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Feature by: Jack Foley
KATE Bosworth has come a long way fast, since her big screen
debut alongside Robert Redford, in The Horse Whisperer.
Still only 21, she has since appeared in Roger Avary’s controversial
teen drama, Rules of Attraction,
headlined the surfing chick flick, Blue
Crush, and is now appearing in two back-to-back films, Win
A Date With Tad Hamilton and Wonderland.
Not to mention the fact that she is currently dating Lord
of the Rings/Pirates
of the Caribbean star, Orlando Bloom, and is set to take up
a place at Princeton University.
Yet in spite of her success, the actress remains remarkably down
to earth and humble, playing down her status in Hollywood’s
pecking order, and insisting that she wants a life outside of
the media circle that seems to dominate the celebrity persona
of most stars.
Speaking at a London press conference, held to mark the imminent
release of both of her new films, Bosworth told journalists: "I
don't ever really think of myself as headlining a film, I never
really put that pressure on myself.
"It's more like there's so many people involved in a project
that, at this point, I don't really think my name will draw people.
It's more about how the film is put together, by the director,
the producers and all the actors involved... everyone."
In terms of career progression, her roles continue to be as diverse
as her many interests outside of film.
Win A Date With Tad Hamilton, for example, is a bog-standard
teen-romance cum wish fulfilment fantasy, in which a small-town
girl wins the opportunity of dating a Hollywood celebrity, and
then finds herself being wooed by the star - to the chagrin of
the small-town boy who has long harboured feelings for her.
Wonderland, meanwhile, pits her as Dawn Schiller, the teenage
girlfriend of real-life porn legend, John Holmes (Val Kilmer),
in a film which takes a Roshomon-style look at the events which
led to the notorious Wonderland murders, in Laurel Canyon, in
1981.
It is a measure of Bosworth’s determination not to become
pigeon-holed, that she can jump from headlining something like
Tad Hamilton, to appearing in a strong ensemble piece, such as
Wonderland.
And it is something for which she remains tremendously grateful.
"I hate the idea of anybody being categorised or being put
into a box," she explained, when asked to comment on her
diversity.
"Everyone has layers, everyone has complexities, so to
put somebody into a box is ridiculous to me. So I think I try
and play different parts just to not become pigeon-holed."
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It is little wonder, then, to find that she will next be appearing
alongside Kevin Spacey, in Beyond the Sea, as Sandra Dee, the
wife of singer, Bobby Darin, as well as a brief spot alongside
Richard Gere and Juliette Binoche in the upcoming Bee Season.
So does she ever get daunted by the prospect of appearing alongside
such big names, or ‘star-struck’ by being in their presence
- much like her character in Tad Hamilton.
In replying to such questions, Bosworth laughs innocently, even
blushes, and states: "I don't know if I'd ever want to overcome
‘star-struckedness’. I hope I'm always star-struck by
people."
As for appearing alongside an idol such as Spacey, she adds:
"The Usual Suspects is one of my favourite movies, and he's
one of my favourite actors, and it was sort of funny to be in
a situation where, all of a sudden, your idol wants to meet with
you for a part. You're kind of like, 'what, me?'.
"I remember sitting there, waiting at this restaurant for
him to show up, and I was kind of nervous. Then he walked up,
and it was sort of [pulls a look of awe], but he was really wonderful
and it was great."
In spite of her success, however, Bosworth remains equally determined
to succeed in other areas of her life, and is renowned for her
voluntary work.
So when asked whether she was worried about the effect that taking
time out from Hollywood to go back to university might have on
her career, she remains defiant, replying:
"To be honest, the more people I talk to in the business,
and well-respected people, say 'go'... but my place in the ‘pecking
order’ is not really something I’m focused on. And I
also think it's good to have experiences outside of Hollywood.
You know what I mean? To have your own deal, rather than to be
shackled to that.
"I just try to stay happy, and if I feel like all of a sudden
that's becoming too much, like the whole business is becoming
too much pressure, I think it's nice to have other things in your
life you can focus on."
Bosworth, it seems, is handling the pressures that come with
success very well and seems well-placed to realise many of her
ambitions.
She refused to be drawn on the issue of what is was like to date
her own celebrity boyfriend, and even passed off the media attention
which results as something which ‘comes with the territory’.
"It's very weird when you open up a magazine and see a picture
that you have no idea was taken when you were there. I do have
to keep the paranoia in check, sometimes," she states. "But
I think it's something everyone has to come to terms with, and
you have to just deal with it."
And for every bad point, there is always the sense of elation
that comes with being able to make someone’s day - which
is a feeling Bosworth remains in awe of.
"It's an amazing thing, I think, to be able to shake someone's
hand, and know that you've given them joy from something like
that. It's inspiring and really neat," she comments, before
adding: "But I feel very normal, so it sort of baffles me
a bit, the whole celebrity thing."
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