A Quick Chat with Marisa Tomei
Friday, January 23, 2015 at 1:00PM 
Marisa Tomei with Tracy Letts in "The Realistic Joneses" (L) and John Lithgow in "Love is Strange" (R)
Jose here. Last week I had the opportunity to chat with the lovely Marisa Tomei about her new film Loitering with Intent (out in theaters and VOD) and I couldn't help but mention to her that she ended up giving my favorite supporting performances of 2014 both on film (Love is Strange) and on Broadway (The Realistic Joneses). Much to my delight - and evolving psychic abilities - my fellow Team Experience members agreed with me and she ended up winning our Best Supporting Actress award as well, so I thought I might share this fragment of our conversation...
JOSE: Pony from The Realistic Joneses and Kate from Love is Strange are such rich characters!
MARISA TOMEI: I looooove Pony!
JOSE: Pony reminded me of Honey from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Did you have her in mind at all?
MARISA TOMEI: No, other than that she was around a lot! Because Tracy Letts’ wife, Carrie Coon, played Honey on Broadway the year before (laughs) and I did keep thinking she’d be much better in this part...but then I got over that. I wasn’t really drawing any parallels though, other than that I’m drawn to those kinds of parts and that I like the part of Honey and that their names are so cute…
JOSE: And you were so amazing as Kate in Love is Strange.
MARISA TOMEI: They were the same producers as this. I got that because while we were shooting Loitering with Intent and going to get a sandwich or something, one of the producers, Jay Van Hoy, said “ I think one of our actors is dropping out of our movie, do you wanna be in it?” (laughs). He then said that Ira [Sachs] was directing it and Ivan Martin and I had gone to see Keep the Lights On and we loved that movie. I was familiar with Ira’s work and so it all came around.
JOSE: Both characters are so heartbreaking and they both feel so lived in…
MARISA TOMEI: I didn’t have a lot of heartbreak with Pony, that was really easy, because she really didn’t think that deeply, so I don’t think she made compromises for her husband, he made a lot of compromises for her actually. I think both of them were in a bargain, a whole “let’s not talk about stuff” deal. A lot of times before I’d ask myself what was my preparation, and I feel stupid for saying this (laughs) but sometimes my preparation would be visual. I’d think “pink” and also did a background story and my regular homework...but in general it was a lot of hoola-hooping and thinking in pink.
Of course, I was sent home with visions of Marisa Tomei as Kay Thompson in Funny Face. God, does she always make me think pink. What about you dear readers, were you in love with either of these performances? What are some of your favorite Marisa Tomei characters?
Reader Comments (10)
Such a fine actress. Also deserved a nomination for "When the Devil Knows You're Dead."
But I think my favorite is her perf in "In the Bedroom," for which I think she should have won. Also loved her in "Unhook the Stars." I wish she was nominated for "Love is Strange."
Like I said in the other thread, I love Marisa and I thought she was good in Love is Strange but I didn't get anything special from her character. Maybe it will be worth a second look.
My favorite Tomei performance is probably My Cousin Vinny because I fell in love with her, like many ohers, with that movie. But I love her in everything, even movies like What Women Want and The Guru.
She was stellar in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, but she was perfect in In the Bedroom.
I'd probably go:
1. Before the Devil...
2. The Wrestler
3. Vinny
But really, any time spent with Marisa is valuable. Even (or especially) in something kind of dull like Ides of March, she has impact.
Kay Thompson in Funny Face colors my world.
Cassidy from The Wrestler was subtly heartbreaking, but my favorite is Mona Lisa Vito.
One of my favorite actresses. She often surprises me and takes interesting roles. I'm excited to see Love is Strange.
Tomei's finest hour is the little seen 1995 feature The Perez Family.
I've read The Realistic Joneses, but didn't get a chance to see it. I really wish I could have, that cast is fantastic. I'd love to see Tracy Letts and Carrie Coon collaborate on something.
I remember I did the Supporting Actress Smackdown for 2008 (?), and while Penelope Cruz was the clear winner, I was surprised that Marisa seemed to be a close second with everybody for "The Wrestler". The movie was at its best when comparing her character with Mickey Rourke's, and that's all to her credit.
Your fave performances of hers, Nat?