Q&A: Jennifer Connelly

 

 

By Nicki Gostin

Newsweek

July 11, 2005

Jennifer Connelly does a lot of crying and screaming in her new scary movie, "Dark Water." But she spoke calmly about skin care and apartment hunting with NEWSWEEK's Nicki Gostin.

This movie takes place on New York's Roosevelt Island. You know you've destroyed real-estate prices there.
It's horrible. I was just thinking about that. But I didn't choose the location, so don't look at me.

What was your favorite scary movie as a kid?
I was a bit traumatized by "Dressed to Kill." I had some elevator issues after that.

You have very distinct eyebrows. Do you get asked about them all the time?
No, no one ever asks me about my eyebrows.

Really? They're not regular movie-star eyebrows, like, say, Julia Roberts's.
You mean the "Oh, my God, anything can happen at any moment" look? I do have a bit of a stern brow. Sometimes my husband, Paul [Bettany], will think I'm quite cross and I'll say, "Honey, it's just my face."

You just bought a place in Brooklyn, right?
Not just; about two years ago. I lived in one place for 10 years because it was so hard to deal with the thought of moving. It had one proper bedroom that my son Kai got, and I slept in a loft that had a balcony and these low beams. Paul kept on hitting his head.

You've done a lot of crying in your last few movies. Do you need Visine? Does your nose get red?
I get a Malden, which means—remember Karl Malden's nose? My nose swells like his. I have this amazing ability—my nose can expand and contract.

When I interviewed your husband last year, I asked him how he managed to snag such a gorgeous girl, and—
And he said I'm quite plain.

Right! And that it was all makeup.
It's probably true.