Did you find "Requiem For A Dream" enriching?
Very enriching. It's the hardest thing I'd done. I lost 25lbs for the role and I had an accent that I spoke in 24 hours a day. It wasn't like I could go home and get rid of it. I was in a constant state of hunger like my character. I was miserable. It was a painful, dark place, but it was rewarding. I don't know if you've ever fasted, but there were a couple of moments towards the end where I had hallucinations. I'd look up at the sky, and I'd get a feeling of complete serenity.
Did you meet any drug addicts for the role?
Yeah, I spent some time on the streets in New York. That was crazy.
Did you try drugs, for the role?
I didn't become a junkie to play one. I think drugs is a symptom of the problem. To me the issue is humanity, which has an obsession through the times with escapism. We want to get out of ourselves. That's why we party, we get drunk, we go on roller-coasters, we go on the Internet, we watch TV, we go to movies. This is the antithesis. This film to me is a reaction to the conventional Hollywood crap that we get fed, which sometimes is fun. I enjoy popcorn movies too. I'm not saying I'm never gonna make one, but I think it's important for films like this to be made. I'm happy to be a part of a film that takes a stand, and isn't afraid to spit in your face.
Read interviews with co-stars Jennifer Connelly and Ellen Burstyn.
Read an interview with the film's director Darren Aronofsky.
