Marisa Tomei Shares Thoughts on the Wrestler, Stripping, Roarke and Her Career

A decade and a half ago, Marisa Tomei was on top of the acting world, receiving an Acadamy Award for her role in the popular comedy, "My Cousin Vinny." She most likely could have used that role as a springboard to stardom. Instead of going the blockbuster route, she has been more selective with her choices. While she hasn't had another big hit that would springboard her to superstardom, she has been well received critically, earning an Acadamy Award nomination for her role in "In the Bedroom" in 2001. She gives another well recieved performance in the current release,"The Wrestler," even though her performance is overshadowed by the strong comeback performance of the movie's star, Mickey Rourke.

Tomei recently sat down for a question and answer session with the audience after a showing of "The Wrestler" at the Landmark in Los Angeles. Yahoo! Movies describes "The Wrestler" as being about a 1980's-era pro wrestler, who has become a "shell of his former self" and is now trying to put his life back together, by reconciling with his daughter and recovering from a heart attack. Tomei plays a stripper at a club that he visits often and the two seem to relate to the hardships that both go through.

The movie has been well received and there has been some talk that Rourke will receive some Oscar consideration for his role, and the movie has an outside chance of being nominated for best picture. "The Wrestler" shows graphic depictions of what one must endure to be a small-time wrestler: from steroids and drugs, to staples and furnature thrown at your body to extreme wrestling, where more and more dangerous and extreme things have to be done to get the interest of the fans. While the movie has been called docementary-like in style, Rourke brings a humanness to his character. The character seems to mimic what the audience imagines Roarke has gone through in real-life, giving a realness to the portrayal. Tomei helps bring out that humanness and helps him reconnect with his daughter.

During the question and answer session, someone asked Tomei about the music in the movie, which was largely made up of rock and metal songs from the 80's, such as "Bang Your Head" by RATT and "Sweet Child of Mine," by Guns and Roses, in addition to an original title song by Bruce Springsteen written especially for the movie. Tomei said that while she was not a fan of the music, she said that she felt the songs were true to her character in the movie and that the music featured in the stripper scenes were largely chosen based on the selection on an IPOD of a stripper consultant who worked on the movie.The music also helped to create a bond between her character and the character played by Roarke, who speaks glowingly of 80's rock and metal. It also helps in illustrating the fact that both characters are over-the-hill for their respective professions.

Tomei stated that unlike her costar Roarke, she had not spent time in strip clubs prior to the movie. She relied on the help of a stripper, used as a consultant, to keep her character as real as possible, both by helping her in her dancing and in developing the character. Tomei responded to a question regarding what it was like working with a female cinemetographer, Maryse Alberti, in the movie. She stated that having a female cinemetographer was critical for several reasons. One, she stated that it helped balance out the testosterone-charged envoronment of the movie, which features a predominantly male cast, including many wrestlers. Furthermore, it was critical to making her feel comfortable playing the role of a stripper, both by having a female there with her on the set and by her being more comfortable in how her role would be portrayed on film.

In response to a question about what it was like working with Mickey Rourke, she insisted that despite his past reputation, she enjoyed working with him. She stated that the only demand Rourke makde was that they don't rehearse together before shooting. He wanted their portrayals to come off naturally. She credits Roarke for his excellent improvisational work in a scene where he plays a worker at the deli counter of a supermarket who is driven over the edge by his fate in life and the demand of his customers.

She also noted that Roarke, who once gave up his acting career in order to become a boxer, always looked down on wrestling. She stated that after he withnessed first-hand what wrestlers had to go through, he came away with a lot of respect and admiration for them. She came away with an appreciation of wrestlers as well, she said.

Tomei was also asked about her biggest regrets as an actress. She reported that while she rarely looks back and second guesses decisions she made, the one regret she has is not doing the movie,"Four Weddings and a Funeral," when she was offered a role in it. While she might be overshadowed by Roarke in this movie, at least she can take some comfort in the fact that unlike her co-star, she has made solid career choices that might not make her a superstar, but have established her as a fine, critically accliamed actress, who is in demand for the artistry and professionalism that she brings to her roles.

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