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Here's what the director/writer said about Fairuza:
Let me tell you a little story about Fairuza Balk, by way of our
casting process:
Danny and I, over the course of casting Humboldt County, were
fortunate enough to receive some advice on how best to audition
actors. Being actors ourselves, we've always despised the traditional
structure of auditions...
1. Actor enters a plain, well-lit room, shakes hands with casting
director, producer, casting assistant, director (whoever else might be
there), hands over headshot and resume (mind you this all typically
occurs after actor sits in a waiting area with other actors, nervously
running lines and quietly doubting self).
2. Actor performs a scene or two (the "sides") with the emotionless
casting director/assistant; actor desperately tries to bring some
semblance of reality to this absurd setting.
3. Actor receives notes from said casting director or producer or
director, and actor performs again, demonstrating actor's ability to
take direction.
4. Actor smiles, thanks everyone, leaves room and returns to car
filled with self-doubt only to call agent and say "it went OK."
Our auditions were more fluid. We performed the scenes with the
auditioning actors, and whenever possible we had the already-cast
actors from the other parts available to read in the audition. We
encouraged improvisation, suggesting the words on the page were merely
a springboard upon which to build a character and a scene. Our
auditions often lasted 20-30 minutes or more, and many actors later
told us it was one of the most enjoyable (if not bizarre) auditions of
their careers.
For many of the actors, it was initially a bit of a shock to the
system. They came in prepared to perform the script as written; they
had already made choices and were ready to demonstrate their ability
to bring truth to the words on the page. For many of these extremely
talented actors, it took a little time to warm up to this bizarre
audition.
But then there was Fairuza Balk. Fairuza is a pro. She started acting
professionally before she was 10 years old, so she has been working
steadily for over two decades. When Danny and I were 11, we thought it
was cool that we each had a line in the elementary school play about
the American Revolution (my line was early in the show: I walked
across the stage and said, "8 o'clock and all is well!" All wasn't
well for long...). Fairuza, at 11, was cast as Dorothy in Walter
Murch's Return to Oz. In other words, this woman has a thing or two to
teach us.
After our initial meeting went swimmingly (more on that in a moment),
we brought Fairuza in to read for the part. We told her about our
audition method. She didn't flinch. In fact, there was a twinkle in
her eye (but then again, anyone who has met Fairuza knows there's
always a twinkle in her eyes). And when the scene started, she took
off. It was like watching a masterful musician in concert, an apt
analogy for Fairuza (who is a wonderful singer as you will all see in
the film). Her audition must have lasted 45 minutes, and the scene she
created was epic, beautiful and always 100% truthful. We were blown away.
Truthfully, for the part of Bogart, we probably saw more talented
actresses than for any other part in the film. We had to make an
agonizing decision. And we were not able to make the decision right
away. Fairuza did not flinch when we asked her to come back for a
second reading, this time with Jeremy Strong, our lead actor. Again,
she blew us away. It was becoming quite evident who our Bogart was to
be. To be honest, I look back now and remember that there were other
brilliant performers in line for Bogart, but it's difficult to imagine
the part in anyone else's hands. Fairuza is mesmerizing, making the
most of every minute of screen time, and I have a feeling many will
see her in a very different light after watching Humboldt County.
Bogart is a character who at once entices and frustrates you; she
compels you to reach out and try to hold her close only to realize she
has slipped away before you can reach her. We tried to write her with
great complexity and realism, and where we failed Fairuza filled in
the gaps to make her a human being.
I recall our first meeting with Fairuza - sitting on the patio outside
of one of her favorite restaurants nestled in Topanga Canyon - where
we discussed at length the kind of seemingly contradictory woman that
Bogart is, and Danny and I listened in awe as Fairuza used many of the
same words to describe her that we had used in conceiving of the
character. When you meet an actor of Fairuza's talent who has such a
complete connection with a character you've written, well, I guess
you've got to count yourself among the fortunate.
And I can tell you today that casting Fairuza was one of those great
fortunes that we look back upon with appreciation and humility.
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"Brad" <bl47053n@...>
thesurfacenyc
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