Marriage equality is at the heart of the new drama Freeheld, a true story centering on the love between a same-sex couple and their fight for spousal fairness. Julianne Moore and Ellen Page play the couple and the movie centers on their relationship in good times and bad. It’s a story of joy and sadness and the leads never hit a false note.
The movie also boasts an impressive supporting cast including Michael Shannon (Man of Steel) as a jaded cop and Steve Carell as a gay activist looking to help the ladies’ cause. Julianne Moore and Ellen Page recently traveled to San Francisco to talk about their new movie, same-sex stereotypes and finding levity on set when you’re shooting an emotionally draining movie. This is a transcription of that conversation.
Q: Ellen, you’ve been on this film as a producer for a while, did you always intend to play Stacie?
Ellen Page:Yes. The producers sent me the documentary and I wept. It’s hard to watch obviously but I attached myself as a producer.
Q: What was it about Stacie that made you want to play this character so badly?
Page:I was just so moved by the story, their love and their dedication toward one another. Overall I just feel honored to tell their story.
Q: Julianne, you recently said in another interview and I hope this is true…
Julianne Moore: Oh, me too.
Q: …that you want to make movies that don’t change things but that reflect the changing times.
Moore: What I said was that movies don’t necessarily change culture. I don’t know for sure that movies change culture but I do know that they reflect it. It’s kind of like the Supreme Court, I feel like the Supreme Court makes decisions once popular opinion on something has swung. They rarely lead an opinion, they usually follow it.
Q: You also played a domestic partner in The Kids Are All Right, how would you compare your role in that film to Freeheld?
Moore: This story is true. When you see Laurel and Stacie they’re living in a much different world, the most politically conservative county in New Jersey, they’re living in a time before domestic partnership was passed. So you see a true story being told in a very different political world and the ramifications of those decisions on that relationship. It’s a very different look at a same-sex relationship.
Q: This is obviously very serious subject matter, what kinds of things did you both do for levity on set?
Page:She (Julianne) is always singing and dancing on set. People always ask me what it’s like working with Julianne and I tell them she’s always singing and dancing right up until the director yells action. It’s hard to say it because it’s a tough shoot and a true story but we got along great together.
Moore: It was very special. It was great to have someone who was my partner on screen and off. We both have the same goals and desires and the same relationship to the story. That was nice for me because you don’t know if you’re always going to get along with other actors and we very much did.
Q: Michael Shannon is also a notorious prankster on set. Did he live up to his reputation?
Moore: He would turn over Ellen’s chair.
Page:There was a scene where every time we shot it he would turn over my chair. We call him “Shanny” we never call him Michael.
Moore: On set we would call each other small, medium and large because he’s so tall.
Q: Julianne, you’re coming off a lengthy awards season where you talked about Alzheimer’s on the Still Alice press tour and now you’re talking about marriage equality on this tour. Is it daunting to be a spokesperson for these major issues?
Moore: I’m not an expert on either of these subjects, I’m speaking from the point of view of an actor and a person. The great thing about being an actor is it exposes you to things you might not have been exposed to otherwise.
Q: What have you learned about lesbian women and yourself playing lesbian roles in this film and The Kids Are All Right?
Moore: There’s no difference, I think the most important thing to understand is that sexuality doesn’t make you any different as a human being. I think that’s at the root of discrimination, people have somehow determined that a different sexuality makes you a different kind of human being and that is simply untrue. Sexual preference is sexual preference, period. It doesn’t color any other aspect of your humanness expect where you’re discriminated against.
Q: Ellen, what was it like for you to watch the finished film with Stacie?
Page:I felt concerned for her because I had an emotional experience watching the movie. It was special to have made it but my main thing was concern. I wanted concern and care for Stacie because I wanted her to feel protected.
Q: Which of your films do you feel is the most underrepresented and you wish people would seek out the most?
Moore: I honestly can’t remember, I rarely see my own films. Once I finish something I have no relation to it. With actors we have a very “what’s next” personality because the fun comes from being on set with all those people.
Q: You never get nostalgic enough to want to revisit one of those great experiences?
Moore: No because watching it doesn’t give me that.
Q: You’ve been so outspoken about gun control, when you see your character holding a gun in a script does it make you less likely to take the role?
Moore: Not if it’s a police officer. My issues about gun safety are strictly that, gun safety. I believe we need to have a license, I believe in background checks, lockboxes, I believe in the constitution. The second amendment says we have the right to bear arms, that also means we have the right to be responsible about them. A police officer with a gun is not irresponsible.
Freeheld is now playing in limited release.
