28
After herGood Will Huntingexperience, the actor turned down an iconic rom-com role.
Where are you going to have your party?
Sixty people came, and [they] brought their dogs and babies.
At the time, she was living in Los Angeles Beachwood Canyon neighborhood with Alexandra and their dogs.
But I knew that the dark brown lip liner was a bad idea.
Earlier that month, Damon, whom shed been dating,announced he was singleonThe Oprah Winfrey Show.
Below, she talks to Bustle about fame, the role that got away, and dating coworkers.
What did a typical Friday night look like for you in 1998?
That was always a pretty safe bet, because we never got photographed doing any of that.
I dont know why.
Or wed go tothe Chateau Marmont, which was beautifully seedy back then.
We would basically use their lounge as our own living room.
How did your daily life change whenGood Will Huntingcame out?
If youve got a huge newspaper saying that yourethis, how do you know thats not true?
Its an existentially weird experience.
It sounds incredibly destabilizing.
Theres a great line in your book about being metabolized by strangers.
Its weird when thats happening alongside this thing you love.
I love acting today as much as I loved it when I was 28.
In your book, you allude to being relieved to not win the Oscar.
Theres some fresh-faced person who believes they want that attention, and the baton will be passed.
On Twitter, Ive seen the word relevant thrown as an assault, [like] Youre irrelevant!
Like the zenith of human accomplishment is to be and remain relevant.
I was happy to ride a different wave for a minute.
How did you apply what you learned fromGood Will Huntingto your next projects?
I wanted to go and flex as an actor, and I was a little bit headstrong.
But I still love those movies that I made.
Oh, its a terrible idea.
My dad did give a shot to warn me, but the thing is, you fall in love.
And I was so naive.
Matt was so wonderful and funny and lovely and talented.
I understand why it happened, and I wouldnt change it because it was beautiful.
But I didnt quite learn my lesson.
I dated a few more [actors] and then was like, OK, Im done.
At what age did you realize you wanted to keep it about the work and not chase fame?
I was just like, F*ck this.
I need to do something that I love.
Then I came back and didPhantom of the Opera.
I was obsessed with Joel SchumachersPhantom of the Operaadaptationwhen I was a kid.
Its beautiful, and the making of it was as fun as the movie the world saw.
Do you have a favorite memory from the set?
Joel made me laugh so hard every day.
He used to readThe New York Timeswhen [stage crew] was setting up the lights.
Another person in the movie was complaining about how over-the-top I was.
Joel didnt even look up from his paper.
He just said, Oh, honey, no one ever paid to see under-the-top.
He was so funny and great.
We had the happiest set in the studio where we were shooting.
Dont even come here.
We would always put signs under their door saying, like come visit us!
What advice would you give your 28-year-old self?
Its OK for it to look like its on fire for a minute.
It is going to change.
There is no stasis.
Remember that, and take a breath.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
