 |
 Monica Bellucci in "The Brothers Grimm." |
In Terry Gilliam's fantasy adventure, The Brothers Grimm, Monica Bellucci plays the Mirror Queen. This evil sorceress will do anything to preserve her beauty for all eternity, including taking the blood of innocent children. But in real life, Bellucci is much sweeter, and much easier to talk to.
The Sun: Did you have a good time playing the evil queen?
Bellucci: It was great fun playing the evil queen because she is such a great metaphor for anyone who believes their image is who they really are. It's a strong warning, especially for actors who are prone to being image conscious. When their image is gone, their world and life collapse.
The Sun: Is image not important to you? You have graced the covers of over 250 magazines.
Bellucci: I am always honoured by such compliments, but I am not motivated by them. You have the title one day and someone else has it the next. What's far more important to me is my husband and daughter.
The Sun: Your husband, Vincent Cassel, is an actor as well. How would it make you feel if your new daughter, Deva, grew up to be an actress?
|
Bellucci: I love acting. It is such an exhilarating profession. If Deva wanted to be an actor like her parents I would be happy. What she can't be is a model.
The Sun: You were studying law when you took up modeling. And now you don't speak very highly of it. What changed?
Bellucci: Acting was my salvation. It rescued me from being a full-time model.
The Sun: Were you nervous to work with Terry Gilliam?
Bellucci: Terry Gilliam's Baron Munchausen and Brazil are two of my favourite films. In Europe, Terry is a god. Everyone wants to work with him.
The Sun: Was it magical in any way to be involved in a story of the people responsible for so many of today's popular fairy tales?
Bellucci: It's like all those old fairy tales came together to create a new one, and I got to create one of the characters in it.
The Sun: How did playing Mary Magdalen in Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ affect your career?
Bellucci: When I told people I was doing the film they all said I was foolish, because nobody would ever see it. The film became so huge and controversial, all those same people are now telling me I was very clever to have done it. Box-office and controversy were never part of my decision. I did it because I was intrigued by the idea of playing Magdalen.