To celebtrate the home release of the Ben Falcone directed comedy Tammy, We are proud to be able to share this conversation with actress Kathy Bates who plays Lenore in the film
Tammy is available on Blu-ray and DVD from 10th November
After losing her job and learning that her husband has been unfaithful, a woman (Melissa McCarthy) hits the road with her profane, hard-drinking grandmother.(Susan Sarandon)
QUESTION: So, Kathy, what was it that attracted you to this movie and this part?
KATHY BATES
Well, it would have to be Melissa. When I heard she was doing this and then I heard there was a part for me, I was really praying that they would ask me. She called — Ben and she were on the phone –and I was just thrilled to hear from them. And I said, “Yes. I don’t care what the part is or where it is, it’ll be a pleasure to work with you.”
QUESTION: What is it like to work with them? Is it a different dynamic when you’re working with a husband and wife team?
KATHY BATES
No, because that part of their relationship is very subtle. It’s there, it’s very loving, but it’s just easy. It’s easy, their relationship with each other — their relationship with other people is the same. Ben was really laid back and there’s just an ease about him, a love about him. I remember Melissa telling me once– because I said, “I’m just so amazed, he’s so cool, he’s just so nice,” –she said, “Yeah, he just doesn’t have that mean gene. He just wasn’t born with it,” and that’s really true.
QUESTION: That’s nice.
KATHY BATES
Yeah, it is nice, and you look at them and you think, “Wow that’s nice, we should all have that nice.” (LAUGHS)
QUESTION: So Lenore for me one of the more grounded characters in the film — tell me a little bit about her. While she’s grounded, she still has a lot of fun…
KATHY BATES
(LAUGHS) Yes, I like to think of Lenore as well-rounded. This is a person who accepts all the facets of their personality. She’s a very wise women. She’s worked hard to build up what she has, her business and, of course, her partner, Susanne, wonderfully played by Sandra Oh, who I wish were here. I think she’s in Chicago doing a play. Lenore is a gay women, who has worked very hard with her partner to make a way in this world. It was very difficult for them twenty, twenty-five years ago to come out as gay women who were living together and be open about it and to start a business. This is what in Lenore imparts to Tammy in their scene on the pier. Which is an important message, I think, although a subtle one — that you do have to work for things in this life. We’ve become persuaded — especially young people nowadays–that you can snap your fingers and suddenly you’re going to be living like the Kardashians or thatthat’s the goal they should be going for instead of finding something to do that makes them happy. Something that’s going to have longevity in their lives that they’regoing to still be in love with, just like being in love with a person, twenty years down the line. Not to say that you can’t change and fall in love with something or someone else, but whatever you do is going to take time to develop — nobody wants to hear that.
QUESTION: That’s true and it’s a great scene. I think the other part of Lenore that I really respond to is that she likes to blow stuff up. Why do they put all the fire around you?
KATHY BATES
I don’t know. I have no idea. I have to think about that. But maybe the secret is the Viking funeral. Lenore must come from a Viking background. Viking funerals are cremation but only in a really sexy, romantic, buff way. What a great way to go out.
QUESTION: Did you hit the target first try?
KATHY BATES
Hm-mm. I did the whole time.
QUESTION: Wow.
KATHY BATES
Every time.
QUESTION: How many times did you do it?
KATHY BATES
About seven.
QUESTION: You hit it every time?
KATHY BATES
Mm-hm.
QUESTION: That’s amazing, any practice?
KATHY BATES
No, it was Sandra. It was Sandra who kept saying, “Oh, honey you were so great in track and field,”and I was like, “Yeah, I was. I can do this.” It was all Sandra.
QUESTION: Wow, that’s great. It’s hard under pressure.
KATHY BATES
I know, but there was no pressure. That’s the whole thing about being in the movie, there was no pressure. Ben saw to that, just by not being a pressure cooker. There was no pressure about anything, so you always felt like you could do your best and you’d be great at anything — like being in the perfect family, and having perfect parents. In fact, Melissa said it at a recent awards show. She said of her girls, “I always try to teach my girls that you don’t have to be perfect to be remarkable.”I think that says it all about her — and about Ben, about their family, and about her work.
QUESTION: The cast is so amazing in this movie. We talked about Melissa, we talked about Sandra… Susan Sarandon, tell me about working with her?
KATHY BATES
Well, I didn’t get to work with her enough, number one. I did get to hang out with her because she very graciously allowed me to stay with the house that she had rented in Wilmington, out on the water, so we got to share some dinners and some chats. I’ve always admired her, her courage in standing up for causes that she believes in. She’s a cool gal, she really is. I just wish we had more to do together.
QUESTION: It felt like though that you guys knew each other really well from the relationship that was on screen. It felt like everybody knew each other really well.
KATHY BATES
Yeah, there seemed like there was a past history to this place. It didn’t seem to just jump out of nowhere. It’s cool.
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