Randee Dawn (Movie Maker): So here you are on the Isle of Man,
what's
it like?
Maria Bello: My God, you can't believe it. They do a lot of films
here -- there's an amazing tax break you get. I've heard people
say it's not
very sophisticated, not very romantic, and I got here and I was
stunned.
Right now I'm looking out on the promenade where I live and it
looks like
Nice, or St. Tropez. If you look into the sea, there's an island
with a
castle. I'm looking at a castle right now.
RD: I'm picking up a slight British accent in your voice.
MB: That's so funny that you say that. I'm such a mimicker. Over
here
they have a very heavy accent -- they call it Manx. It's very
hard, very
similar to Australian, actually.
RD: What's The Dark about?
MB: It's a thriller -- a horror film very much in the vein of
The
Others or The Omen. I'm a woman from New York City with an 11-year
old
daughter. My husband and I are estranged. He lives in a farmhouse
in Wales.
We come to see him because my daughter
and I aren't getting along. Within
the first 20 pages, something traumatic
happens and I have to fight for my
daughter.
MB: Lately I've been looking for a sense of humor in everything.
We were
doing a read through of The Dark, and
I remember saying
'There's a good joke that could go right here.' I'm so interested
in
characters who have a sense of humor -- even though it's really
dark.
RD: The darker a story is the more you need to show some humor.
MB: Don't you think? That's what I've been showing the producers
on
this film, and I think they are going that way now. They've been
really
flexible. We've been adding stuff, adding each others ideas,
and it's been
fun." ....