In the thriller film The Entitled (DVD
Disc Dish: I really enjoyed you in The Entitled. You definitely worked for me as a good, nasty party girl.
Laura Vandervoort: Thanks! Yes, she was mean, but had some more dimension when you see the problems she had. The question was, do I just play her as just a rich snob, or do I reflect on her cocaine problems and her relationship trouble? I never want to play a character that’s one-dimensional. I still want to get some empathy from the audience, even though she’s pathetic. Of course, I original wanted the part of [kidnapper] Tatiana, the bad girl. I’m always looking to play the part that people don’t think of me in.
DD: How did this movie make its way onto your radar?
LV: They actually sent the script to my agent, who quickly got it on to me to see if I liked it. I didn’t know [director] Aaron Woodley at all, but I knew I wanted to be a part of it.
Laura Vandervoort tries to keep it together in The Entitled.
DD: Both you and Aaron hail from Toronto, so I thought there must be some Canadian connection going on.
LV: No, not at all! But they did send me Aaron’s film Rhinoceros Eyes to check out, and that’s all I needed to commit.
DD: I’m sure the cast also had some appeal to you.
LV: Oh, absolutely. And working with them was a great experience. Victor Garber, Stephen McHattie and Ray Liotta — they were all bang-up. It was really cool to work with Ray. And Stephen — I remember Stephen from Emily of New Moon, a Canadian TV series I used to watch when I was growing up. Aaron did an amazing job with those guys.
DD: Now that both Smallville and V have ended their runs, you’re doing a lot more feature film work. Which screen do you prefer, small or big?
LV: It’s going to sound like the easy answer, but I love them both. I do! I really don’t prefer one over the other. With movies, you really dive into a character for two to three months, but then it’s gone. With a TV series, you have a constant location you’re living in, and you’re always working on the same character along with people who are like your own family. I’m lucky to have done both.
DD: I guess that leaves theater as the final frontier. Any interest in taking your act to the stage?
LV: No, not at all! It terrifies me! I did it once in high school — I was Sandy in Grease — and I decided then that I would never do it again. I’ve felt that way for years, and that’s no bullshit. This is the first year since I was 15 that I can say that I would consider it. But if I want to be completely honest, I have to say that I love the intimacy of the camera.
DD: Next time we see you in front of the camera, it will be for the comedy Ted with Mark Wahlberg. Can you tell me a little about the movie?
LV: It’s a comedy written and directed by Seth McFarlane. And it’s the first time he has directed a feature.
DD: Did he bring his Family Guy sensibility to the set?
LV: Oh, he added in a lot of one-liners, some that were a little inappropriate. But it was great. We goofed around a lot and acted silly. It was great working with Mark Wahlberg too. Some off scenes I had with him I was terrified to do, but he was great.
Stage vs Screen: it is interesting how many actors are leery about the “now” of stage – the fact that there is an audience right in front of you; the immediacy, the loss of retakes to correct either errors, meltdowns or technical mishaps. I take my hat off to very actor who is prepared to “tread the boards” – both amateur and professional.