KST on NBC Today
Transcribed by Pen McKissick
Katie Couric: Random Hearts is a new film starring Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas as strangers who come together when their spouses are killed in a plane crash. She's a congresswoman dealing with her re-election campaign, the death of her husband and the knowledge of his adulterous affair.
[Random Hearts clip]
KC: Kristin Scott Thomas, good morning.
Kristin Scott Thomas: Hello.
KC: This is really a movie about two people dealing with two separate traumatic events in their lives. The deaths of their spouses, as I mentioned, and then coming to terms with the fact that their spouses had been unfaithful. Which is not all that surprising for your character, is it?
KST: That my... well, I think she's let things slip a little. I think that she's been so involved in her duty towards the other people in her life, i.e., the people she's representing, that she's sort of lost track of the things that are in her immediate surroundings. Meaning her husband and maybe her child and . . .
KC: She's certainly not as surprised by this revelation, say as Harrison Ford's character is.
KST: I think that... I think that she is surprised, but I think that she's... she blames herself for it. She's surprised and horrified that she hadn't noticed. I think the real shock of it for her is the fact that she's been living all this time completely oblivious to any problems.
KC: Not to mention she's a pretty repressed individual in general. [laughs] Describe this woman Kay Chandler.
KST: Oh, that's such a difficult thing to do, you know? I spent five months trying to get her right. With much help from Sydney Pollack. I think, especially in this case, I had a very special way of dealing with her in that Sydney seemed to know her better than I do--or did. And I would go to work every morning knowing what was going to happen, but not really knowing how I was going to react to it--how my character was going to react to it. I had no kind of game plan for my character. But, yeah, she's a very... she's very devoted to her job and has an absolute horror of untruth. So, for her, this revelation--this huge lie--is completely unbearable for her. In fact... but rather than kind of face it and investigate the way he does, she draws a huge veil over it and prefers not to know. She buries her head in the sand.
[Random Hearts clip]
KC: What was it about this movie. I mean, I'm sure you're given all sorts of scripts and people call you and talk to you about certain roles. What was it that appealed to you about this role? Was it working with Harrison Ford? Did that contribute to your decision?
KST: Yeah, well, certainly that, yes. I'd wanted to work with him for quite a while, as you can imagine.
KC: [laughs] Yes, I can.
KST: And it just sort of seemed to be... all sorts of things... him...Syd. Harrison, Sydney, the script and whole idea of having to wrestle with such an unbearably dreadful situation and have the character come out actually happier than she was before it all happened.
KC: You and Harrison Ford have a pretty steamy, almost violent, scene in a car.
KST: Yeah.
KC: What was that like? Was that strange? Or fun?
KST: Fun, no. It was... well, when you see the actual scene I think you can imagine what it was like shooting it. It wasn't easy. It was very tough...
KC: It was almost a cathartic experience for the characters...
KST: Yeah. Yeah, it was very important, very violent, very... well, I think it was a very destructive scene, actually. It think it's a moment when all this rage and this anger is suddenly just sort of let loose and they let loose on each other.
[Random Hearts clip]
KC: This is a pretty intense, serious film. Of course, you first made a huge splash with Four Weddings and a Funeral. Do you ever feel like 'Gosh, I should try comedy again. I need a break'? [laughter]
KST: [chuckling] I do, actually, quite often.
KC: What are you working on now?
KST: Well, at the moment, I'm taking time to be at home and be with my children and my husband and in my own house for a change, which is very good.
KC: In Paris, which is nice...
KST: In Paris, which is wonderful. And I'm really taking my next step... I'm taking it very carefully, because I do want to do something more lighthearted and perhaps less introspective.
KC: Well, Kristin Scott Thomas it's always wonderful to see you. Your latest movie is called Random Hearts. Thank you so much.
KST: Thank you.
