EG: Ed Gordon JJ: Janet Jackson
EG: I had an opportunity to sit down and talk with
Janet, the conversation centered on music and her
latest foray into the movies.
EG: Thank you for sitting with us, appreciate
it. Let's talk a little about the movie first
obviously. When you got the call to say that Eddie was
interested in you, were you surprised?
JJ: Actually yes. I actually got a call that Pete
Segal and Michael, one of the guys that works with
him, wanted to meet with me. So that was the first
call I got, not necessarily that Eddie was interested
in me. And we met and they didn't really have a script
at the time. They walked me, talked me through the
script and asked me if I would audition. I was, I
was very surprised.
EG: Did you have any apprehension?
JJ: I'm not the funny person. More of the straight
person and Eddie's the funny person. Having any
apprehension? No. Plus I guess that's because having
done sitcoms when I was a kid so I was pretty
familiar. Even though it's still different, I was kind
of, I remembered that. That feeling and the timing
and all of that. Growing into it and doing Good Times
and Different Strokes and any kind of family.
EG: You are an icon in and of yourself in the
music industry. But coming over and working with
someone who's a, by most people's account, a comedic
genius, must've been...
JJ: He is a comedic genius, and it must've
been... I'm sorry to cut you off...
EG: Go ahead
JJ: It must've been an incredible experience?
EG: There you go
JJ: Yes it was, in just, in such awe I was in
sitting there and watching him come in the morning and
saying good morning to everyone as Eddie...
Eddie's voice, but he's dressed as Sherman or as Momma or as
Grandma. And then just like that [snaps] in an
instant, going into the character. The, the
mannerisms, the facial expressions, the voice. Just
amazing. And sometimes I totally would forget that I'm
here supposed to... I'm supposed to be here talking to
Momma, but I'm sittin here going. "Oh my god, Eddie
Murphey is so amazing". I'm sitting here looking at
him, thinking this.
EG: A lot of people will ask, "Why so long in
between pictures for you?" And what about this project
that made you say: "Yeah, I definitely wanna try"?
JJ: I had gotten a lot of scripts that I was
reading. It was either a scheduling problem or I
really didn't care for the script that much. Or it was
more along the lines of Poetic Justice, and I wanted
to do something completely different. So this
coming along and knowing it would be a wonderful
project just to be working with Eddie alone and it
being Nutty Professor. I was really excited when they
called me.
EG: There is a buzz about the movie already. A
word they like to use in Hollywood, buzz, before it
hits. Everyone is anticipating it to be one of the
largest movies of this summer. When they're talking
about a hundred million dollars and the like, is it
more daunting for you? Do you lose a little more
sleep thinking about the success of it?
JJ: In total honesty for myself, no. Because, I
don't feel there is as much pressure on my shoulders
this time around as there was with Poetic Justice. Cause
I'm not carrying the film. Eddie carries the film,
playing five different characters, so to me, it truly
is his film, his piece. I just had a wonderful time
working on the project. And even though I am in it a
great deal, it's more of his piece.
EG: What about the improv? I've had the
oppurtunity to sit and interview Eddie a couple times.
And just trying to do that in an hour, I mean he just
is all over that... I mean, he really is a comedic
genius and he can just go. How was that and having to
play off of that?
JJ: Well, I did not do a lot of add-libbing. I felt
there was no need to try and have to be funny or have
to say something just because he add-libbed. The
hardest thing for me was to keep a straight face. And
a lot of times... We shot with more than
one camera pretty much all, the entire movie, and
I called myself turning away from the camera
that was on and I'd whined up turning into another
camera trying to keep a straight face or to
show... not to show my camera that I'm laughing. And
it was very difficult. That was the most difficult
thing for me.
EG: The last time you and I spoke extensively,
you were doing your tribute, as i called it, to
Dorothy Dandridge, the Twenty Fourplay video.
And subsequently we've seen a film about Dorothy
Dandridge with Halle Berry on HBO, and I know that had
been something you wanted to do. Have you given up on
that project because that happened or do you wanna go
down that road?
JJ: The important thing for me, for more of the
world to get to know who she truly was, and that was
the reason I wanted to do the film. I loved her since
I was a kid and I met with her. Her manager, he came
over for lunch and brought this huge boxes of all this
memorabilia and pictures. And I actually had written
to him when I was about fourteen years old and he wrote
me back. It was the first person I've ever written and
the last person actually. But it was important for me
for the film to be done and I was in no race. A lot of
people said, "Oh, you better hurry and get on the
boat... get on it, cause so and so is going to do it."
And I was in no race, and if someone else was to do it
before me, then so be it. And as long it was done to
her liking, knowing that she's watching.
EG: You want to do a lot of acting?
JJ: My heart is definitely there. I'll never give
up singing, but most definitely.
EG: Did you purposely only do one song? Is it
something that you just wanted to lend yourself to,
because it's good marketing obviously for the film or
was it something that you decided that, "Hey i wanna
be viewed as an actress more in this project"?.
JJ: Once they told me I had gotten the part, I
actually offered to do a song and they said that they
wanted to ask me but they didn't know if I'd say yes
or no. But I had actually offered and I didn't know if
they would be interested or not. and I... I just... I
don't know... I guess being a singer, I thought
knowing that they had the soundtrack for the last
Nutty... I thought it would be fun to do something on
this one.
EG: What are your expectations as you look at
this particular picture in terms of where it can take
you.
JJ: That's a good question... Well hopefully
to the next level.
EG: Which is in your mind what?
JJ: Not necessarily doing more comedic things.
Maybe more dramatic things. It being different from
Poetic Justice, showing a different side of something
I am capable of doing and hopefully the people will
like it. I think more so than anything for people to
hopefully not see the singer, but see Denise. This
woman who is so deeply in love with Sherman, and can
feel the love that she has in her heart for him. That
to me is really important, for people to feel that and
hopefully they will. It's very important for me to be
able, for them to be able to seperate that.
EG: Do you concern yourself with the critics
who perhaps will not see you as a quote unquote
bonafied actress. As someone who is just trying to
act? A singer as we see so many now?
JJ: I can't think about that. It's much easier
said then done, believe you me, but I can't think
about that because if I do, it will...I will not get
to where I wanna go truthfully. And I have to keep my
eye on my goal which is perfecting the craft and learn
as much as I possibly can about it. Keep my head up
and keep moving on.
EG: Let's get back to Eddie Murphy briefly.
JJ: Sure
EG: Often you'll see someone of that stature
particularly when they are equal, of equal
stature, and it is sometimes hard for the other to
lend a hand and obviously, comedically, he had to do
that for you to be a success in the movie. I assume
that it was a good working relationship and a fun one.
JJ: I truly had the best time. I... We shot for six
months and I didn't want it to end. I really didn't
and as the... counting down those days knowing that it
was coming to an end, I was just trying to take
everything in cause I knew soon it will be a memory. He
was such a gentlemen, and so wonderful to work with.
The crew, they were so kind, so nice....and it was
such a wonderful experience. And I know every film is
not like that that's why I was really just taking it
all in. I had the best time.
EG: What is the funniest thing in the
movie? In your opinion
JJ: I think the scenes with Grandma and
Buddy Love... those were pretty... And she's my
favorite character.
JJ: She reminds me a great deal of my grandma when
she was alive.
EG: And you know, it's funny, because you say
she... It almost takes on a life of it's own. As if
she truly is a person, doesn't it? I mean, he's that
good at it.
JJ: Everyone can relate to at least someone within
that family and he brings that to life. He really
does... each character.
EG: Let's clarify for people when you say she
reminds you of your grandmother... because the
trailor...
JJ: Oh! No... not in the...No!
She just... She's just has so much character
and has so much life to her. She doesn't act her age
in any way and that's how my grandmother was and she
was just... My grandmother was the life of the party
for me and that's the way grandma is to me.
EG: For those who'll see the trailor, you'll
know why I clarified that.
EG:
After we talked about her new movie and her
participation on the soundtrack, I brought up the
subject of recent headlines. The news that Janet and
long-time lover, Rene Elizondo, have actually been
husband and wife for nine years.
EG: As you know, people wanna know more than
they need to about celebrities. Whatever your
comfortable with, can you share with the public what
you want them to know at this point?
Janet: It's... It's just a really sad thing, you know,
for it to happen. Unfortunately life is ever-changing
and I'm in a new space now and a much happier place.
EG: Press account said that you suggested it
had nothing to do with keeping a quote sexy image. It
was about trying to keep a marriage together in your
privacy.
JJ: Growing up in this business, always being in
the public eye, and I've always felt that
it's... That you're never given a fair chance.
Immediately when they know some people try to
knock it or it won't last or they..., for instance, and
not to bring them into it, but a lot of people did the
same thing with Bobby and Whitney. And I know they
have their things that they're going through and
they'll work through them, I hope so. And and...But
look at how long they've stayed together. Some people
say, "I give it six months" or "I give it a year and
that's such negative energy....that's such negative
energy going into such a beautiful thing. And I wanted
my privacy and just trying to have a true, normal
family life as much as I possibly could. So in doing
so I had... We had to... We felt to...
EG: How hard was it for you to have to deny
though, the marriage, the institution of it. I mean,
you and I have talked about it in the past and
clearly, everytime...
JJ: Did I enjoy all those times
being asked? Is that what you're asking? Saying no no,
is that what you're saying to me? Part yes and part no.
No, cause I knew what was truly going on,
but I knew in my heart why I was doing this. So that,
that made it okay for me because that was very
important and that's what I really wanted more than
anything... Was to keep that together. To make sure
that was okay.
EG: When you sit at home what are you thinking
about now, I mean, I suspect that when it hit the
papers... You had to say, "Geez, now what!?!"
JJ: Well it's not the first time that I've had to
deal with something such as this. It's never pertain
to me, but I've always, having so many sisters and
brothers, there was always in the press going on with
someone. And it always seemed, for myself, as if I was
the one to answer all the questions or they felt that
I was the one who had all the answers. Only because I
really do feel, I was the one doing the most press out
of my entire family. So I was the one bombarded with
all the questions, so so it's not the first time
I've been put in this position.
EG: Are you surprised at the route it's taken?
JJ: Yes....i truly am. It's very shocking to myself
as well as to my friends.
EG: Let me ask you about the next musical
project and whether you are making the conservative
effort to put it on the back burner and try to find an
acting project... Where are you?
JJ: I've never stopped actually since I came off
tour. And like I said, the scripts were coming in.
When they called me in for Nutty, I was preparing for
the next album, the project. And they said, "So we
heard you're working on a album, is that gonna... You
know...? Is that gonna conflict with us wanting to do
this film if you wanted to do this part?" I said, "No,
I'm just taking my time with it and if you want me for
this, I'll just put it on hold and do the film and
continue afterwords" which is what I'm doing.
EG: Will Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis be a part of
it and are there any other producers that you are
talking to or currently working with?
JJ: There are a few that I'm talking to which I
won't mention because nothing is truly etched in
stone... But I am working with Jimmy on the next
project as well as Rock... Rockwilder. I love him,
such a sweetheart. Just Like a little brother I never
had. He's great. I love him so much. He's very
talented.
EG: Ballads, Dance, where are you gonna
go? What direction are you going to go?
JJ: I think something that I've always
done. I've always kind of mixed it up because that's
what I grew up listening to and I think it'll continue
to do that.