An Interview with Kristin!
Kristin recently took some time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for her website about her career, her work, and her upcoming CD!
- Kristin, it’s been over 4 years since we last talked when your run in Wicked on Broadway was coming to a close. Since then, you’ve covered it all: the big screen, the little screen, the stage, and the recording studio, among other things. You’ve really been keeping yourself extremely busy. Did you ever expect your career to take off like it has?
NO - I was always just hoping to work on Broadway in the chorus!!! I never thought this would all happen! I feel very lucky to get to do what I love to do.
- Throughout your career, you’ve been able to successfully juggle so many different tasks, such as running between the recording studio, movie and television sets, and also stage appearances. Do you ever come into a situation where you wish you had been able to concentrate more then you were able to on a particular project?
The good thing about being a type A personality is that you give 100 percent to EVERY task. The bad thing about being a type A personality is that you give 100 percent to EVERY task. It is exhausting, but I don't think I could do it any other way.
- How do you manage to keep your focus on what you’re doing at the moment while keeping in mind the bigger picture of everything else that you do?
- You play Olive Snook in PUSHING DAISIES, which you were nominated for an Emmy award for Best Supporting Actress, where you ended up having a nervous breakdown from all the secrets that you were holding in your head. You then joined a nunnery to get away from it all. Can you relate to that – having so many great things happening in your career and all at once? Do you have those moments where you need to get away, whether it be mentally or physically?
I definitely have those moments when I need to get away and revive myself. I love going on vacations, however, the best thing I can do for my soul, is to go home and spend time with my family, to get back to where my roots are. Then I'm ready to go at it again.
- Do you have an urge to befriend a pig as someone who you can confide in and does Maddie know about your relationship with Pigby?
- Prior to PUSHING DAISIES, you were Annabeth Schott in THE WEST WING where you were able to bring a level of light-hearted seriousness to the White House. Considering she was your first major regular television role after leaving Wicked on Broadway, and also after your self-titled sitcom, what were you able to take away from THE WEST WING going into a new sitcom like PUSHING DAISIES?
What I loved about playing Annabeth is this, when she arrives on the scene the audience wonders, is this girl capable? Is she smart enough? They soon find out, she's very good at her job and often times, the smartest person in the room. I love playing characters that surprise people. The language of West Wing is very musical, it has its own style, much like Pushing Daisies, both shows dialogue were tricky. I was just constantly saying the lines over and over in my head to get them in my mouth. Annabeth helped me prepare for Olive.
- You’ve also been involved in quite a few motion pictures on the big screen over the years including voicing some animated roles as well. Do you find how you prepare for a voice role vastly different from preparing for a role on a movie set? Do you find it any more challenging to act in front of a microphone as opposed to in front of a camera?
There is a misconception that voice over work is easy. Usually, there is a camera in front of your face, so that the animators can draw your expressions. I always try to dress like the role when I voice a character. Even if it is just one item of clothing that helps me FEEL the part. It is very taxing on your voice and somehow, I feel, it takes as much energy. As far as preparing for any role, I do my homework by reading anything I can, and of course, there is always people watching.
- Well, you’re going to celebrate the holidays soon in FOUR CHRISTMASES in theaters, which involve a couple that struggles to visit each of their four divorced parents on Christmas Day. With your hectic schedule, do you find yourself struggling to make time with your family – especially with the holidays upon us? How valuable to you is your time spent with family?
My time with my family was always valuable and a necessity for me. It has become more so the busier I get. My family is wonderful because they take the time to come see me if I can't come to them. I do a lot of traveling, so I try to get home as much as possible, by squeezing in a trip here or there. The older you get the more you realize your parents won't always be there, so I make it a point to see them as often as I can.
- Basically, the roles that you’ve had in movies, as well as in other venues, have been more or less comedic. Your persona plays into that role very well and your fans and audiences love it. We asked in our last interview whether or not you wanted to take a stab at a more serious side of Kristin. We’re going to get a dose of that next year it seems! Can you tell us a little bit about INTO TEMPTATION that is scheduled to release in theaters in 2009? This film is going to deal with some topics that some of your fans may not have expected. How do you think they will react?
This is a character, who is a prostitute, she has also been very abused and is contemplating suicide. I always want to play parts where I can challenge myself, I can in no way relate to prostitution, however, when there has been abuse or neglect, one can sort of understand what would drive a woman into that profession. Adding to that, she was molested for many years by her father. I have had friends who have been in many different kinds of abusive situations, some have gotten out, some haven't, a lot have a hard time living with what they've been through. All of this can leave to depression, self-loathing, and feelings of worthlessness. Depression, thought may seem odd, is something I can understand. It is something I can relate to, this poor woman, my character, contemplates suicide. I've known people who have gone so far as to take their own lives, but I hope this film sends a message, that before you judge a book by its cover, maybe find out why it looks the way it does.
- How did they take it back home when you revealed to them this girl who bakes pies at The Pie Hole was becoming a suicidal call girl?
- This obviously gives an opportunity for you to show the world that your boundaries are endless, but did you have any reservations before accepting the role?
- Now, you recently released your third recording, A LOVELY WAY TO SPEND CHRISTMAS - a holiday album consisting of some traditional vocals, big band music reminiscent of your first recording, LET YOURSELF GO, and also a little bit of country as well. How important was it for you to release this Christmas album as a follow-up to your second recording, the inspirational AS I AM?
- Instead of a single style throughout the recording, why did you decide to mix some styles on the recording – from traditional vocals to big band music to a bit of country?
- With the myriad of Christmas songs out there, how did you go about choosing the ones that are on the recording?
- It's been about 10 years, if you can believe it, since you won your Tony award for Best Supporting Actress in YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN in 1999. Since your Tony award nomination for Best Actress in 2004 for WICKED, you starred in THE APPLE TREE on Broadway back in 2006. How much do you miss acting/singing nightly in front of a Broadway audience?
I miss it all the time, but luckily I get to do concerts which fill that desire.
- Your perpetually busy schedule has limited your appearances on the Broadway stage, and despite your success in Hollywood and on television, you've never broken any of your ties to Broadway and have often spoke of it as your first love. How important has Broadway been to you and your career?
Broadway is what made me. It's the things I'm most comfortable doing. I consider it to be my purpose in life.
- You've made a mainstay in musicals on the Broadway stage, largely in part because of your voice and knack for comedy. The last play you were in was EPIC PROPORTIONS. Do you enjoy being in a play as much as enjoy being in a musical?
I love doing plays just as much. In "Scapin" we all just got to have fun and I didn't need to worry about what kind of "voice" I was in.
- Any plans on coming back to Broadway in the near future?
Yes! I am developing some of my own ideas and would love to produce as well.
- Over four years ago, we just about ended the interview by asking if you were happy and you referred to your family, your blessings, loving what you do, and even your dog, Maddie, as inspirations for your happiness. Have the last four years changed or enhanced what made you happy?
Oddly enough, its mostly the same stuff. My family because they are all healthy, especially my mom. She battled breast cancer and won! That's made me the happiest of anything.
- Thanks for taking some time out to spend with your fans. Do you have any parting words for all of them out there?
Just stay true to who you are and remember, "as crappy as today is, tomorrow it will get better."
A long time ago, in college, a teacher said to me, "Do what you are doing while you are doing it." I try to focus on the big picture always, however whatever I am doing at the moment is what I concentrate most on. It keeps the feeling of being overwhelmed at bay.
Maddie does not like Pigby, aka Fiona. Maddie does not like Digby either! I am afraid I have raised an only child. Maddie can't be on set when Pigby or Digby are around...she growls at them, but I have to tell her that this is THEIR workspace, not hers.
I'm sure there was some concern, haha, but hopefully, most of my family understands that I am just an actress. This is the gift God gave me and I am playing a character. I learn and grow with each part that I play.
No, just excitement! This character also grows up in church. I was hoping to show how a person can get derailed by abuse.
I don't really think about the order of things, I kind of go on my instincts and what feels right at the time, everything was screaming for me to make a Christmas album from day one. It has been my hearts desire since I was a little girl to make a classic Christmas record that people put on during the holidays just like I have.
I'm sort of known for my versatility and even though I feel that it is sort of all from the same place, you have to stay true to who you are.
I had a lot of great help from my producers, Jay Landers and Robbie Buchanan, in fact, there are two original songs written by each of them! We were careful not to make it too "Christmasy," we wanted this to be a record for everybody, which is why there are songs on there like "Come on Ring Those Bells" which is very religious, as well as, "What a Wonderful World" which is secular and not necessarily a Christmas song.
Discuss this interview back at the forum:
http://www.kristin-chenoweth.com/content/an-interview-with-kristin
