You can never have too much Sunshine...

Here is an article by BBC Online Entertainment correspondent Tom Brook, written around the release of Sunshine. The ladies behind the character of Valerie have some nice things to say:

Ms Ehle seems to be impressed by the attitude of leading man, Ralph Fiennes:

There is no element of showing off. It would be tempting at some point when you are playing three characters to say, "Look what I can do".

Meanwhile she was able to identify with the character of Valerie in terms of her somewhat transient existence:

I had quite a rootless upbringing, so that was something just very personally that probably pushed a few buttons.

Rosemary Harris meanwhile admitted that at least part of the reason she was drawn to the role was 'because it was a chance to work with Jennifer'.

Later, when watching the finished product, Ms Harris implies she discovered some sort of a genetic imprint in terms of acting:

I was amazed when I saw the similarities we bear and which I wasn't aware of. I think its in the hand gestures or something.

Meanwhile, she describes what it was like to work with director Istvan Szabo:

Each scene I did with him felt like a master class. ... He would slowly nudge you with little taps on the nose here and there until he got what he wanted. ... Sometimes he would get it in a first take and sometimes he would go on for ten takes.

While we're on the theme, here are a few things mentioned by Ms Ehle in the DVD's special features. With regards to the script, Ms Ehle says:

I'd never read anything like it really. I loved it. I loved the story - it was incredibly unusual and not formulaic at all. I loved the script - I loved the story, the people. ... One of the things thats so wonderful about Istvan is how much he loves and respects his characters, and he treats them very humanely - not at all in a sentimental way, or patronising, just with love.

On Szabo, she says:

Istvan is so extraordinary. Whatever he knows about the script from having written it, and from the families he knows who have been through this...it's not intimidating that he has all of this inside him. He's so generous with it and he's so specific and his imagination is so rich. ... He will tell these stories that just make it all so clear. It's a wonderful experience to work with somebody who knows their subjects well.

There is clear praise in the other direction too, as Szabo explains how Ms Ehle ended up as Valerie:

I needed somebody who had a warm, charismatic smile. ... Glenn Close introduced me to Jennifer Ehle at a party... I saw her smile, and asked my casting director to invite her for a discussion, and after having done the discussion, it was clear that Jennifer should do the role.

Meanwhile, I am very intrigued by the aforementioned extra's comment about Alpha Male being filmed in a country house in Bedfordshire. I lived in that county for nine years, and would be interested to know which house it was, if anyone knows. A National Trust place perhaps? Not exactly the best county in the country (I'm a Cambs/Herts girl myself). Some places are...tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me...