Reese Witherspoon stars in two films screening at the Dubai International Film Festival, Wild and The Good Lie. The Oscar winner chats to about her new films, living in the public eye and mixing glamour with grit.
Many actors experience a career slump after an Oscar win, but the Academy Award-winner Reese Witherspoon is being hotly tipped to double her statuette collection with her new film Wild, which is screening at the Dubai International Film Festival. Witherspoon produced the film and stars as a young woman who treks the 3,000-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), alone, to come to terms with her past and find a direction for her future. It's the latest in a recent string of strong performances from the Tennessee, including the upcoming The Good Lie and Mud, co-starring Matthew McConaughey.
Wild looks like the sort of film that would be very tough to shoot, did you do much physical preparation for it?
None. Cheryl enters into the story having had no experience, so it wouldn’t have helped me to have any experience of it. We wanted as authentic a representation as possible, that was really important to Jean-Marc [Vallee, the director] and to me. So, I had the real weight Cheryl had [in her backpack], and that was me really trying to assemble the tent in the movie.
The woman you are portraying, Cheryl Strayed, was on set for a lot of the shoot – was that a help or a hindrance to your performance?
A help, definitely. I was nervous that I would be able to do justice to her story, because the book is so powerful and personal, which was the reason we all got involved in the first place. But we talked so much from the beginning, trying to get across who she was then and now, it was very collaborative in that way. So much so that it didn’t feel intimidating to have her there, because she was so supportive. She knew how hard everyone had worked to make sure we honoured the book, and her journey.
Do you think you could have taken the type of journey Cheryl takes in the film?
Well, there’s an emotional and physical journey. The PCT … I think what she did was tough but what blew me away was that she was alone. That would be hard, facing this enormous physical task but also being mostly alone for all that time.
You're also a producer on this film, as you were with the international hit Gone Girl – is working behind the camera as important to you as working in front of the camera?
It’s just another part of the creative process. I enjoy it very much, but I couldn’t say more or less than acting. They’re different disciplines with their own rewards. With producing you can choose the projects that inspire you, and help those stories get told.
Finally, you also star in The Good Lie, about an American who helps four Sudanese refugees come to America. It’s another powerful film, also based on real life. Are these the types of films you are interested in making – as opposed to lighter comedies you’ve made in the past?
You know, I was just very lucky that these two scripts came along, with really great directors and based on two remarkable stories.
If I make films like this in the future I’ll be very happy, but I’m not ruling anything out.
• Wild screens during the Dubai International Film Festival in Madinat Arena on Wednesday, December 17 at 4pm.
• The Good Lie screens during the Dubai International Film Festival at Madinat Arena on Saturday, December 13 at 9pm and in Mall of the Emirates 7 Monday, December 15 at 4.45pm.
artslife@thenational.ae
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
West Ham United 2 (Antonio 73', Ogbonna 90 5')
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 36', Moura 42', Kane 49')
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
WITHIN%20SAND
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Jawan
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Company%20profile
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The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
Company%20Profile
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Scoreline:
Everton 4
Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', Digne 56', Walcott 64'
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)
GROUPS AND FIXTURES
Group A
UAE, Italy, Japan, Spain
Group B
Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Russia
Tuesday
4.15pm: Italy v Japan
5.30pm: Spain v UAE
6.45pm: Egypt v Russia
8pm: Iran v Mexico
FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs
Engine: 5-litre V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 505Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km
Price: Dh260,500
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km