April
10, 2006
Fans of the Emmy-winning
TV show "Lost" have been captivated by the mysterious, ship-wrecked
scientist Danielle Rousseau and eagerly watch each week to see if
more information is revealed about her story. The actress who plays
her, Mira Furlan, has an equally intriguing background. A Croatian
Jew who was a star of TV, film and theater in her native Yugoslavia,
Furlan fled to the United States 15 years ago when the increasing
violence among ethnic groups endangered so many. Furlan, a classically
trained actress, found a new niche in Hollywood by joining the cast
of the science-fiction TV series "Babylon 5"as Ambassador
Delenn. She has also appeared in dramatic productions in Los Angeles
and released an album called "Songs From Movies That Have Never
Been Made." Furlan recently spoke with Hillel Campus Report about
her Jewish roots, her diverse career and the choices she's made in
portraying Rousseau.
What was it like
growing up as Jew in the former Yugoslavia? Did you experience anti-Semitism?
I grew up without much
awareness of particular ethnic or national background. I happened
to be a mixture of ethnicities, anyway. But I always loved hearing
and was fascinated by the stories of my flamboyant Jewish grandfather,
Fritz Weil, who was, according to those stories, a "born actor,"
"the heart of every party," a man who spoke six languages
fluently, a traveler, a musician, a bohemian, a political activist
who traveled all over Europe bringing food and supplies to the poorest
communities. My mother used to tell me that I inherited a lot of traits
from him, one of them being my interest and talent for languages.
But there was always a certain reluctance and fear to talk about Jewishness.
No wonder. My mother survived the war and the Nazi years in Croatia
thanks to my non-Jewish adoptive grandmother, who was a respected
professor and translator from French. And my father, who had a Slovenian
father and a Croatian mother, believed in the idea of the Yugoslav
"brotherhood and unity" (famous slogan of the socialist
Yugoslavia), where ethnic and national affiliations were considered
reactionary and even dangerous. That attitude was a reaction to the
bloody and merciless devastation that happened between different nationalities
within the country of Yugoslavia during the second World War. Tito's
policy in dealing with nationalist hatreds was to erase them from
public consciousness, to shove all problems of that kind under the
rug. The war that happened in the '90s showed that nothing was really
neither forgotten or solved. It all came back with a vengeance, creating
a tragedy of vast proportions.
What
was the political situation like when you left the country?
The story of my leaving
– I should say of our leaving, because I left with my husband,
the director Goran Gajic – was very dramatic and would require
much more space. To sum it up, it was a situation where any pacifism
was perceived as treason (not unlike what's happening in this country)
and where, all at once, your nationality became the only thing that
mattered. I could not accept that. I felt as if I was losing my identity
to the war. The propaganda machine was in full gear, spreading hatred
all around. It was a sick place where I felt I was losing my sanity
and my soul. That's why I left. That's why we left. The irony is that
life brought us to Hollywood, a place that makes you lose your sanity
and your soul anyway.
Did
you attend a formal training program, such as a drama school?
I graduated from the
Academy for Dramatic Arts in Zagreb and hold an equivalent to the
BA in theatre.
What
were some of the roles you played as part of the Croatian National
Theatre? Did you have any favorites?
I played a lot of classical
roles on stage. I was Ophelia in "Hamlet," Annabella in
"'Tis Pity She's a Whore," Judith in Shaw's "Devil's
Disciple," Natalya Petrovna in Turgenev's "A Month in the
Country." That last one was also my last role on the stage of
the Croatian National Theatre and holds a special place in my heart.
Were
you already comfortable acting in English-language projects prior
to your arrival in America, or was it a new experience for you?
As a matter of fact,
my first acting experience happened to be in the English language.
I went to a high school that was specialized in languages, particularly
English. We had an English professor who just came from graduating
Oxford University and taught American literature through the poetry
of Bob Dylan, among others. We all adored him. He rehearsed a play
with us on weekends, for a full year, an English play by John Arden
called "Live Like Pigs." We all played old sailors, beggars
and prostitutes. It was highly exciting, of course, for us, teenagers
brought up in a socialist country. I remember that I played a chain-smoking,
hard-drinking, cynical and dangerous prostitute named Daffodil. I
was 17 then and knew very little about life. But when those lights
came up on stage and I felt the silence of the audience and my own
power, I was hooked for life.
Was
it a big jump for you to go from performing in classical theater to
science-fiction projects like "Babylon 5"? Did you find
any similarities between the genres?
As a matter of fact,
the science-fiction genre, and especially ["Babylon 5" creator]
Joe Straczynski's writing, required some of the same acting skills
required by the classical theatre. Big moral issues, big themes of
life and death, big speeches... I found out that I was well trained
for that.
Shows
like "Star Trek" and "Babylon 5" are known for
attracting many devoted fans. Were you surprised at their intense
feelings toward the show? Did you ever have any unusual or funny encounters
with fans?
I was stunned at the
scope of that parallel world called science-fiction fandom. Those
fans are certainly the most devoted and loyal fans of all. I'll never
forget my first science-fiction convention where a fan told me, "Welcome
to the family." It meant a lot to me then and it still means
a great deal.
What
appealed to you about the role of Danielle Rousseau on "Lost"?
It's a complex and
layered role. My 7-year-old son says, "My mommy is both a bad
guy and a good guy." That's true. Danielle can be anything. The
writers have created an openness to the character and they can develop
it in a million different directions. I can only hope that they would.
Recently, an actor acquaintance praised my work as Rousseau. He said
that women usually play "tough" as tough and that I do the
opposite. I really try to play the soft, vulnerable, sensitive, despaired
side of Rousseau, instead of playing the rough, tough, survivalist,
obvious side of the character. And that's what makes it interesting
for me as an actor. And, hopefully, for the audience as well.
Have
your own experiences helped you develop her character and her survivalist's
instincts?
Your own experiences
are always a part of everything you do. They sneak in, even when you
don't want them to. Your tears are always the same, in your work and
in your life. It's always you. A modified you. But, in essence, you.
The richer your life experience, the richer the role you play. That's
why it's so sad to experience this mad trend for youth in Hollywood.
The lines on your face are what make you who you are. Behind them
is a life you've lived. A life that makes your acting richer and deeper
and fuller. Sometimes I think that I am just now entering a phase
where I know what I'm doing as an actor. I played many, many roles
before I was ready for them. Now when I am truly ready because of
my experience as a human being and as an actor, now, of course, the
roles are scarce. It is, in my opinion, a tragedy of being a female
actor. There is always Botox, of course. There is always that wonderful
opportunity to turn your true face into a pretty immobile mask. To
kill the life within your face just because it's a proof of your age.
Because aging in this culture is perceived as crime. You almost want
to apologize for it.
What
is it like to play a character who is outside the group of survivors?
Do you relate differently to the other actors who play those characters?
I do feel like an outsider
when I'm shooting the show. The cast is a well-connected group, a
team. And I am on the outside. Sometimes it's not a very pleasant
feeling, but I'm sure, in terms of Method acting, it's good for me
as an actor and it's actually helping me to be truthful in creating
the role.
Do
you know the answers behind the show's mysteries, or do the actors
only learn about them as they get the scripts?
I don't know anything.
What
other projects do you have in the works?
There are always projects,
ranging from the ideas to the finished scripts (I also write), but
life has taught me to never discuss the projects that are in the works.
They can happen tomorrow or never. And that's just the reality of
this business.