Austenland premiered in LA and NY this past weekend & is slowing coming to the rest of the universe (US only at this point. BOO) over the next few weeks. We shared some of our Exclusive Interviews last week & I have one more to share!
Last week I got a chance to sit down with director Jerusha Hess & talk to her about her directorial debut, balancing work & motherhood (she has 4 kids!) and her favorite Mr. Darcy. Plus she gives me her best “Jane Seymour” accent in a fun audio clip below!
Austenland Interview with Jerusha Hess
Question: How are you handling the press tour on the first film with you at the helm?
Jerusha: This is a pleasure to do. people are like “is it getting exhausting?” and I’m like “not yet!” This is my 15 minutes!
Question: So Sundance was the first time the movie came out. But that wasn’t your first Sundance experience, right?
Jerusha: No that wasn’t my first for Sundance. But it was for just me. The other times were co-shared with my husband!
Question: How did you get involved with Austenland?
Jerusha: I met the author through some friends and family that put us together because we live in the same town. And I met her about another project and she was like, “Well, I have this book. You should read it” And I read it in like 2 hours, and it was so light and fresh & fun and mindless in a wonderful way! And I was like, “Yeah let’s do it!” And my husband was like, “What? Come again? You want to make a movie?”
Question: And so you wrote it with her (Shannon Hale) How was that- working with an author who I’m sure was protective of her work? Has she written a screenplay before?
Jerusha: She has never written a screenplay, but she actually started the novel as a screenplay & was like “Oh, I don’t know what I’m doing.” And so she wasn’t protective. She was SO generous!
Q; So she understood you needed to make changes (in order to translate to film)
Jerusha: Yes! And loved it. Loved the process- loved that we were bringing this visual layer to the book and condensing and throwing out the fluff!
Question: I like how the movie ending vs the book- the changes you made were so necessary. Like the book ended on the plane…
Jerusha: I was so embarrassed about the plane ending in a rom-com setting. I was like “I can’t do it. I cannot go there. I’m making a rom-com already and now I’m supposed to end it on a plane?” Then I just realized because we tried so many different endings- and I thought maybe it ends on a train! Maybe on the side of the road- in a carriage! And in the end we just got really tongue & cheek with the whole rom-com genre anyway and it’s fine- it is what it is! There’s swelling music – it works. You get swept away!
Question: So are you ready for your next film- directing – wise?
Jerusha: (laughs) I adopted two babies this year….
Question: So no! I was going to ask you about that because I knew you were you are a mother- and these two are
Jerusha: These are my 3rd and 4th! I have 4 kids. So we’re taking some time off. Jared is going to direct this Fall and I’m going to start writing. We are writing something for him to direct now – we’re always writing. But I’m going to look for something for next year
Question: Where did you adopt from?
Jerusha: One was domestic & one is from bulgaria. They are 2.5 and 7 months. We got our newborn right before Sundance- the day before Christmas actually. Which was really fun because I was like (at Sundance) “ I have a 5 week old baby!” Bragging rights!
And then the the boy [the adoption from Bulgaria] we’ve been working on for years and years and he came in March.
Question: How old are your other children?
Jerusha: 9 and 7. Sorry- we got off on a personal note!
Question: No I think it’s great. Especially as a woman I love hearing how other women balance motherhood & careers.
Jerusha: Well, I think my husband and I just want to take turns because we love it too much- we homeschool our kids. So we’re taking turns making movies! And that’s how a lot of working film families do it.
Question: And the Directing experience- it didn’t scare you away from doing it again?
Jerusha: I was frightening. I was dry-heaving for the first week! I was so scared! The first rehearsal I had, JJ [Feilds] was sitting here and Keri [Russell] was sitting here, and Jane Seymour was somewhere and I was just trying to get them to do something for me- and I was so timid. They wouldn’t even read a line for me- they were just chatting.. And I’m like “Oh my gosh- I don’t even know what accent Jane Seymour is going to use. I don’t even know if she’s British! She sounds really American” (laughs) They were so lovely and I direct with kindness and they were all wanting to bring me up. I never screamed (whispers) just cried
Question: So have you been asked yet if you would go to Austenland?
Jerusha: (thinks) Yeah…. I think I’d prefer to go to the upstairs/downstairs world where I can see the dirty underbelly
Question: Like the Downton Abbey servants quarters?
Jerusha: Yes!
Question: What is that Austenland-place for you?
Jerusha: If you would have asked me 2 years ago before I made the film I would have been like “Yeah I would have gone to Austenland!” but now I’m like… (makes a groaning noise.)
I definitely love Jane Austen and I probably would go, I’m not lying.
I think my joke (it’s not a joke) is that I wish I could have gone to the Dirty Dancing Land. That summer camp- the dance camp. That is my dream! I missed my boat (laughs)
Question: Who is your favorite hero or heroine of Jane Austen’s world?
Jerusha: I love Elizabeth Bennet- I always have. I think she’s super smart & super funny. And I love that she had a handsome face. But I also think now that I have these kids & daughters I think Mr. Darcy isn’t the ideal man in my mind. I’m like “You go for the nice guy! You go for Mr. Bingley every time. He’s secure. He’s got a high emotional quotient. He will love you forever” This guy with the dark brooding side (like Darcy) well he definitely redeems himself in the end but…
Question: As a mother you probably don’t want to see that for your kids!
Jerusha: Is it realistic for women to think they can change a man? He’s a fairytale. The bad boy turned good.
Question: Maybe that’s why Jane Austen was single.
Jerusha: But it’s why we love them!
Question: Do you have a favorite Mr. Darcy? Actor who has played him, I mean?
Jerusha: I think Colin Firth is great.
Question: Who is the one who played him most recently?
Jerusha: Matthew McFadden. I think I’m supposed to say Mr. Nobley [JJ Feilds’s character in Austenland!] He’s pretty great! He rocked it out and I was nervous the whole time and he was just– he’s got that beautiful hand – he grabs her head!
With the image of JJ Feild’s beautiful hand we started to wrap up the interview, but no before I asked one last question. I asked Jerusha to give me her best British accent. You just need to listen to what she shares:
I’m pretty sure we’re doing talking about Austenland, so just go see it already!
