Claire Danes: Madonna Worshipper Now and Forever

By Nicki Gostin Posted Feb 5th 2010 09:00PM

So many gorgeous leading men, so little time... First Claire Danes had a romance with Jared Leto in 'My So-Called Life' - reputedly their on-camera kiss preceded her first one in real-life. Then she played star-cross'd lovers with Leonardo DiCaprio in 'William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet.' Later, she had a real-life romance with 'Stage Beauty' and 'Princess Mononoke' co-star Billy Crudup.

But it hasn't been all teenage angst and epic Shakespearean love for Danes. She plays the lead in 'Temple Grandin,' a film about an autistic woman who became a best-selling author and livestock industry consultant. The film, which airs Feb. 6 on HBO, focuses on a remarkable woman who's autism gave her a heightened sensitivity of animal behavior and features an unforgettable portrayal by Danes. PopEater spoke with the Golden Globe Award-winner and Emmy nominee about married life, dropping out of Yale and Madonna worship - both then and now.

Did you know about Temple before you agreed to do the movie?
I had a faint awareness. I have some friends who are devout followers so I knew she was special but I had to read her books. It took me a while to commit to the project because I knew it would be a massive undertaking. There was nothing casual about it. So once I'd decided to do it, I'd already done quite a bit of work in learning about who she was. Also, six months before, my husband (Hugh Dancy) had played an autistic person in a movie called 'Adam,' so I was very lucky because our bookshelves were already stocked with books about autism.

So you saved some money at Barnes & Noble.
Exactly.

Did you spend time with Temple?
I met with her for an afternoon and we recorded that conversation and my dialect coach broke that down and created a kind of "exercise tape."

Did you listen to it at the gym?
I didn't do it in public so much but I had great sympathy for my poor driver who had to hear me talk into the air for an hour from the hotel to the set.

This movie deals a lot with the meat industry. Do you eat meat?
I do eat meat and so does Temple. She's not opposed to eating meat; she just thinks that while the animals are alive, we're responsible for making sure they have a pleasant-enough time.

Do you eat food from McDonald's?
I stopped eating McDonald's after I saw that documentary 'Super Size Me.' It grossed me out.

I read you worshipped Madonna when you were a kid.
I did have this epiphany when I was watching her on TV. It occurred to me that one could perform as one's job. That could be a vocation and that was pretty exciting to me. I remember jumping up and down on the bed. I think most women of my generation worshipped Madonna.

Do you still worship her?
Yeah, I do. I haven't stopped.

For a lot of women you are always going to be Angela Chase from 'My So-Called Life.'
Sure, it's hard to resist that. I knew that it was remarkable at the time because the writing was so incredible and fresh. I didn't know it would become such a cult phenomenon.

You dropped out of Yale. That's a bit naughty not to finish your degree.
I don't know. I really got so much from that time. I really felt like I had met my goals.

Ever think of finishing?
No, not really. It would be another two years. That's a long time.

How's married life?
It's great! It also helps to be in love with your husband.

He's very cute and he's got that great accent. Would it have been harder to fall in love if he had a Long Island accent? (Editor's note: The views on the Long Island accent are the writer's alone and do not reflect those of the PopEater editorial staff ;)
Um, no. He's gorgeous in many different ways.

Is it true you turned down the role of Rose in 'Titanic'?
Not really. I met with (director) Jim Cameron but it wasn't offered to me. I'd just done a big, sweeping romantic epic with Leonardo DiCaprio literally a month before in Mexico.

You grew up in New York City and live there now. You must know it really well.
I certainly know Soho very well but I even get lost in the West Village which is ridiculous. New York City is so dense and concentrated there's not much reason to leave your ten block radius.

What do you do in your free time?
I love going to museums, the movies, eating out, seeing my friends. You know extraordinary things.

Are your friends in "the business"?
Most of my friends are from when I was a kid. That's the luxury of living in the city in which I was raised. My childhood friends are still here too but I have some friends who I've met on various movies. The majority are not in the business. It's very boring to talk about movie making all the damn time.

You just want to talk about what you watched on TV the night before.
Exactly!

'Temple Grandin' premieres February 6 on HBO.

Tags: Claire Danes, leonardo dicaprio, Temple Grandin

Comments

(3)

Friday 05 February

By Giles

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What, no obligatory gossip about cutie Claire`s obligatory husband having obligatory sex with her gorgeous leading men, before, during, and after her own obligatory adultery with them? Chances are, Clair just stares at Madonna`s push up bra for the photographs, while, I, of course, just stare at her picture, and Claire`s, and some of the other women pictured on the page, for the interesting articles! (Of course, if they were here in person, if it were an approach not a reproach, I might answer several of the gals asking the question Ma Donna notoriously asked the LetterMan, with a resounding YES!, which maybe be why it wouldn`t be asked, only those who would say no would get the offer, maybe).

Wednesday 24 February

By globalscum

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Madonna is a Practicing Cabala Witch and a Talmud worshiping Zionist

Saturday 06 February

By kim

Worshipping Madonna?? Boy are you in trouble. LMAO

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