apporter des éclaircissements à ce sujet?
Je me suis exprimée en toute franchise sans réaliser quelles pourraient être les réactions des gens. C’est un film drôle, hilare et je suis fière d’y avoir participé, mais je maintiens mon opinion.
Avez-vous apprécié les rôles dansés et chantés dans ce film?
Ce n’était pas aussi traumatisant que je n’aurais pu l’imaginer. C’est dû sans doute au fait que pendant des années, j’ai réellement adoré le karaoke, et cela m’a rendue plus courageuse de chanter faux devant les gens.
Est-ce que tout s’est passé très vite pour vous, dans votre carrière?
C’est drôle – je fais ce métier depuis 17 ans et subitement en une année, tout ce dont j’ai rêvé se produit. La dernière année qui s’est écoulée a été la plus fantastique et j’en suis profondément reconnaissante, à tous autour de moi.
NL Gekleed voor succes
WIn 27 Dresses, haar meest recente film, speelt ze dan wel het eeuwige bruidsmeisje, maar in het echte leven is Katherine Heigl net getrouwd met acteur en muzikant Josh Kelley.
Snap je de obsessie van sommige meisjes met hun trouwdag?
Nee, het maakt me kwaad. De trouwindustrie is een en al oplichterij. Ze laten je drie keer meer betalen gewoon omdat de meeste vrouwen alles overhebben voor hun grote dag.
Wanneer wist je dat Josh de ware was voor jou?
Ik wist na vijf weken dat ik dolverliefd op hem was. Toen we met elkaar begonnen uit te gaan was ik klaar om me te binden, dus moest ik uitvissen waar hij stond.
Valt jouw personage in 27 Dresses voor de verkeerde of voor de illusie?
Jane leeft in een fantasiewereld en ze idealiseert een kerel die de perfecte man lijkt. Maar als puntje bij paaltje komt, blijkt het niet te klikken.
Kan je de controverse ophelderen rond jouw opmerkingen dat Knocked Up seksistisch zou zijn?
Ik gaf eerlijk mijn mening zonder te beseffen hoe mensen zouden reageren. Het is een leuke en hilarische film en ik ben trots dat ik eraan heb meegewerkt, maar ik blijf bij mijn standpunt.
Wat vond je van het zingen en dansen in deze film?
Het was lang niet zo stresserend als ik had gevreesd. Dat komt waarschijnlijk omdat ik gedurende enkele jaren echt dol was op karaoke. Dus nu durf ik vals te zingen voor een publiek.
Alles is plots erg snel gegaan voor jou, niet?
Het is vreemd. Ik doe dit al 17 jaar en dan is op één jaar tijd alles gebeurd waar ik van droomde. Het afgelopen jaar was echt het meest perfecte jaar van mijn leven en ik ben ongelofelijk dankbaar.
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