Interview by: Bruce Bluett
The word on the street for a while, at least in my domain, has been, 'Have you seen the trailer for The Girl Next Door''. Although I think Emile Hirsch is a good guy and all, I was watching for Elisha Cuthbert. She can be seen gracing the front covers of magazines, in the addictive show 24, and in the wildly popular Old School'but not until now has she had her time to shine. Cuthbert has come a long way since her times as the host of Popular Mechanics for Kids to playing Danielle, the ex-porn star lead of The Girl Next Door. As dramatic a shift as that sounds, Cuthbert takes it all in stride.
'If I thought the film was about promoting the porn industry I wouldn't have chosen to do the film. To me, the porn aspect of this movie is merely the twist in the whole story. I met a couple of them (porn stars), you know they're tough girls. They're strong, they're determined, and they know what they want', says Cuthbert. 'I don't think we are legitimizing the porn industry. Not to give anything away, but I think the ending of the film is on a positive note, a positive message to kids that sex is not just something you can toy around with and you have to protect yourself and be safe'.
Mind you, Cuthbert's character is an ex-porn star. But when things start to go south in her relationship with Matthew Kidman (Emile Hirsch), she decides to head back to the business. This might raise the question as to what rules Cuthbert has on nudity in her roles'besides the fact that one of the first times we see her in the film, we are watching her undress.
'It was a difficult process to explain to the studio that this was a movie that I wanted to do, and I could do it well. But then I had to say to them 'I'll be the lead and not do any nudity'. Even though it was written that way, and even though that's typical nowadays. I just felt like it wasn't necessary', explains Cuthbert. 'If you show full nudity the second time we see this character (Danielle), what was there to look forward to in the rest of this' This is a character that has to draw this young, innocent boy in and make him do things he doesn't want to. I thought if we just threw it all away in the second scene, it would have ruined everything'.
When you look at the big picture, it can be argued that the plot of The Girl Next Door resembles that of another teen movie in particular. What the film in question did for its generation is something Cuthbert feels would be very flattering to achieve again.
'When people say that it (The Girl Next Door) is like Risky Business, to me, it's a compliment because I'd rather them say that some of the teen movies that have come out in the past couple of years. This movie is in the same arena as Risky Business, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off: all movies that I've enjoyed watching. Those were movies that had heart and were funny, but the comedy wasn't forced, it was real. This script flowed and made sense. Also the director put a great soundtrack on it, which gives it a little bit of an old school kind of feel'.
In between playing sassy teenage characters in several different areas, Cuthbert had to take time to remember her times in high school. Although far contrasting to Danielle's, Cuthbert draws some comparisons to the situations in the film.
'My high school experience was great. No one knew I was an actor until my senior year. I had a very normal high school experience. I had two girlfriends that I did everything with. It was awesome. I wasn't in just one group. I hung out with everyone. I was very social. I hated getting into trouble; I was always a very determined student', she remembers. 'I look back and I only have great memories of it.'
Recognizing that The Girl Next Door could potentially lead to more work and better roles, Cuthbert speculates on what turns her career may take.
'My biggest thing is just to change it up. I don't want all of my movies to be the same. I don't want to just be the 'sex symbol', I don't want to be a certain genre, and I want to touch on everything. I think I can do that, but it just takes time to find the right projects and shoot them. For example, my next project is going to be a horror film (House of Wax). I am open for anything, as long as I think I can bring something unique to the film'.
Although she may always have been able to turn heads with her gorgeous looks, it seems like Cuthbert is on the verge of bursting out as a major, lasting new talent. Danielle is a complex character that compliments Elisha Cuthbert's wit, heart, and sense of danger. Cuthbert's potential, as an actress, has turned to skill in this film. And lucky for us, she shows no signs of slowing down.
