Today I sat but two chairs away from Michelle Pfeiffer, my lifelong cinematic goddess. Longtime readers may be surprised to realize that I am coherent enough to type. This was only my second time in the vicinity of La Pfeiffer. The first time (before I was a *cough* professional) we were separated by a wall of paparazzi at the NYC premier of The Story of Us and I was about as coherent as, say, a tween at a Jonas Bros concert.Cut to: Ten years later. I am happy to report that I did not hyperventilate (mostly). The room was too crowded for my tastes -- press days are strange -- but I did manage one exchange with her. People Magazine had just finished a long tangent about what she was like as a mom at home. I was finally able to speak. I allowed myself one breathless fanboy moment [sans squealing... I hope. I am scared to listen to the tape] "You're my favorite actress. ever." She was appropriately gracious about this love outburst. Then on to my question. I wanted to provide a segueway away from motherhood and back to the movies. 'Now that your children are teenagers you won't subject your pfans to another five year hiatus, will you?'
Was that hard for you?
Pfeiffer asked me in a gentle jesting tone, probably not expecting the very emphatic "YES. IT ACTUALLY WAS!" which erupted from me in response. At this she laughed and exchanged a faux familiar glance with the journalist to my right in a 'how about that?' type of aside. And then she got back to business answering my question. I got back to business taking my notes.For the record: She wants to work more than she has been. She loves working. I can't tell you how wonderful that was to hear from her own lips.
P.S. When we get closer to Chéri's opening I'll share more from today's interviews (Rupert Friends, Stephen Frears and Christopher Hampton were also there), but let it suffice to say for now that I was h-o-r-r-i-f-e-d at the things coming out of the mouths of some of the other journalists. Someone even brought up Jessica Tandy's Oscar win... and not in the way one would think to bring it up (or better yet avoid it altogether) in Michelle Pfeiffer's presence... though she handled that faux pas with good humor, I must say. More on that later. Chéri opens on June 26th in select cities.
