AMY SCHUMER
The Hollywood funnygirl teams up with actress Goldie Hawn in what’s bound to be a hit comedy
N HER new movie, Snatched, the actress, writer and comedian stars alongside Oscar-winning comedy legend Goldie Hawn. Amy plays Emily, whose boyfriend dumps her on the eve of a trip they’d planned. So her mom, Linda (Hawn), joins her instead. They set off on what both hope will be a dream holiday but it turns into a nightmare when they’re kidnapped by bandits. Here Amy talks about working with Goldie, mothers, family and comedy.
Is it true you persuaded Goldie to do this movie?
Yes, it’s true. I was on a plane and Goldie was sitting a couple of rows ahead of me. I was so excited and completely star-struck. I’d already read the script and I went up to her and said, “Hi, I’m Amy, I’m a comedian. There’s a movie I’m doing and I really want you to play my mom in it.” And she said, “Okay, honey, sure!”
When I read the script I pictured Goldie as my mom the whole time. I don’t think there’s a funnier actress for the role.
What kind of mother does Goldie play?
Her character, Linda, is controlling. I think all moms are controlling to some extent, especially when their kids break away. Sometimes moms hate that they don’t have control over you any more. That’s what Linda is like.
But in her own life Goldie is the most loving mother. She and Kate (Hudson, Goldie’s actress daughter) have a beautiful relationship and they don’t take it for granted. Kate visited the set and we hung out a lot and gossiped and had drinks. It was fun because I think she could feel how much I love her mom.
What was the off-screen relationship like between you and Goldie?
She’s the warmest person. She’ll say, “Hi honey,” and you feel close to her right away. We became friends and took care of each other on set. I felt very maternal towards Goldie – I was always making sure she was warm and had what she needed, because that’s how I’ve always been with my own mom.
What’s your relationship with your own mother like?
Well, we were close until the age of 12, at which point I became her mom in a way. That was when my parents divorced and my dad became sick with multiple sclerosis, and it was just too much for me. But in the past two years we’ve had a reinvention of our relationship. I’ve made peace with everything that happened and I’m in a good place with my mom. This movie is a way of saying to her, “I know you did the best you could.”
Are you close to your dad?
Yes, we’ve always got along really well, but we’ve become really close over the past five years.
The film was shot in Hawaii. Was there any time to relax?
Filming was actually hard because I got very sick. I had really bad bronchitis and was hospitalised, so it wasn’t as if I was enjoying an amazing Hawaiian holiday. When I wasn’t filming I was in bed resting. But I love travelling. I haven’t been to South America, where the film is set. I can’t wait to go – that’s my next destination.
What kind of holidays do you enjoy?
My favourite ones now are with my high school girlfriends. We go on a big trip once or twice a year. My friends have different jobs – they’re teachers and nurses – and we’re very close. When we go away together we wear sweatpants, no makeup and spend a week somewhere.
I love my girls. We’re the same as we always were, just badasses.
Have things changed for women in comedy? Would you say there are more opportunities now?
I did have the sense growing up that being funny was for boys, and I did feel stifled. But doing stand-up, I’ve personally had a gilded path. I haven’t felt any struggle in my own career. I feel a little guilty about it actually, because I haven’t faced much adversity. But I know a lot of other women struggle. You can be the best comedian ever, but it’s hard if you’re not great at marketing yourself.