There is a very good thing about how Jude Law’s character deals with being with a woman who’s successful with her own company.

Well I think that success is all relative.  I mean it means something different to everyone.  I think that with Amanda, yes, she’s certainly a successful… you know, she makes a good living, she has a big house in Brentwood and we all know how expensive that is. [Laughing] She’s got a great wardrobe, she owns her own company.  But I think most importantly to her is that she’s good at what she does and she loves what she does.  She’s actually successful in something that she loves doing and she’s good at it.  So to me, that is… that’s something that I consider, what is successful; now if you do that, you don’t always make a lot of money at doing that, you know what I mean?  Like there are people who just do what they love doing and they’re good at it but they don’t make a lot of money at it.  That could be just as… that could cause as much problems with somebody who makes a lot of money doing something they hate doing, you know, they might be envious or feel inadequate to the person who’s actually accomplishing what they want, you know.  So, you can’t say… in what’s sort of going to be that wedge in a relationship.  But certainly I think that men have a need, an innate need, you know, its breed into them that they have to provide.  And then today’s society, it’s about how much you make and they feel… they work constantly.  That’s their priority, to be responsible for that and I think that the ball is in the mans court in that case, as far as whether or not he allows that aspect of life to be something that gets in the way with a woman.  Because a woman actually, I don’t believe she should hide who she is, or lessen herself…

Or feel guilty?

Or feel guilty of hide any of that.  She should be who she is and find a man who is strong enough to handle that within himself.

Right.

Just because a woman’s also… just because Amanda’s successful doesn’t mean she’s a difficult person that man has to learn how to handle a woman that’s SO successful because it means something different about her character that she’s a handful, or something like that.  Like I said, I think it’s about the man and his own… within himself, whether or not he can handle it.

I don’t know, I thought Amanda was kind of a difficult person, she’s…

She’s slightly neurotic.

Yeah.

In some areas but not like… she’s not bad she’s just…

She’s not perfect.

Yeah, she’s not perfect.  But I don’t think she’s like… difficult.  There’s no signs other than… she’s pretty open.  The problem with her is that she’s not ready to connect.  You know, so she goes, “Come on in!  Okay, goodbye!”  [Laughing] “Oh, alright, come on!  Um, no, no, no!” and that’s frustrating, you know what I mean, but that doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that she’s successful in what she does.  It just means… [Laughing] she’s unsuccessful at what she does as far as relationships go.

Do you think she has a “sixth sense” about Ed Burns character and how he’d cheat on her?  Do you think women have a sixth sense?

I believe women know, for sure.  For sure, I think, I think when you’re connected to somebody it’s hard… there’s no way you can’t tell when something’s off, you know?  But as far as that goes with they’re relationship, I think that it’s not working on so many levels that, that’s not it.

Infidelity…

Exactly, that’s not it at all.  You know, it’s just, like I said, she doesn’t cry.  She’s clearly not connected.  There’s no communication whatsoever.

Is it difficult to play?  There’s a couple of scenes where you’re almost crying and you figure actresses have to learn how to cry… was it difficult to play that and not cry?

Yeah.  It’s interesting because, when you’re going through an emotion [Answer is interrupted when Kate Winslet comes in and when she leaves another question is asked]

Are you the type to get depressed or just get over things in regards to relationships?

Ah.  I don’t know.  It’s like everybody.  I’ve been slammed before and then other times it’s like, “YES.  This is awesome!” [Laughing] I think you just go through it.  Having you’re heart broken is never fun but you’ve gotta get over it at some point right?

What advice would you give women?

Well, I say, it’s like Amanda and Iris… I think it’s just like everybody ah… like Iris and Amanda, it goes back knowing yourself, being connected to yourself, being happy with yourself.  You always have to start there first.  It’s really awesome growing up in a very narcissistic society, because [Laughing] they finally figured out that it’s all about us, when all this time they were like, “It’s not about you.  But really it is.” [Laughing] So, I encourage you to figure it out within yourself. 

What made you want to do this movie?

Nancy Meyers!

Was it?

Yeah, Nancy… she’s the raddest.  I love that woman.  She’s so smart; she’s so funny, she’s so talented.  The vision… this movie is her vision from beginning to end.  You know what I mean?  It’s, from the first letter on the first page, to the last letter on the roll of the credits on the screen, know what I mean, it’s all her.  And I think she’s just so good.  She’s just the best at what she does.

Did she give you the script or did she just call up and say, “I’ve got an idea…”

No, she had finished the script, actually I read the script.

Can you tell us what’s going on with the next Shrek?

Shrek the Third will be coming out next year and I will be happy to talk to you about it then.  [Laughing] cause I’m not sure how much… first off I don’t know a lot about it, I only know my part of it.  This film, you know, we do in sections I don’t really ever see the other part of the film.  But I know the storyline; it’s a lot of fun.  You guys will have a really great time with it.  They’re so great over there, they just keep stepping it up every time.  It’s a lot of fun.

Is it weird to you that your best known role is a big green ogre?

[Laughing] Well, in certain circles it is.  In the three to ten year olds they know me… but, no, I like it.  I love Fiona.

What about when people step away from their career and then return with a new image… and I was thinking, with you and Kate in this movie, Kate since she’s been a teenager has always been this Oscar nominated, serious actress even though she’s blonde and pretty and you’ve always been the comedienne and looked upon as the bubbly… do you think you are undervalued in a way… put on a box and…

I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. [Laughing] I don’t think that there is, I mean I’m not going… I’m happy with the things I’ve accomplished.  You know, I’m not ashamed for being a happy, bubbly, funny person.  I think that’s just as valid as being the dark, brooding, tortured, Oscar nominated one, not that that’s what Kate is, I don’t think that’s what she is at all.  But certainly if you want to start putting people on boxes, I don’t have a problem with that, I think that it’s great and I don’t think that I’m undervalued because I think that whatever we all offer… I’m surprised at actually that people would want me… I’m honored, I’m really just honored to actually be in the position that I am and that I get to share that with people so I’m not going out there going, “I need…”

The Halle Berry or Charlize Theron transformation role where…

You know, I like to explore a lot of different things and done a lot of different movies and not all of them have been successful in a way that the ones I’m known for mostly… you just, you just do what you do… I do it for myself.  You know, and movies like this I do for the audience, I want people to go and have a good time and laugh and enjoy it, or else I wouldn’t make them.

If you had to trade lives with anyone, who would it be and why?

Um, I don’t know.  That’s a tough question.  I’ve been asked it a lot.  Every time, I want it to be somebody different just for once.  But it always seems that the person that jumps into my mind is Jack Black. [Laughing] I think, “…well, who do I want to be?” and Jack’s there in a blue leotard and a mustache and I’m like, “What would it be like to be that guy?” I don’t know... I’d like to know. 

Jude Law or Jack Black or a mixture?

Mixture is awesome.  They’re both such lovely men by the way; couldn’t be two nicer guys, and funny, charming and down to earth and professional, respectable and just awesome people.  So they’re great on their own so a mixture of the two… forget about it.  It’d be crazy! [Laughing] I don’t know if the world could handle that.

We’re going to talk to Justin [Timberlake] in a couple of weeks for Alpha Dog, and now that he’s acting have you thought about doing something together?

Probably not.

What’s your dream holiday spot?

I’d like to be near the water so I’m always kind of an islandy girl.  Or the mountains, I like the snow.  I like both.

Have you ever had a life changing holiday like the one in this movie for these two women?

You know, every time I like to go on holiday’s with a group of friends or with my family, like those holidays are the ones where I come out sort of rejuvenated on another level that I don’t get when I go someplace… when I’m with the people that I love and I get to share their lives…our lives together, that’s always the one that I like and I leave that going, “Ah, can’t wait to do that again!”

What’s the best present that you ever got?

A can of whoop ass. [Laughing] Have you seen those cans of “Whoop Ass”?

Whoop ass.

Yeah! [Laughing]

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