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I had the opportunity to speak with Melissa Leo of “21 Grams” recently. As an actress drawn to emotionally complex roles, I was curious to see how Melissa prepared for her performance in “21 Grams” and how difficult it was to play a character so conflicted and yet so resilient. Perhaps, simply put, my hope was in the course of our conversation some of her tough/no-nonsense character vibe would rub off on me.

What I loved most about our conversation was her desire to hear my thoughts about the film. It’s the first question she asked me and she genuinely seemed eager to hear my response. I had to remind myself at this point: Is she for real? And who’s asking the questions here…

In what seems to be a day and age where everyone is competing for their token 15 minutes, it was refreshing to exchange ideas and speak with a woman who takes her craft very seriously.

In light of this, I am disappointed that she didn’t make the list of Oscar contenders this year, but feel confident that she won’t go unnoticed for long.

Strength

In ”21 Grams,” Leo plays a devoted wife/mother who is continually challenged and tested by her born again husband played by Benicio del Toro (recently nominated for an Oscar for his performance). In contrast to him and all his temptations, she’s a very capable woman-the glue in the family. She holds it all together. She’s the only woman in the film that really exhibits consistent strength of character.

In a story about conflicted people in a state of crisis, where does Leo’s “Maryann” draw her strength from? Leo didn’t even have to take a moment to hesitate before giving her response: “Her Heart, naturally.”

Inspiration

There is a raw vulnerability to Leo’s portrayal of her subject that makes you think quite possibly she’s really relating to her subject all too well-in a way that seems to indicate that perhaps she too is experiencing the pain. In talking with the actress, I was humbled to learn that she really wasn’t drawing too much on any personal experiences, but simply acting the part based on what the words called for in the script. Because the material was so well-written and clear, she didn’t need to dig any deeper: everything she needed was found on the pages in front of her.

She credits Guillermo Arriga (Writer/Producer) for this and notes that under Alejandro Inarritu’s brilliant direction, she and the rest of her cast mates, including Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro, were really able to shine.

Mood

The set of “21 Grams,” according to Leo, was like a well-oiled machine. As an actor/actress, Leo relays that it was a dream to be involved in this kind of production. Everyone behaved professionally and was really there do their job. At the same time, “being an actor on a movie set is like going to the playground at recess”: full of people who never want to grow up and that fun, youthful energy resonates. “So, you actually get paid tons of $$ to go play and have fun,” I asked incredulously. (Indeed, this is perhaps one the aspects I now envy most about actors and I’m still not sure this idea doesn’t entirely upset the order of my universe, but I’ll take her word for it.)

Current Projects

Melissa is currently working on a thriller with Robert Deniro and Dakota Fanning called “Hide & Seek.” SO what’s Deniro like? Leo uses “brilliant” in describing his acting ability and says that working with him has been a pleasure.

Somehow I don’t think Melissa is capable of saying/thinking anything too critical of anyone. It’s a good thing I was here to interview her. I think it balanced everything out.