Interview

BOLLEN: But it is important to take risks with your roles because it’s easy to get stuck in a type.

CRAWFORD: That’s what was nice about doing a shoot like the one I did for Interview. It’s good to switch things up. I did all of this
stuff early, and they always wanted the same thing, the same look, the same deal, and I’d think, That’s not what it’s about. It’s the same microcosm for taking on film roles. You have to be realistic with yourself as to what your range is going to be. I look at the veterans of the game and what choices they made. You need to know what your threshold is and what you can take on and what gets to a point where the audience doesn’t believe it. I actually apply that to my personal life, too. I’m the biggest believer in not talking. I don’t Twitter or MySpace or Facebook. I want to keep to myself. I don’t want to be out there. You have to keep some kind of control over who you are.

BOLLEN: Your next project is Footloose. Did you dance before?

CRAWFORD: I absolutely did not dance. [laughs]

BOLLEN: Are you taking dance classes? I can’t imagine having to get up there and do those moves if you don’t know how to dance.

CRAWFORD: It’s like you’re naked up on a stage or something. But you know what I will say, I am confident because I knew I had rhythm—and I’m athletic. I know I have rhythm, I have it in my brain. And I’m a quick learner. I’m better at doing something by imitation than being told. So if I’m working with the dance coach who tries to explain it, I say, “Just do it and I’ll get it.” That’s how we’ve been working. I’m taking these private lessons. It’s been unbelievable.

BOLLEN: So it’s pretty intense training? You’re going to be in amazing shape.

CRAWFORD: I’m going to try to get shredded. And my flexibility has already gone up like double. Really, what it’s so much about is core strength and flexibility. Its not just dance practice, I mean it’s a lot of movement work. There’s some kickboxing, some Muay Thai. And I’m learning fundamentals like breakdancing,

BOLLEN: Well, what’s great about Footloose isn’t just the dancing. It also has a beautiful message. It’s about youth fighting against an oppressive town that won’t allow them freedom—specifically the freedom to express themselves. That’s not a message that falls away no matter what the dance sequences are.

CRAWFORD: Yes, I’m glad you said that. People keep asking me about the dancing and the music. But you know Susannah Grant was nominated for an Oscar for Erin Brockovich [2000]. She did a page-one rewrite. And she interwove this beautiful story. It is a musical, and there is a bit of singing, but the message of the movie really hits home for me. Because I know about the megachurches and how they work and how they can be like brick walls. It definitely means a lot to me.

Christopher Bollen is Interview’s editor at large.