Gina Gershon Biography

Gina Gershon Interview May 09, 2006 -By Jenny Halper Gina-Gershon.jpg She acts, sings, writes, produces, and, unsurprisingly, swears “I definitely like left-of-center.” Since moving from the Valley to Manhattan, Gina Gershon has, with ‘fuck-you’ gusto, paved a career based solely on gut instinct. I thought Tribeca made my proverbial plate full, but no one last week was as busy as Gershon, who appeared in three films at the famous New York festival and was due for two red carpets immediately after she stopped by the Regency Hotel to talk to press. The film this time was “One Last Thing,” directed by Gershon’s good friend Alex Steyermark, who helmed their first collaboration, the girl-band indie “Prey for Rock and Roll.” Having charmed Tribeca audiences as a British Biologist in “Kettle of Fish” and showed up for a sharp cameo in “Someone to Eat Cheese With,” Gershon co-starred in “One Last Thing” as a hard-nosed agent whose most difficult client is the unrequited fantasy of a dying sixteen-year-old boy. Clubplanet: Have your agents ever asked you to turn down a project you felt really strongly about? GINA: When I made “Bound” I was coming off of “Showgirls” and they were like “First time directors, a lesbian, you’re ruining your career.” And I said, “Not only are these guys first time directors, they’re super genius directors.” Lesbian part? It was such a great script and a great part. I just didn’t look at it that way. So I fired them. How did you know they were going to be really good? GINA: I get a feeling in my gut when I meet a really great director. I start giggling. And I also ask a million zillion questions, because I was so exhausted after the “Showgirls” experience that I really didn’t feel like going to work. Certain directors it’s like, “I can see this is your first time directing. This should be your last time directing.” I heard a musical of “Showgirls" was in the works. GINA: I might be making a musical of it. I’d write it. I’d want to make it as Off-Broadway, but from my perspective. There’s a really funny way to go about it, it just has to be exactly right. Would Alex be the music supervisor? GINA: Whenever I need music stuff I go to Alex. I mentioned it to Joe, because he owns the rights, and I told him my slant on it. There was some thing in Vegas because it was the 10th anniversary. He said, “We’re going to be doing a Broadway musical.” Everyone went crazy.” How’s your music going? GINA: I actually have two records that are ready to go. The producers that I’ve been wanting to work with keep flaking out, so I’m going to go to the studio in two weeks and do it myself. I have slightly more rock and slightly more country. And you’re in, what, three movies at Tribeca? GINA: In “Someone to Eat Cheese With” I’m really only in one scene. Jeff Garlin asked me to do it, and he was responsible for getting me on “Curb your Enthusiasm.” I’m very loyal to the people who are good to me that way. So when he says “I’m doing a movie, you have to be in it,” I’m like, “OK.” Alex too, it seems. GINA: Alex says, “You know you’re going to be in every movie that I ever make.” What’s going on with the Candace Bushnell show? GINA: It’s only a pilot. What if it doesn’t get picked up and I look like an idiot talking about it? It’s not like “Sex in the City” where they all are desperate to get married and have boyfriends. Not that they don’t need men, but they don’t. That’s just the way things are these days. What’s your favorite drink? GINA: I really just like simple tequila, which I’ve been living on for the past two days. I have some weird bug and tequila’s the only thing that calms my stomach down, oddly enough. But you know what? I made up a really great drink the other night. It was Chopin vodka and club soda, fresh limes, and fresh mint. Isn’t that good? The delicious left-of-center drink. “One Last Thing” opened on May 5th.