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December 1 - 7, 2008 25 By Davina Morris WHAT would you do if you moved into a new area, and your neighbour turned out to be a psycho police officer? This becomes the dilemma for newlyweds Chris and Lisa Mattson in new film, Lakeview Terrace. In short, the Mattsons (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) move into a quiet Californian cul-de-sac, but LAPD officer Abel Turner (Samuel L Jackson), disapproves of his new neighbours’ interracial marriage. A stern single father, Turner becomes increasingly hostile to his neighbours, and things go from bad to worse as the Mattsons decide to fight back. “There were a couple of things that drew me to this role,” says actress Kerry Washington, who has had roles in the films Ray and The Last King of Scotland. “Firstly, I felt like I had never seen this type of African American woman on screen before; this culturally inclusive woman, who, I guess represents the Obama generation of racial inclusiveness and open-mindedness. So that was exciting for me. “In addition, I was really drawn to another theme of the film, which is the misuse of power. What do you do when the person who’s supposed to keep you safe, is the person who’s causing you the most harm? How do you handle that?” Samuel L Jackson is certainly intriguing as the veteran Los Angeles police officer. In addition, there’s something about his cocky attitude in this film that’s quite sexy. (He’s old enough to be my father and so I am a tad embarrassed by that statement.) “It’s true,” Washington exclaims. (Phew! It’s not just me.) “That’s that typical bad guy thing. Sam Jackson does that so well in this film. And not only does he play a bad boy, he plays a charming bad boy. That’s very effective.” Sexy swagger aside, Turner launches an escalating series of pranks and insults against his neighbours. And as the film develops, it becomes clear that Turner’s motive is a bitter resentment at seeing a black woman married to a white man. You could say that this role for Washington is a case of art imitating life, as the actress was previously engaged to white actor, David Moscow. The pair split last year, after four years of being together. While Washington refrained from discussing the intimate details of their relationship, “out of respect for him,” she revealed that any partner she’s chosen has raised somebody’s eyebrows. “In my life, no matter who I’ve chosen to be with, not everyone has liked it,” she says. “Sometimes it’s literally been because the person’s profession wasn’t good enough. I don’t think any relationship I’ve been in has been immune from other people’s judgement.” And yet, Washington has a certain amount of understanding for Turner’s prejudice. “I think one of the things that’s so elegant about the film is that we have some insight into what motivates his behaviour. I think that’s important. Some people have these hang-ups and these sentiments because they’re coming from experiences that are much more intense than people of my generation can even comprehend. I think it’s important to remember that people’s behaviour is motivated by their own personal history. That’s not to excuse certain behaviour. But by knowing what motivates a person’s actions, it enables you to put people’s behaviour into context.” One wonders if Washington received any bad vibes from black guys, who assumed that she wasn’t ‘into’ black men. “No, I didn’t… Well if there was that, I didn’t notice it,” she laughs. “But what I did get when I became single again, was a lot of excitement from friends who were glad I was back on the market so they could try and fix me up with all sorts of people! That was hilarious. I should probably write a movie about that.” Currently single but “dating”, does Washington see marriage in her future? “Who knows? I thought it was! But I don’t know. Right now, I’m finding it really interesting to resist the impulse to be in a monogamous relationship. I just want to keep growing and learning more about myself.” Lakeview Terrace is in cinemas from December 5 through Sony Pictures IN CINEMAS FRIDAY www.secretlifeofbeesmovie.co.uk DON’T MISS THE MOVIE SENSATION THAT HAS U.S. AUDIENCES BUZZING! “Moving and memorable... performances all round.” MARK ADAMS, SUNDAY MIRROR film: Stateside star Not everything’s black and white Art imitates life as Kerry Washington plays a woman facing judgment over her interracial relationship Honest: Kerry Washington Tense: (l-r) Samuel L Jackson, Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington PALE PINK HITCHED HEM TOPSHOP £75 RED ONE SHOULDER WHISTLES £140 RUSTLE FRONT REISS £169

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Page 1: Kerry Washington

December 1 - 7, 2008 25

By Davina Morris

WHAT would you do if you moved into a newarea, and your neighbour turned out to be apsycho police officer? This becomes thedilemma for newlyweds Chris and LisaMattson in new film, Lakeview Terrace.

In short, the Mattsons (Patrick Wilson andKerry Washington) move into a quietCalifornian cul-de-sac, but LAPD officer AbelTurner (Samuel L Jackson), disapproves of hisnew neighbours’ interracial marriage. A sternsingle father, Turner becomes increasinglyhostile to his neighbours, and things go frombad to worse as the Mattsons decide to fightback.

“There were a couple of things that drew meto this role,” says actress Kerry Washington,who has had roles in the films Ray and The LastKing of Scotland. “Firstly, I felt like I had neverseen this type of African American woman onscreen before; this culturally inclusive woman,who, I guess represents the Obama generationof racial inclusiveness and open-mindedness.So that was exciting for me.

“In addition, I was really drawn to anothertheme of the film, which is the misuse ofpower. What do you do when the personwho’s supposed to keep you safe, is the personwho’s causing you the most harm? How doyou handle that?”

Samuel L Jackson is certainly intriguing asthe veteran Los Angeles police officer. Inaddition, there’s something about his cockyattitude in this film that’s quite sexy. (He’s oldenough to be my father and so I am a tadembarrassed by that statement.)

“It’s true,” Washington exclaims. (Phew! It’snot just me.)

“That’s that typical bad guy thing. SamJackson does that so well in this film. And not

only does he play a bad boy, he plays acharming bad boy. That’s very effective.”

Sexy swagger aside, Turner launches anescalating series of pranks and insults againsthis neighbours. And as the film develops, itbecomes clear that Turner’s motive is a bitterresentment at seeing a black woman marriedto a white man.

You could say that this role for Washingtonis a case of art imitating life, as the actress waspreviously engaged to white actor, DavidMoscow. The pair split last year, after fouryears of being together. While Washingtonrefrained from discussing the intimate detailsof their relationship, “out of respect for him,”she revealed that any partner she’s chosen hasraised somebody’s eyebrows.

“In my life, no matter who I’ve chosen to bewith, not everyone has liked it,” she says.“Sometimes it’s literally been because theperson’s profession wasn’t good enough. Idon’t think any relationship I’ve been in hasbeen immune from other people’s judgement.”

And yet, Washington has a certain amountof understanding for Turner’s prejudice.

“I think one of the things that’s so elegantabout the film is that we have some insightinto what motivates his behaviour. I thinkthat’s important. Some people have thesehang-ups and these sentiments because they’recoming from experiences that are much moreintense than people of my generation can evencomprehend. I think it’s important toremember that people’s behaviour ismotivated by their own personal history.That’s not to excuse certain behaviour. But byknowing what motivates a person’s actions, itenables you to put people’s behaviour intocontext.”

One wonders if Washington received anybad vibes from black guys, who assumed thatshe wasn’t ‘into’ black men.

“No, I didn’t… Well if there was that, Ididn’t notice it,” she laughs. “But what I didget when I became single again, was a lot ofexcitement from friends who were glad I wasback on the market so they could try and fixme up with all sorts of people! That washilarious. I should probably write a movieabout that.”

Currently single but “dating”, doesWashington see marriage in her future?

“Who knows? I thought it was! But I don’tknow. Right now, I’m finding it reallyinteresting to resist the impulse to be in amonogamous relationship. I just want to keepgrowing and learning more about myself.”

� Lakeview Terrace is in cinemas from December5 through Sony Pictures

IN CINEMAS FRIDAYw w w . s e c r e t l i f e o f b e e s m o v i e . c o . u k

DON’T MISS THE MOVIE SENSATIONTHAT HAS U.S. AUDIENCES BUZZING!

“Moving and memorable...

performances all round.”MARK ADAMS, SUNDAY MIRROR

film: Stateside star

Not everything’sblack and whiteArt imitates life as Kerry Washington plays awoman facing judgment over her interracialrelationship

Honest: KerryWashington

Tense: (l-r) Samuel L Jackson,Patrick Wilson and Kerry

Washington

PALE PINK HITCHED HEMTOPSHOP£75

RED ONE SHOULDERWHISTLES£140

RUSTLE FRONTREISS£169