In “2 Guns” out Friday, Paula Patton plays Denzel Washington’s love interest Deb. The Source Magazine caught up with Patton in New York where she discussed her latest film.
Q: Will we be seeing you in a “Blurred Lines” part 2 video?
No, only in my home videos (laughs). Just kidding.
Q: This is the second time you’ve worked with Denzel, how has working with him been and were there any differences between the first and second time?
Well, I have to say I was fairly new to acting when I first got a chance to work with Denzel in “Deja Vu.” I have to tell you it was like taking a master class. It changed everything for me, I learned from him by watching him. He didn’t tell me what to do, but I just watched him and you never knew what he was going to throw at you! For the first time as an actor, I really felt like I was in the moment. I couldn’t remember what had happened and the director would come in, Tony Scott I love that man, and he’d be like “oh that was great, I loved that!” He (Denzel) is like a Jazz musician, and the scene might be written one way but he’d come out a totally different way each take. And that just keeps you on your toes and it changed me as an actor. So it was almost like going back to what we did then, it was almost like a refresher course because he is one of the greatest actors of our time. He’s been my greatest mentor without him even knowing it. So it was very special for me.
Q: I know tons of women who would kill to be in that position with Denzel Washington, but what did Robin have to say about it?
Which part? (laughs) The day before we were going to shoot this scene, I was thinking about it and these are people that have been together before and are having conversation and just made love. It just seemed really phony to me to have a shirt on. So I just kind of sprung it on Balthasar and was like “so, I’m not going to be wearing a top.” And I asked Robin before and said “it just doesn’t feel natural,” and he goes “go for it babe, absolutely!” We don’t really get hung up on those kinds of things, straddling is a different story! But once I decided to take my shirt off, Denzel’s like “I’m going to take my shirt off, too!”
Q: I was reading about you and Robin, you’ve been high school sweethearts, it’s endured and you have kids, it sounds like a story book Hollywood movie, your lives. Has anyone ever thought about doing a movie about that? Inspired by it? I know Robin’s written songs to you and stuff like that.
I hope they’re about me! No, I don’t think so. It’s a weird thing because we’re not that closed about our relationship because we’ve been together since we were fifteen or fourteen years of age. But a lot of things you want to keep private and of course nothing in life is perfect. It may look amazing, but we have ups and downs just like everybody.
Q: How do you hold your own against these two very strong characters?
I don’t really approach it that way, I just think about preparation is what’s most important so that you can throw that all away once you get in the scene. If I can, find me a real person, a similar person to me, in terms of where they’ve come from and such, who does that job and being able to ask them questions. Obviously, a DEA agent that’s in the field right now is not going to let me do that, but this woman was retired, Brenda. She was marvelous and wonderful and helped me practice. So once I feel like I know the character, I show up on set and whatever happens, happens. But at least I feel not nervous about that part so holding my own, we’ll see.
Q: Did you feel like you were crashing the boy’s club?
I kind of feel like a man sometimes! So I didn’t feel like I was crashing it. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad quality! I learned that men don’t like to talk, so I just keep quiet, with the guys! I’m very opinionated, but once that happens no chit-chat. I’m not a chit-chatter, I don’t chit-chat hanging around the monitor, I don’t really socialize so that you can put everything in the scene, I think that’s just important…I keep the chemistry for the scene and that’s it. I can’t tell you what Denzel’s favorite food is, I don’t know a lot about his personal life, which works so that you can just come in and be the two people you’re supposed to be. And give 100,000 percent to it, hopefully.
Q: If the movie was recasted with two women as the lead roles, which of the two characters would you rather play and why?
Oh gosh that’s a hard question. Both? (laughs) They both do a really good job in this film, I think people will be so surprised at the chemistry. I felt it when I was around them and they have tremendous chemistry. And they both have such interesting parts to play, but either one would be an interesting one for me to take on. I love both of their characters and I thought they were very equal and balanced.
-Jagpal Khahera
