Interview with Sally Hawkins
By: Serge Rakhlin
WHAT WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP ON THE SET OF “THE SHAPE OF WATER” WITH DIRECTOR GUILLERMO DEL TORO ? HOW DID YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WANTED FOR YOUR CHARACTER?
He was very clear. Guillermo is precise; he has a precise vision and always had one. He dreamt up this film, it’s been sitting with him for a long time so I think it’s been several years of knowing exactly what he wanted. He’s a very precise director. He gives you space to breathe within that but some parts when he wants a particular image that is important to him or symbolic, in a way, he’s very precise.
WHAT DID YOU FEEL ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO?
It was various things. I didn’t get the complete script until later on but I heard about the premise of the film and it felt…it instantly said yes. Of course, it’s Guillermo del Toro and the premise that was put to me by an agent saying this love story set in the Cold War era and this woman who falls in love with a fish man. And you think, well I’ve never seen it before and yes, yes, yes, yes, please. It’s all feeling. There’s so much passion in the film and it just vibrates with passion and she does. And more and more as the film progresses just overtakes her and breaks her soul open and her heart open. She wakens. And it’s Guillermo on the screen, his romanticism, his incredible heart and incredible brain. And what you have that combination it’s just pure magic. It was a gift, a real gift; I can’t say enough about it. And then got to work with all my heroes. (Laughs) He just go, go, go, go, go.
Incredible energy. Always smart.
GUILLERMO MENTIONED THAT THIS LOVE SCENE BETWEEN YOR CHARACTER AND “MONSTER” WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE IF YOU CANNOT PERSUADE WITH YOUR POWER TO WATCH AND LISTEN, YOUR ABILITY TO SHOW YOUR VULNERABILITY. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT SIDE?
That’s a beautiful thing to say. I think this whole film couldn’t work if it wasn’t for Doug Jones (Monster) being so incredibly transformed. He has the shape shifter ability and he’s beyond words. It’s a lovely thing for him to say. You know it just felt like…so delicate, this film. And Elisa’s so delicate, her energy. And it is like a vibration. It felt like the most ultimate love story and love scene in the way it was just so sensitively done. And nothing felt gratuitous or exploitative. It was just natural. It was falling in love and it shouldn’t see a creature or a monster and he’s not a monster. I can’t see that. He’s a god and this incredible, beautiful presence in the way Doug expresses himself. I never saw Doug; I never saw his mannerisms or gestures. Just had to be there and fall in love and exist with him. It just felt like a huge honor and a gift. When you receive a script I’m always, oh god there’s so many words, how do I make them fit my mouth? (Laughter) …and make sense?
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MAGIC OF THE MOVIE. SOME OF IT’S MUSICAL SEQUENCES… IF YOUR LIFE WOULD STOP FOR A MOMENT AND THERE WOULD BE A MUSICAL SEQUENCE THAT YOU COULD BURST OUT OF, WHAT WOULD THE SONG BE THAT WOULD BE REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOU?
When I was young I was obsessed with Huey Lewis. And I didn’t know where they were. It was “Back to the Future” and “The Power of Love”. So that was my first album. But there are so many great songs. Scissor Sisters and Justin Hawkins. And I was just listening…obsessed with piano as well. Referencing another film, I was trying to perfect that rift on the piano. And the sign language was just a dream. I had the luxury of time but I don’t pretend that I would…ASL speakers, I don’t want to do that, I want to do it justice and yet she isn’t deaf as such so she sort of splices together her own language however she learned it whether from a book of the time. It was all in period. I had few months and wanted to do it as well as I can. It’s like learning a different language. You never lose the accent. You don’t want to give yourself away. So I wanted to be free with it and not worry about it. But of course, you don’t want to, those that do use it daily…patronize or not do it well. But I know she sort of made it up in a way. So it’s a slightly different thing from somebody who is playing deaf I suppose. One of my favorite memories is early on rehearsals; it’s the moment, like a seesaw, where it all changes from that point. The rush. Sort of up until a point and then it’s like her heart is going, she will literally break through walls. And he doesn’t understand. So it’s so powerfully written and it’s so beautiful, passionate. And I remember I was so worried about that scene. And that didn’t help me. Right up until he filmed it. Just whisper in my ear.
YOU SANG IN THE FILM…
I did sing and then they got smart and called Renee. So I was having singing lessons but I can’t reach. It’s a fantasy sequence and so I was worried about it because I’m not a natural singer. It would have been something else. It’s her ultimate fantasy. So we had just to perfect the dance routine which was quite something in itself. Not that we pretend we’re Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers.
IS IT TRUE THAT DEL TORO OFFERED THIS ROLE TO YOU AT A GOLDEN GLOBE PARTY?
I didn’t know. That’s, that’s Guillermo. He wrote for everyone in the film. So it was not just me. I had it before, the premise. My agent, I heard the premise of the film and Guillermo sort of taps into your soul, I just happened to be writing this very tiny piece about a mermaid at the same time. That was weird. So when I heard that it was kind of fishy tale and it was a love story it sent goose bumps. And I thought, that’s him, and whatever it is I don’t need to read a script, I’m there of course a 100%, it’s Guillermo del Toro. And I thought it had gone away. I just hoped that it wouldn’t and just thought it was one of those things, it’s lovely to be thought of. And then, happened to be gate crashing this party that I wasn’t supposed to be at, a Golden Globes party, and I hadn’t got an invite. (Laughter) A friend sort of took me by the…a very influential friend obviously…and I was on my way out, just thinking, it’s hot in here. And Gill was also on his way out but he was very drunk, del Toro. He doesn’t drink apparently. And he just embraced me. And said, do you know about my film, will you do it? I was, of course. Just hoping that would actually be a reality and it isn’t all a weird Golden Globe dream. (Laughter)
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