AND THEN CAME LOLA : INTERVIEW WITH ACTRESS ASHLEIGH SUMNER
Interview by Univers-L team on June 28, 2010 for Univers-L.com.
You’re an actress and a painter, so you’re a full artist. Could you tell us a bit about your background ? What lead you to share your time between those two activities ?
Well, I’ve always been artistically inclined as far as I can remember. As a small kid, my brother and I were constantly drawing and working on coloring books. My mother made sure we always had a water color painting set as well. I had a couple of high school drawing classes but that is as far as my formal visual art training goes. Now, as an actor I’m much more heavily “trained.” My college degree is in theatre arts and even now I continue to study in an acting class. Even though I didn’t pursue painting professionally until 2009, I still would paint for myself. It wasn’t until the Writer’s Strike in 2009, when everything acting wise shut down in Los Angeles for over a year, that I began to branch out with my painting. I needed another creative outlet to pursue while the industry shut down.
I’ve found that acting and painting have completely found a way to balance themselves out. When I’m not busy with an acting project, I’m busy preparing for an art show and vice versa. With acting, you have to be cast or working in a class to be creative. It’s a completely collaborative art which beautiful. With painting, you get to be creative on your time. It’s solitary. It’s a complete solitary expression of one’s self. I find that very empowering.
How did you end up playing in And Then Came Lola ?
Jill Bennett actually recommended me for the role. Megan Siler and Ellen Seidler very much wanted to cast actual lesbians in nearly every role in the film (which really had never been done before) and they asked Jill if she knew any lesbian actresses. My name came up and the directors contacted me for an audition. The rest is history.
Have you seen Run, Lola, Run, the German movie which inspired And Then Came Lola ?
Yes. I remember seeing Run, Lola, Run during college at an art movie house. I was absolutely blown away by it. I had never seen anything like before. It was just so edgy and the music on the soundtrack was like nothing I had ever heard before. Plus, I absolutely feel in love with the strength and vulnerability that Franka Potente brought to the role.
What was it that attracted you to Lola’s character ?
I was excited to finally have the opportunity to show my comedy chops. I’m usually cast in dramas so it was great to finally express my lighter side. I was also attracted to the role because of how physical it was. Usually physical roles are reserved for the boys so I felt the role was a rare opportunity in that regard. Plus, it was a huge opportunity for me to be the lead in a feature. I had never had that opportunity before so I was very much attracted to the challenge of that.
Did you have a say in the process of writing, editing, or the other stages of production ?
The directors, Megan Siler and Ellen Seidler were very collaborative with all their actors. Before we started shooting we had a few rehearsals and they were very open to script suggestions or ideas which was wonderful. Even when we were in the process of shooting, I’d ask if I could improv a few scenes and they were completely open to it. They trusted whatever felt organic for me and just let me run with it.
There’s a great chemistry between Jill Bennett and yourself during the sex scenes. What did you do to work on this ?
Jill and I had the bonus of really liking one another as both actors and people. We both felt comfortable with one another from the begining which is good when your playing two characters who are romantically connected to one another. We trusted what chemistry was already there and just had fun with it. And love scenes are really just like any other scene in the sense there’s still a story to be told; there’s still character intention and objectives. At the end of the day, it’s still a scene about telling the over all story of these two people’s relationship to one another. I think Jill and I always kept that in mind and brought that to the table…or bed in this case.
Following Lola’s example, are you the type of persons ready to do almost anything for love, even at your own risks ?
You know, I’m definitely a free spirit but I’m also a Capricorn. We tend to move a slower more planned out pace when it comes to love.
Couple therapy is an Ariadne’s thread throughout the story. Do you think a relationship needs to be analized or should we trust our instinct? Both maybe...
I would say a little of both...
San Francisco is beautifully highlighted. Did you know this city before the shooting ?
No. I hadn’t really had the opportunity to spend much time in San Francisco before I shot Lola. I have to say, I now LOVE San Francisco. I truly adore the city and have made so many friends connected with the film. I visit the city all the time.
With Jill Bennett, Cathy DeBueno, Jessica Graham and yourself featuring, the cast counts a lot of “out and proud” lesbians. Is it an advantage or a disadvantage when making a lesbian movie ?
If there’s a disadvantage to making a lesbian film, I haven’t felt any fall out from shooting And Then Came Lola. Only positive things have resulted from my experience with this film.
