Description
Rowlands describes her childhood in Wisconsin and Washington, DC. She wanted to act from a young age and particularly admired Bette Davis, with whom she later appeared in the television movie STRANGERS: THE STORY OF A MOTHER AND A DAUGHTER (1979). Rowlands discusses her education and early career, from college in Wisconsin to attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, where she met husband John Cassavetes. She describes New York in the 1950's, where there were many movies being produced for live television. She compares that production process to that of regular filmmaking. Rowlands discusses Cassavetes' career a great deal- not only her own collaborations with him, but also his works that did not include her. She goes into detail about Cassavetes' transition from actor to director with his first production, SHADOWS. Other titles that are discussed in particular include A CHILD IS WAITING (1963), FACES (1968), MINNIE AND MISKOWITZ (1971), and A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE (1974). Rowlands describes Cassavetes' working style and philosophies, including promoting women in film, as well as the use of improvisation in filmmaking. Other themes that Rowlands touches on include dealing with rejection, why people act, and some of the challenges for early independent filmmakers. Towards the end of the interview, she talks about working with her children, who are all in the industry.
