In the romantic drama Something Borrowed, based on the best-selling novel of the same name, actress Kate Hudson goes against type by playing the Darcy, the best friend of Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin), a woman who realizes her true love is the man that Darcy is about to marry. Best friends since childhood, Darcy and Rachel have a relationship that has become somewhat toxic, with Darcy always getting what she wants and Rachel never speaking up for her own desires. So, when Rachel finally tells Dex (Colin Egglesfield) her true feelings, all hell breaks loose, and the one person that Darcy could always count on does something that very well may be unforgivable.
At the film’s press day, Kate Hudson talked about how fun it was to play such a hilariously self-centered character, the challenge of making a very unlikeable character someone that audiences want to root for, her personal feelings on infidelity, and why the role of Linda Lovelace was appealing enough to make Lovelace her next project. Check out what she had to say after the jump:
Was it delicious to play Darcy?
Yeah, she was really fun. At the time, I really didn’t want to work. I didn’t want to do anything. Hilary [Swank] and Molly Smith, the producers, came over and were like, “Just read the book.” I didn’t even look at it because I was like, “No, I’m not working.” But, I started reading the book and Darcy was just such a hilarious character to me because she’s just so deeply self-centered. I’d never really played a part like that before, so I thought, “Well, this is going to be fun.” Hopefully, in a sequel, I’ll get to take that character and really, really turn her around. There are two books. There’s a book called Something Blue and, in that, she is pregnant and she goes through all these hormonal changes, loses everybody and has to re-establish what she is, who she is and who she’s been. It’s a good book.
Was it difficult to play such an unlikeable character?
It is challenging to take a character that is just written as very unlikeable. It was very easy to make her the villain. That would have made it easier for Dex and Rachel. I thought it was really more real and interesting to make all of the characters who they are, but somewhat likeable. It makes you question the whole dilemma.
Do you think Darcy just has a great lust for life?
Yeah, I think she likes to have fun, but just on her terms. She’s the kind of person that, if people don’t want to go where she wants to go, she’ll sulk all night. Then, she’ll talk about how much better the place that she’d wanted to go would be. She’s just so all about her.
Why didn’t you want to work, at the time this script came up?
Because I had just finished a movie. I had just done Nine, and then I went and did a film called Earthbound, and I just was ready to be home. But, they shot this in New York. It was one of those things where the decisions really become about where you are and where it’s going to take you, and the family and everything. It just all worked out perfect.
Do you think Darcy could ever forgive Rachel for this?
Well, you’ll have to read (the book’s follow-up) Something Blue. I don’t know, maybe.
Could you forgive infidelity, in your own life?
I think that’s a personal question. I think everybody has their own ideas of that. I don’t know. For me, personally, I don’t know if I could. I just say that nothing is forgivable, if it’s not honest. It’s hard to go back to something and to trust people who’ve been dishonest. Forgiving is actually an important thing to do, but I don’t know.
In your various movies, how many wedding dresses do you think you’ve tried on?
I think I’m at seven. There was About Adam, Dr. T and the Women, Bride Wars, Four Feathers. My Best Friend’s Girl was a bridesmaid dress. I’m missing some.
How was it to do the dance to “Push It” with Ginnifer?
When we were doing it, at first, it was one of those things where I thought, “Okay, here comes that moment in the movie where we dance.” Ginny and I were like, “If this is bad, can we please cut this out of the movie?” Then, we started doing it and it brought back so many memories of doing dance routines as a little girl. For me, it was Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation.” I specifically remember the routine that me and my friends would do to that. So, it did actually end up feeling right. It was easy and fun.
Have you ever been used by a friend, like Rachel is used by Darcy?
Maybe because I was always watching people with my parents, and I had a very good objective opinion on how people treated my parents at times, I have a pretty good radar for bullshit, so I don’t think I’ve ever really been in that situation. I feel like, any situation you find yourself in, you have to take responsibility for it yourself. If you’re in a relationship with a friend who’s using you, you have to take some responsibility for not recognizing that that’s what they were doing. But, I’ve never had a situation similar to this.
With Almost Famous just having come out on Blu-ray, do you have a different take on that breakout film, all these years later?
That experience was amazing. Working with Cameron [Crowe] was incredible. It opened a passage for me to work with some other amazing directors. I guess it’s just a part of the full journey. My mom’s a Buddhist, so we don’t live in the past, but that, to me, was just a moment and an experience that I will take with me forever. All of those experiences become a part of your fabric. That one, in particular, was just phenomenal, from the writing, to the experience, to the actors that I worked with that are still my friends. It was a very long shoot. I’ve only had one other movie that was as long, and you really become a family.
What was the other movie?
Fool’s Gold was six plus months. And then, the critical attention that Almost Famous received was mind-blowing for me because I was young, falling in love, getting married and doing the whole awards circuit. It was all new, and it was great.
Is it increasingly important to you to play roles that you’ve never played before, like with Darcy?
There are always different shifts, in times in your life, especially when you have kids, and now I’m pregnant, where your focuses are in your career change. Sometimes, you just want to have fun and you want to play a part where you don’t have to think too much about it. This was probably the last time that I would be able to do something on a whim. I was like, “Yeah, I’ll go make that movie in New York.” Now, I’m going to have two kids, and then it really becomes about filmmakers.
Is it tough to balance everything?
No. It’s tough, if you get stressed out and allow yourself to be stressed out. But, if your priorities are your kids, it’s the best. All is good.
Is your pregnancy very different this time?
Yes. It’s a totally different pregnancy, completely. Everything couldn’t be more opposite. This time, I’m actually set up, whereas with Ryder, I didn’t even have a nursery. I was trying to get the nursery together. I didn’t really have a home until I was seven months pregnant. This time, it feels like I actually got to paint a nursery. I actually have a color in a room. I’m going with neutral colors. I don’t know what the sex is, so it’s neutral. Yellow is a good, sunny color for kids.
Is Ryder excited about being a big brother?
Yes, he is, but he’s already a brother. He’s got a sister (from his dad). But now, he’s really enjoying it. He likes making fun of me. He’s a kid. He loves it. He’s like, “You’re huge!” He’s very protective. I put spicy stuff on my food and he goes, “Mom, don’t eat that. The baby might not like spicy food.” All of a sudden, he doesn’t want me to drive a car. I can’t get up on anything high. He’s very protective. It’s pretty cute.
When would you decide on whether you’ll do the Linda Lovelace movie?
That would be after the baby.
Is that still in the works?
Yeah, it’s still in the works.
What drew you to that role?
It’s a great role. It’s a very, very, very heavy script. She had an interesting life. The script is really interesting because it’s non-linear, in the way it’s written. It portrays an outside perspective of what she is, and then takes you through a journey of what was really happening. As a real person, her life is quite controversial because you don’t really know, in doing the research and looking into who she really was. She dealt with a lot of abuse and obviously a very difficult childhood, which brought her into this world of pornography. And, there is still that question of, “Was she really being held at gunpoint to do this, or was this really a choice of hers?” She ended up doing a lot of feminist movement work with Gloria Steinem. It’s a really interesting role, and I look forward to doing it.
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