NEW YORK – It may not have been the most conventional audition ever, but it did land Eva Mendes the role.
Sitting down with us a few weeks ago to talk about her role in Derek Cianfrance’s (“Blue Valentine”) latest movie, “The Place Beyond the Pines,” the actress told us all about how she drove Cianfrance around Los Angeles for her audition. She did it to prove, as she knew, that she was “perfect for this role” and could relate to the character and where the character comes from.
Unquestionably an unusual way to audition for the film, the outside the norm nature of the experience may have been topped when the director told her to go out and cast her own mother. Although it happened, Mendes told us that in general, “That’s unheard of, nobody does that.”
The actress also gave us a little insight into working with Leos Carax on “Holy Motors” and what she thought of the experience. In short, she “loved it” and felt like she was “part of a piece for MOMA… part of a huge art installation.”
As for the upcoming Ryan Gosling directorial debut, “How to Catch a Monster,” Mendes said that she is still doing the film and seemed shocked that it could be otherwise. The screenplay for “Monster” is also from Gosling and it is tentatively looking at a 2014 release.
Mendes stars in “Pines” opposite Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Emory Cohen, and Dane DeHaan. The movie opens in theaters this Friday, March 22nd.