Video:Joan Cusack Interview-Mars Needs Moms
with Rebecca MurrayJoan Cusack plays 'Mom' in 'Mars Needs Moms,' a family-friendly film from Walt Disney Pictures directed by Simon Wells and based on the book by Berkeley Breathed. At the movie's premiere, Cusack talked about working in a performance capture suit.
Transcript:Joan Cusack Interview-Mars Needs Moms
Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the World Premiere of Walt Disney Pictures' Mars Needs Moms.
Joan Cusack - 'Mom' in Mars Needs Moms
How difficult was it to have those dots on you and just act?
Joan Cusack: "You know what? There's so many weird things about being an actor. You do so many different things and talk to a piece of tape, that that was just like odd for a second that they cared so much about where a dot was on your face. That was a little odd. [Demonstrating on one of her sons] Like, 'No, no, no. Can you make it be more here? No, no, wait, let's make that dot a little bit right there.'"
And it allowed you to not have to take a lot of time in between takes, so what was that like?
Joan Cusack: "No. There's no sets, there's no lighting. They don't have to change the camera angle. It just was only about the performance. It was sort of surreal. It was like an actor's dream. It was only about you telling the story."
Does it allow you more freedom or less freedom to actually do your own thing?
Joan Cusack: "I think it's more freedom for me. You don't have all that time when you lose your rhythm or you have to start and stop. It was like experimental theater."
And the set itself didn't have much physically around you, so you just had to use your imagination?
Joan Cusack: "Nothing. But you know what? When I was a kid I did story theatre and a lot of improv stuff, and you never had anything anyway. So, in a way, you don't really focus on that when you're performing. It's just the world."
Last question because I'm a huge Shameless fan - congrats on the renewal for season 2 - what's it like to be on that set?
Joan Cusack: "It's so fun. You know why? Because it's shameless. That's like the whole thing. It's based on a real guy and he did the show in England forever, and that's how he survived is, 'You know what? No one felt like shame on top of it makes everything worse.' So it's kind of fun."
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