The heat Interview: Amy Schumer
The Snatched star talks boobs, body image and celebrity feuds
Amy Schumer’s having a confusing hotel morning. “I woke up in my ‘Where room and literally was like, zone the f**k am I?’ What time is this?’” It’s understandable, given her outrageously hectic movie schedule promoting new the globe Snatched, crisscrossing icon, Goldie Hawn. with co-star and personal is exactly what The 35-year-old comedian and irreverent, you’d expect in real life. Fun Despite her she’s totally best friend material. exhausted, when we disclaimers about being stylish in a military meet her, she’s bright and blonde hair scraped back jacket and jeans, with her beaming, thanks to her in a tight plait. And she’s In Snatched, Amy co-star and new BFF, Goldie. thirtysomething, plays Emily, a disillusioned by her boyfriend. devastated at being dumped convinces her To combat her sadness, she on a trip with her to stuffy mom (Hawn) to go chaos ensues. South America. And, naturally, which sees the pair The beauty of this action, the lives (in hilarious kidnapped and fighting for fashion), is their dazzling on-screen chemistry. It's been Schumer's lifetime dream to work with Hawn, bringing to an end a 15-year, self-imposed Hollywood exile for the 71-year old Oscar winner although Amy refuses to take full responsibility claiming it's too much pressure to handle. Amy who recently split with her boyfriend of 15 month, furniture designer designer Ben Hanisch isn't just charming and lovely, she's very open too. Not only is she happy to chat about her rivalry with Kate Hudson (because of her desire to be adopted by Kate's mum Goldie), but also discuss her reluctance to be a body role model and her supposed beef with best pal Jennifer Lawrence.
Be honest, this movie was basically a holiday for you, wasn't it?
It was a total vacation. It was an excuse to go on vacation with Goldie Hawn in Hawaii for three months and, for some reason, the studio went along with it. I did get sick, through.
You had bronchitis, right?
I coughed so much, I ended up fracturing a rib. Who knew that was possible? Who knew my bones
were so brittle? Well, I did. I don’t take care of myself. But Goldie took care of me. And I was still able to drink, despite the many medication warnings. Goldie said she feels like she has two daughters now – has that put Kate’s [Hudson, her daughter] nose out of joint? I hope so. I’m pretty confident I’m winning in the daughter stakes. Kate is too pretty, too perfect – Goldie needs some real in her life. Everything’s too perfect: Kurt [Russell, Goldie’s partner] is too perfect, her beautiful sons are too perfect, her grandkids… she needs a disappointment, a troubled daughter to balance it all out. So, it’s game on… I’m edging Kate out, and I think I’m winning. The adoption papers are currently being drawn up and negotiated. You’ve always been a big fan of Goldie, haven’t you? I love her. I have loved her forever. I love her more than a person could love someone without being sexual with them. And that’s not out of the question. Things are about to get very weird. Why do you love her so much? She’s the greatest movie star of all time. I’ve seen all her movies a hundred times – I know Overboardoff by heart. death Becomes Her, Housesitter, Cactus Flower… She’s not an icon to me, she is the icon. And then to be in a room with her and have her listen to my ideas, and be so receptive and really give me this voice and freedom to collaborate with her, because Goldie Hawn doesn’t have to listen to me. But she did, she made me feel like an equal. That was really, really nice. You’re singlehandedly responsible for her comeback. Any pressure? I can’t think too much about this being Goldie Hawn’s comeback. That is very scary to me. But you know, Goldie isn’t coming back for just anything. The script has to be really funny. And she trusted me, which, in itself, is the most amazing honour anyone could get. Were you terrified the day you approached her to do it? So scared. We’d been on the same flight, and I’d spent the whole time trying to figure out how I was going to say, “Hi, I really want you to be my mom in this movie and in life.” When we got off and I saw her at baggage claim, that was my last chance. I worked up the courage and said, “Hi, Goldie Hawn,” then my soul started to leave my body and everything was spinning. I said, “I want you to be in a movie with me.” And she had no idea who I was, another crazy fan talking crap. I was just another deranged fan, because I am a deranged fan. I’m really shocked she didn’t have me arrested, but she was really sweet. She said, “That’s nice,” and left. It wasn’t a success. What happened then? We met in London. Kate was there this time and she kind of greased the gears for me – I should probably be nicer to her. [Laughs.]. It’s a funny movie, but there’s also a poignancy about leaving the nest… It is such a weird concept for parents, and for kids. You have this codependent, attached-tothe-hem relationship for 18 years and then, after that, you’re meant to cut the ties and basically have nothing to do with each other. In effect, that is what’s meant to happen, and that’s so weird to me. That has to be so hard for our parents. One scene in the movie had the cinema in hysterics – we assume you know what we’re talking about... I don’t because there are so many.
‘Goldie Hawn thought I was just another deranged fan at first’
I can’t believe you’d say just one scene had them laughing. That’s very insulting. Well, when your breast is exposed… [Mock insulted] Because my breast is funny? Is that what you’re saying? I’m done. Was that planned in the script or was it a happy accident? No, I planned it. I wrote it in. I’m dying for the world for see my right nipple. It’s hugely gratuitous and I thought it was funny. And you know, it happens, these babies move around, sometimes they try to escape. I loved doing that scene. It was empowering. A lot of people consider you a role model for body confidence, but you’ve been trolled, too. Is that hard? You know, like, I’m over it. I don’t really register any more. I’m not even talking about the trolls – no one should ever take on board any of that shit. Like, this is it, nothing is going to change. I don’t care enough. It’s probably not the healthiest attitude for long life, but eating and drinking? That is the recipe for a happy life and I want a happy life. That’s what’s important… If people don’t want to see my body up there [on the big screen], then I won’t be allowed to make movies any more. And that’s why I’m getting my tits out, before I’m told, “Please don’t do that ever again.” You’ve got a lot of projects coming up, but what about your movie with Jennifer Lawrence? That’s happening – I don’t know when, it’s not been hammered out yet, but it’s the kind of movie that will work whenever we want it to. I’m ready, but you know Jennifer, she’s always so busy. You know that friend who’s always “so busy”? I mean, I get it, I’m the biggest star in Hollywood. Whatever, we’re all busy. Get over yourself. Because there were reports that the two of you had fallen out… Because everything you read online is always so true. It’s because we’re not posting. That’s the basis for lasting friendship. If it’s not on social media, it didn’t happen. The live-action Barbie movie would’ve been very cool. Why did you have to pull out? I’m actually still really bummed about that because, you know, it’s Barbie, that opportunity isn’t going to show its perfect little face again. That was a one-time thing and I just couldn’t do it. They wanted to start in June, I think, but I might have died – literally. I’m too tired. I want to sleep. All I know is that it didn’t work with my schedule because my schedule is so very important. [Laughs.] It’s a really cool story, it’s like Barbie gets thrown out of Barbie land for not being perfect. You’d have had your very own doll… Kids with a doll of you, and what the hell is the doll going to look like? That’s scary, that’s very real.
Snatched is in cinemas now