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Green Room Mag Interview By: Jason M Burns Izabella Miko landed her first Hollywood film role in the "Get on the bar and dance" story known as Coyote Ugly. But let's face it; she is as far from the "U" word as one could possibly imagine. I can't help but yell, "Shiver me timbers" every time I set my peepers on her. And you know what, I still can't decide if it is her teardrop blue eyes or the shout for the pout lips that have a stronger affect on me. You should decide for yourself though. The Green Room's "gothic crowd" may also remember Izabella from The Forsaken, where she played an incoherent temptress ready to switch sides to that of the undead. She didn't say much in the film, but her performance stood out. (And no, not for the nudity factor) Her career is still young and audiences can expect a lot more from this Polish born beauty in the future. She may have stolen the attentions of hundreds of imaginary bar patrons (or real life extras) in Coyote Ugly but it was when she stole a thump or two from my heart that I took notice. We sat down to talk about her career…from being unable to work, to wanting nothing more than to do so. JB: How are you? IM: I'm good! JB: Now you're first big acting role was the film Coyote Ugly and pretty much right out of the gates you created a big splash and you started to get noticed. Did you fear how the public would respond to you with this, your first film? IM: I never knew so many people would see it and recognize us from the movie. Everybody saw it and it's just a very weird feeling when you get fan mail from all over the world. It's just bizarre that these people know you. Your life kind of changes a little bit. Since that was my first movie it was quite a shock for me. JB: Would you say that the film established you more with a male crowd or a female crowd? IM: You know what, it's both. When we were shooting it I was like, "Oh, it's such a guys movie" because it's girls dancing around a bar. But then there were so many young 13 and 14 year old girls who loved this movie and just wanted to be those girls. I never thought that would happen and its amazing. I get as many letters from girls as I do guys. JB: Did you go through a lot to get that part? Was it a long process? IM: Well, in the beginning I went out for the lead role, Violet and they asked me if I could sing and I was like, "Yeah, in the shower." The minute they saw me they knew I was right for Cammie. It sort of happens that way. They have a picture of the girl that they wanted and I just totally fit it. Once they did that I didn't hear back for like two months because I guess they were trying to get together the rest of the cast. Then they called me and said, "Get on a plane because they want to see you in LA tomorrow morning." I said, "OK." (Done in the cutest voice possible) It happens so fast. You know, once they say yes. It's sort of like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa." JB: And then your second time out you land in the vamp flick The Forsaken and for the majority of the film you are either passed out or incoherent. Is that an odd acting job to take? IM: It's easy to talk when you have dialogue but it's much, much harder to express yourself through your body movements and your face. I wanted to try that because it's extremely challenging. It's so hard to be different in this business and I do want to be different. I don't want to just take typical roles like American Pie and this and that. I don't want to do that. I did Coyote Ugly, which was great, and then I did The Forsaken, which was great, because it was so different than the other movie. I look totally different, much more dramatic and I have to act with my body. NEXT UP: In the upcoming film Minimal Knowledge, she'll be playing a woman reincarnated. I'm no expert on the subject, but I think people would be lining up in Heaven if you could come back to this world looking like Izabella. Hell, I'm a guy and I'm taking a number. Shit…562. I think that will get me something along the lines of a Pippy Longstockings. I should have stayed in the male line. JB: You ranked number 48 on Maxim's Hot List. IM: Ah! (Laughter) JB: Now what do you think about young actresses like yourself having to appear in these types of magazines these days to connect with an audience? IM: Well, you know it's weird because in order to get jobs you need to have your fan base. You just have to. Yes you can do little movies and everything but big studios won't hire you. They don't care how great of an actress you are. They care more about how many people you can bring into a movie theater. And it's sort of sad. But as an actor the challenge is to keep balanced between trying to establish your fan base, doing these big budget movies, doing all of this publicity work and also doing the little movies that you really want to do where you can develop as an actor. So I do a lot of publicity. It's fine for me. It just sort of introduces me to more people and more people know me, which will help me in getting more roles. It's all really important in my career. It may not be the part that I really like to do but it's very flattering at the same time. It's like, "Oh, this is nice that they think of me like that." It's part of the job. This is just a wonderful job. I love what I do. I'm so lucky that I can wake up and be happy. JB: And you grew up in Poland? IM: Yes, I was born and raised in Poland…in Warsaw. I left home when I was 15 to dance ballet. And then I got injured so I had to stop that. I was 17 and that was really, really hard for me. Acting was kind of like a natural step. I didn't know what I was going to do and there was no way I'd go back to school or have a job, like a sitting job. I can't do that. I got this movie in Poland and I just loved the whole process of making a movie…from scratch. I love to work. I'm a workaholic and I'm extremely obsessed with details. So, with film all of these details create an amazing movie so I love that. I like to get into details. OK. I'm 5'11. I have dark hair and dark eyes. I was born on St. Patty's Day, which is kind of ironic for someone that doesn't drink. Is that enough detail? Izabella? Izabella? JB: I would imagine acting is a strange profession where you are from? IM: Yeah. There are plenty of actors in Poland. Both my parents are actors for example. My dad is still working and my mom is in something else. But, it is a weird profession to be doing it here. People leave Poland to…oh, I don't know, go to college or do something as in a lawyer. Whatever! But, to be an actress it's like, "What do you mean?" Now that I've become a little more successful and that everyone knows me in Poland it is just sort of funny. Usually you're a star in your own country and then you go to Hollywood to try and make it. I didn't do that. I started here. I took a very hard road because for someone from another country to try and make it in this business is so hard. JB: And I noticed your accent is very Americanized. IM: Yes, it starts with getting rid of your accent. You can not have your accent because there are no roles or maybe there are like two and MAYBE you'll get them. You have to be able to get rid of your accent and that's what I've been working on ever since I came here. JB: So you would definitely say that being foreign to Hollywood has hurt you more than helped? IM: Well you know…now it helps me. But in the beginning it is so hard because you don't have a visa to work. So you get a job and you can't just start working because the studio needs to put up money to get you a visa. There are so many little complicated things that people don't even realize what I have to go through to get a visa. I got Coyote Ugly and then I had to tell them that I can't work here. I was illegally here and they were like, "What do you mean?" (Laughter) They had to get me a visa and it wasn't so easy. JB: What made it difficult? IM: Well, to get an O1 visa you have to prove that you are famous in your own country. Well, I wasn't famous in my own country so how do you do that? So, I had to dig up some old materials…it was very, very difficult. And I still have to deal with that until I get my Green Card. JB: Really? IM: Yes. Every time I get a visa and start a movie I need to leave the country and come back. It is so annoying. For example I got this new Meg Ryan movie and they said, "We need to start Tuesday with you." So, there's no way. I couldn't do it because I couldn't get a visa in a week. So, I couldn't do this movie. JB: That's horrible. You had to pass on a movie like that because you couldn't get a visa. IM: Yeah! I couldn't do it. There's no way. They wouldn't obviously let me work illegal here and I wouldn't even want to because then I couldn't get my Green Card. It's very, very complicated. JB: Well, you are obviously a very attractive woman… IM: Oh gosh. (Blush setting in) JB …but can someone be too attractive for Hollywood? IM: Well, a lot of very interesting roles are for women that are not necessarily so attractive. A lot of roles for beautiful women are just not deep enough. It's hard because sometimes I want to go out for roles and they're like, "Well you know, you're just too pretty." Or for example if you want to play the friend of the main character. The main character is usually a gorgeous woman so if I wanted to play the friend or the secondary character they won't ever give me this role because they don't want the two actresses competing. And I understand that! I wouldn't even argue. I'm not supposed to steal somebody's show so I just sort of have to wait for the right role. In a way…in the long run it's an advantage but in the short one it can be a disadvantage. JB: So how do you choose a role? IM: Go with your guts, I think. I always try to do that. Do I really want to do it? And if inside tells me no, I don't do it. I had a lot of offers to do…I don't even want to mention which magazines, but magazines that I don't really want to be in…FOR A LOT OF MONEY! Like this money could really make me. I could just be on a beach for the next few years and do nothing. But you know what, I'd rather eat at a McDonald's everyday and do what I really, truly want to do. (Laughter) JB: So have you tried to stay out of certain genres of films as well? Like the teen genre? IM: Yeah, I don't want to do that but at the same time I'm young so there's not that many roles…good roles for young girls. Just by logic. Young girls are not supposed to be so deep yet. So, like I said, I have to wait and fight for those great, great roles. JB: You did bare some skin in The Forsaken. Was that a tough career choice to make? IM: No, not all because I knew that this character needed this to show how vulnerable she was. It's not a sexual scene. It is such a strong image. I think it's a very strong image when you see a topless girl that is just torn and in so much pain. And it's so much more real too. So, it wasn't really a tough choice. Plus I'm a dancer so I'm very comfortable with my body. As far as shooting it, it wasn't so uncomfortable. I grew up in Poland. I'm European so I look at it totally different. People here, from Middle America go, "Oh my God." And I'm like, "What are you talking about?" You can look at Polish magazines and see an ad for deodorant and there's a woman with beautiful breasts and it's OK. No one is like; "(She gasps)." JB: What makes you happy? IM: Well, I just got a dog four months ago. JB: What kind of dog? IM: She's a little Yorkie and she's the cutest little thing. She makes me so happy. In this business there's so much stress and then I come home and there's this little cute thing that's so happy to see me. I talk to my dog all of the time. She's like my little baby. JB: And a dog never judges you either. IM: EXACTLY! You can wake up ugly with roots and whatever. The dog will love you and kiss you and follow you everywhere, looking at you like you are their hero. JB: You've just described every guy in this world. Wow, we really are like dogs. Maybe that's why my girlfriend is always hitting me with a rolled up newspaper? Now if I can only get someone to scratch my belly. |
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