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Arquette eventually won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role.
So are you holed up at home, too?Ive been sick.
I had a flu and a really bad cough last week and a fever, which has subsided.
But I think Im okay because I dont have the cough anymore; its just a flu.
But Im staying in anyway.
I am prone to conspiracy theories.
Bill Gates was talking about a pandemic that would kill millions in 2019.
Are you by yourself?I have my husband, andmy daughterwas here.
Shes gone to hang out with her friends, I think.
She helped raise my daughter and shes wonderful.
Were her family, too.
Both this film andAfter Hourswere filmed in places that no longer exist.
And Barbara Boyle brought it in it was her film.
It felt that way then, too.
I dont think we understood the impact, but it did feel good.
Hollywood wasnt evolved enough to understand it and get it.
Now, it really means something.
I know the script took a long time to get off the ground.
But there were a lot of Susans [thrown around].
They wanted Ellen Barkin at one point; she wouldve been fantastic.
I wouldve loved that.
Some great actresses that were up for the Susan part.
I didnt audition; it was just an offer.
Had Madonna been cast by then?I was cast first.
Suddenly it was like, Whos this beautiful girl singing this pop song?
I remember watching her in the Lucky Star video and just going, Oh my god.
Everybody at that time fell in love with her.
Her whole look, with the black rubber bracelets she just had this whole vibe.
She was very much like,[affects Madonna voice], Hi stranger.
Exactly like it was at the end of the movie.
We only had one scene together at the very end, so we werent really working together.
But there was a scene that was cut.
I think that ending is such a better ending and I wish they wouldve kept it.
Thats what Roberta was trying to get away from the stereotype.
It wasnt happily ever after in the original script.
I fell in love with that idea and I was very disappointedwhen they cut that out.
Did you fight back at all?Yeah, but theyre not gonna listen to me.
Nobody has that kind of power, unless youre, I dont know.
Whos the female star that theyll listen to?
It has to be somebody like Charlize Theron, who produces her own movies and controls her own narrative.
Thats why we love Charlize.
But that ending was disappointing to me.
That ending now would be so important.
VeryThelma and Louise.Except instead of killing themselves, they go off into the Sahara.
Did you and Madonna get close during filming?We were very bonded during the movie.
Very close during the making of the film.
Weve kept in touch through the years.
The yearGuillermo del Toro won.
I havent seen her since, though.
I missed her shows.
I wanted to go, but I was out of town.
Did you reminisce at all?No, no.
She was in her party mode.
We didnt get a chance to really talk.
I see her from afar, like everyone.
Do you remember hearing that those actors felt that way?Thats hilarious!
But thank God they did.
Because Aidan was great.
Which scenes were you confused about?What it was there were four women in a huddle.
The producers, Susan, and me.
Because we were shooting so out of sequence, Id go, Wait a minute.
She already has amnesia here.
But I was being told, No!
So it became a bit of an argument and all four of us were a little emotional.
Its the stereotype of, Oh, shes so hormonal.
[Laughs].One was actually breastfeeding at the time.
If you went back now and did a movie like that, I think things would be different.
People have a different take on creativity and communication.
What do you mean, exactly?I think it was a low-budget film.
Even though it was a studio film, it had the indie film spirit on the set.
There was this energy about it.
I probably wouldnt have burst into tears about it [now].
I was so in my character and knew exactly what she was thinking at every moment.
It was confusing because some people actually didnt get what was going on.
And I had to be the one doing it!
What was Susan like as a director?Her thing was really about the look of the film.
The shots, the visuals.
The great cinematography, the lighting, which was beautiful.
There was not a lot of super-intricate direction from her in that way.
If she didnt like something, shed basically say she didnt like it.
At that age, it would feel insulting and Id take it personally.
But Ive worked with so many nurturing directors who come in and explain things.
When someone says, That sucks, youre like, Ahh.
What does that mean?
Those moments are always difficult.
Now, though, somebody could say that to me, and Id go, Okay, cool!
There was a lot of pressure on my back then.
The film was really on my back.
Did you ever feel that pressure?Never!
Because all of my characters are very different.
Everything Ive ever done, theyre not alike.
Ive been really fortunate in that way.
Everybody Ive played is a searcher, searching for something and coming out the other side.
Would you call yourself a searcher?Arent we all?
Whats a particularly memorable scene for you from Susan?Its such a long time ago, its ridiculous.
The production design was so gorgeous, by Santo Loquasto, who also did the costumes.
We really were immersed in these moments.
Andthe clubwas actually shot at the Apollo before they redid it the original, smaller part of it.
Thats my memory of it.
!Yeah.John Turturroand I loved him.
I got so freaked out that something bad happened to that bird, like it got burned or something.
But I think it was okay.
I read that you got to keep the incredible jacket that Roberta borrows from Susan.
Do you still have it?I dont!
Id given it toPeter Gabriels daughters for them to share.
And they were looking for it recently, trying to find it.
But you havent heard from Peter Gabriels daughters?Nope.
I called them and they cant find it.
They probably said, What do we need this rag for?
They probably threw it out.
Thats sad.I didnt think about that then.
I should have kept that forever.
I have myPulp Fictioncoat and myAfter Hoursjacket.
Why didnt I keep that?
It was so original and interesting.
Is there anyone youd like to swap lives with, a la Roberta and Susan?Gosh.
Im just trying to stay grateful in my own life.
So maybe, if anybody, Id say Greta Thunberg.
I think shes a magnificent human being.
If I had one day to swap, Id be her.
Thats a good one.
And it depends on what you mean by free.
Its been shown how unsafe we are all around the world, and thats kind of terrifying.
I think New York is a much scarier place than it used to be.
How so?On every level.
What do you feel?
I dont feel its scary.
I feel pretty safe, in a literal way, in New York City.
But I do think its every womans responsibility to learn self-defense.
Gentrification has taken away the soul.
Im an organic girl and I dont like the homogenization of New York.
But some of the things Bloomberg did the bike path, thats beautiful.
He did a good job with that.
Those were the top of the A-list days.
I dont regret the choices.
Ive worked with the best directors.
And a lot of women directors.
It gives me a bad taste in my mouth.
Its like, God, stop.
I dont want to be that girl.
There were many roles that got offered like that over the years.
A big Jodie Foster movie.
It feels stupid to say that.
What a knucklehead I was.
But now weve learned what Harvey did to so many women, including me.
You see the opportunities that were missed.
And now Im certainly not an ingenue.
Lets talk briefly about Harvey Weinstein, if youre willing to, because a lot happened this week alone.
A lot of actresses have said that post-Weinstein, their relationships have become much deeper.
That these walls have broken down between actresses previously sort of quietly told to compete against each other.
I was never, ever, and I think anybody would back me up, a competitive actress.
I dont even have it in my DNA to even think that way.
I knew Annabella Sciorra well.
But the other women were all just names in an article.
And then because of the Harvey Weinstein thing, we did all meet and connect and support each other.
And of course Rose McGowan.
Its been a bonding thing.
It makes me cry right now even saying it.
She was the first person to come out, brave enough to tell this story.
And we have to all recognize that.
Im happy that shes got some justice and we all have got justice.
Do you feel a sense of relief?No, because its not over.
Fortunately, I know who they are and they probably know I know who they are.
And I really dont give a shit.
Ill continue to make art, be creative, do my thing..
This is a huge accomplishment in life.
A lot of people have found their voices through this and thats great.
Ill always have the backs of survivors.
They reach out to me every day.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
