‘Grifter loneliness is not for me any more': Julia Stiles on dance, Dexter and her directorial debut

The Guardian

22-05-2025

Hi Julia. What's it like being directed by Paul Greengrass with his fast-cut, handheld camera, reportage style? Do you have to approach your acting in a different way? HighPriest1967Paul is an extraordinary director, a visionary director, and I absorbed so much by watching him work. He comes from documentary, so even though he was filming these elaborate, very expensive, complicated action sequences, he was still able to see things happening spontaneously. I remember when we were shooting The Bourne Ultimatum in Tangier, running through those windy streets. Normally as an actor, you turn a corner and you think you're off camera, so you'd stop. But you could never do that with Paul because there might be a camera around the corner. He always liked to keep us on our toes.
You stole the show as Heather Graham's sister in Chosen Family. Is it easier to approach comedic, unpredictable roles as opposed to more intense, serious, Bourne-like performances? BicuserI absolutely love working on comedies. People don't normally think of me as a comedic actress, but when they do, I really appreciate it. It's such a different energy, trying to get other people to laugh. Working with Heather Graham was great. I've just finished shooting a Christmas comedy, Unbearable Christmas, with a lot of improv comedians, and had to keep up in terms of ad-libbing lines. It was the most fun I've ever had.
Have you ever considered being in a superhero film? What hero appeals to you the most? nailsthatglowI wouldn't mind playing a villain. I think Mike Myers said that the villain is the hero of his own story. I would find a nerdy acting way to make my villain especially villainous.
The hip-hop dance montages in Save the Last Dance were an absolute hook, but the emotional breakthrough scene about the loss of your mother was so powerful. Did you have to dig deep to convey the grief and trauma? MissMuftyThankfully, no, I did not have to draw from personal things. What is beautiful about the setup of that movie, with her mother dying in a car crash, is that it touches on something fundamentally sad and tragic for any human being. So my imagination took over. It was such a wonderful opportunity to do formal dance training. I'd taken ballet, modern dance, jazz and tap classes as a teenager, but never that intensely. I put a lot of pressure on myself, but it was such a great opportunity to dance for six hours a day. I think I got the job because I was better at hip-hop than ballet.
You once said you always wanted to be Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan. Do you still? MrSOBaldrickWhat I responded to about that character was her free-spiritedness. She just didn't care, and she was so playful. But I think her grifter loneliness is not for me any more.
You committed to studying English literature when your career was flying, which is hugely impressive. What did your studies do for you the most? SidKupI was an English major. The joke is that English majors are just reading books, writing essays, and what are you really being trained for? But what I was learning was storytelling. When I finally got to direct my own movie, Wish You Were Here, a lot of what I had learned in terms of classical storytelling, act structure and character development came in handy.
Did you seek out advice from other directors? Sagarmatha1953I did. I called Doug Liman, who directed The Bourne Identity. I was lamenting my budget constraints and he gave me advice that I will take with me for ever: when they start giving you more money, they start telling you what to do. I sent Rodrigo García [who directed Stiles in web series Blue] my director's cut and asked for notes. I also sent it to Susan Seidelman, who directed Desperately Seeking Susan, who I do not know personally, but I'm getting bolder in my old age. She wrote me really extensive, thoughtful notes. I thought that was really lovely, because she didn't have to take the time to do that.
Do you regret breaking up with Dexter? Shauny79Well, I didn't break up with Dexter. Lumen, my character, broke up with Dexter. I remember the writer saying: she's now been freed of the darkness. It was a beautiful relationship because he helped heal her from trauma. But she didn't need to be on the dark side any more. She could go back into the light.
Which meal/dish from New York do you miss when away? RobHughes84I used to be a really good cook. I have three kids now, so I'm really good with things like chicken nuggets. I always miss New York City pizza. That's one of the first things I want to eat when I come back. If I go to another country, particularly in Europe or even parts of the US, I will taste-test their pizza to see how it compares to New York City pizza. There's something about a local slice that you really can't beat. Do I like British food? I love a good Sunday roast. I remember working in London on a play for many, many months. It was a two-hander, so there weren't a lot of other people to hang out with. But on the weekends, the producers would host a Sunday roast, so it was always something to look forward to.
Have you ever considered opening a tile shop, called Julia's Tiles? Danko1981No, I have not.
I don't think I've been so entertained by a TV show with such an insane plot line as Riviera. Did it make sense to you, or did you just do the role to spend summers in the French Riviera and Venice? brianofbritainI loved making that series. I think we really hit our stride in the third season. I would be lying if I said I didn't … of course, filming in Venice and the south of France was hugely appealing. But I couldn't go to work every day if I wasn't interested in the character and the story I was telling.
Can you still remember Kat's sonnet from the end of 10 Things I Hate About You [as quoted by Drake in his feud with Kendrick Lamar]? RDMillerOh, I don't think I could remember the whole thing. I've had to clear out space in my brain for 25 years of other monologues. Let's see … 'I hate the way you talk to me. I hate it when you stare … something, something, something … I hate your big dumb combat boots and the fact that you read my mind … something, something, something. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you, not even a little bit, not even at all.' That's the heartbreaking part of it. She's like: I really like you. Am I going to be in the sequels? Oh, they're news to me!
Wish You Were Here is available to rent or buy now