Rough Cut Interview - October 99
Jayne Middlemiss: In Mad Cows, Anna Friel stars in her first leading role as ex-pat Antipodean single mum, Maddy.
Anna: The thing is you can't take it seriously, when I tell you exactly what happens cos it sounds so mental and bizarre !
Anna: It's the most fantastic character to play. It's also the first time I've carried a film, well, er, er, well I'm in every single scene in every single day and it's something I've wanted to do. It's a huge challenge.
JM: The film also stars Joanna Lumley as Gillian, Maddy's reluctant babysitter.
Anna: I was very excited about meeting Joanna and she's even better than I expected.
JM: But the Ab Fab star was not the only perk.
Anna: Another thing that attracted me to the part and playing the character was the fact that I would have the opportunity to work with babies and to play a young mother. Cos I love, I love children !
JM: Success now seems to be bursting out all over for Rochdale's finest. She's certainly come a long way from Brookside babe Beth, the award winning role that put her firmly in the limelight.
JM: After her soap days, Anna's career seemed in a bit of a lather with broken romances hitting the headlines more often than lead roles. But following some field work in the Land Girls, and playing Lisa Leeson opposite Ewan McGregor, she really started going places….
JM: With the sensational stage success of her Broadway debut Closer and recently starring with Calista Flockhart in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Anna is now Hollywood hot property. Who says she won't do dirty movies ?
JM: At only 23, she seems to know where she's going, recently dropping out of a vacuous teen-flick "Boys & Girls" to star in Barry Levinson's "In Everlasting Piece". Definitely a step in the right direction….