Widely recognized as one of the key players in the 1990s indie film scene, Guinevere Turner started her career as the co-writer, co-producer and star of Rose Troche's landmark lesbian ensemble film Go Fish. Born in Boston on May 23, 1968, Turner has starred in a variety of diverse films such as Preaching To The Perverted, Stray Dogs and Dogma. In 2000, Turner earned due credits as co-writer of the film adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis' American Psycho, a film in which she also had a supporting role. As co-writer on the first and second season of the phenomenally popular TV show The L Word, Guinevere Turner brought her craft as a writer and actor to a wider audience. Most recently, she has completed writing on the script for video-game turned film, BloodRayne, about a sexy vampire-human hybrid who kicks supernatural butt, as well as her own long-awaited screenplay for the film The Ballad of Bettie Page.
Tell us a bit about your background; you had quite a freewheeling, hippie-style upbringing. This must have been great inspiration for your future writing career.
In all honesty, I regret ever speaking about the way that I grew up publicly because I don't really like to talk about it and no matter what I say, people assume "hippy" and "free-style". No matter what, people assume that it was this free love scenario even though I've never said anything of the sort. That's not what it was like. Regardless, I was very much encouraged to write as a kid, to keep journals and to express my feelings about music and art through writing, so that was a big influence, and then growing up around so many kids there was always a lot of storytelling and reading aloud at bedtime and stuff. I was raised around lots and lots of words.
What was the very first film script you sold professionally about?
You know technically I've never "sold" a script. The first script I ever wrote was Go Fish, and we just made it into a movie. I've been fortunate enough to never be in the position to have to sell something. i write it, then do everything in my power to get it made. Now people approach me and pay me to write their ideas.
What do you like about the medium of writing—what is the attraction for you?
I like the control that you have—over your time, over the content. It can be very solitary, but also very meditative and certainly very therapeutic for me.
Would you ever trade it for full-time acting? Maybe a full-time part on a Television show?
I would never have to! I have been writing since I was nine and will always write, regardless of what happens otherwise in my career. I would also never be foolish enough to give it up in pursuit of acting, since writing is what pays my bills. Don't get me wrong, I love acting, but it doesn't come as easily for me, and I'm getting a little old... Just kidding, but you know what I mean—you can only be so old and be a female actress... but you can be a shriveled old hag and be a writer and no one cares...
Are there any new, up and coming screenwriters you are taking notice of?
No, not really. I don't really keep up with screenwriters. I notice writer/directors. Like Todd Haynes, or Todd Solandz, or Alexander Payne or Lisa Cholodenko. And there's always Charlie Kaufman, who I admire even though sometimes I think he's too cool for his own good. And Wes Anderson, can't forget dear Wes Anderson.
You were recently awarded with an artistic achievement award at the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. How does it feel to be honored by your peers in this way?
Great! I love it! I'll take an achievement award any day. It was a fun time and I always love to see a clip reel of my work—if you promise me that I'll pretty much fly anywhere.
Do you think there's validity to the criticism of casting straight actresses to play lesbians, when there are obviously those who have the acting depth to pull it off? Look at Hilary Swank in Boys Don't Cry, for instance.
I think that whoever can do it the best should play the part. Whether or not someone is really a lesbian is irrelevant! Hilary Swank did an amazing job in that movie. Charlize Theron was amazing in Monster. Talent is talent. If there are lesbians who are critical of non-lesbians playing them, then they should quit their complaining and make a movie that stars only lesbians! It's fun and not that hard to do! Well, it's hard, but it doesn't take a genius, just a lot of work.
What's next in line for you?
Next for me is seeing how having an action movie written by me in theaters affects my writing career, developing a TV show, trying to get a feature I wrote off the ground for me to direct, going out on auditions...all that jazz.Two recent movies that I wrote -- The Ballad of Bettie Page and the other is called BloodRayne, based on a video game. Now I am thinking about coming up with a TV show idea of my own...
What do you do to relax; when the time comes to take a break from it all?
I smoke cigarettes, I go on hikes (not at the same time), I have dinner parties with my friends, I crochet.
Do you have an ultimate end-goal—career wise? What would be the ultimate cherry on top for you with regards to writing/acting/directing?
No, no ultimate goal—just that I get to keep working, that I still make stuff that matters... I really want to play a lawyer in a courtroom drama, I will eventually direct a feature, and I hope to write many, many more movies. OK, I want a hit show on TV where I am the boss of everyone and everything!
