BELINDA MCCLORY

Edited transcript of live chat with Belinda McClory, star of The Matrix on 5th of May 1999

Belinda was born in 1969 and grew up in Adelaide. Her first professional role came at fourteen in the world premiere of a Louis Nowra play, Sunrise, in which she shared the stage with an extraordinary company of actors - Geoffrey Rush, Gillian Jones, Kerry Walker and John Wood - in a production directed by Jim Sharman. Belinda studied acting at the Victorian College of the Arts and is well known for her roles with Melbourne Theatre Company and Playbox. In 1996 Belinda was nominated for a Green Room Award for Best Fringe Performer in the La Mama production of Snorkel.
Belinda's numerous television credits include Seachange, Frontline, Good Guys Bad Guys, Simone de Beauvoir's Babies, Halifax f.p., The Seven Deadly Sins: Envy, Blue Heelers and Janus, for which she was nominated in 1995 for an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Television Series for her role as Kirsty Nichols.
Playing frustrated and law-bending homicide Detective JJ Wilson in Redball was a unique and challenging experience for Belinda. The character had to be maintained over five weeks while only shooting on the weekends. Following Redball, Belinda worked for six months on The Matrix, starring Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne, directed by the Wachowski Brothers, makers of the cult hit Bound. She played the enigmatic freedom fighter, Switch, with bleached hair and a black leather wardrobe!
Shortly after the April 29, 1999 opening of Redball, Belinda appeared as a guest star in six episodes of the hit tv police drama Blue Heelers - as a good cop.

Interviewer: Welcome Belinda McClory, our special guest tonight. Belinda is the star of the new Australian movie Redball and co-star of The Matrix. At this moment, in Blue Heelers, Belinda begins a 6 week guest starring role.Her character is Snr Cnstble Robyn Taylor She is a good cop - a member of the AIS
Belinda McClory: Hi everybody - thank you for waiting

Interviewer: Has your role in The Matrix helped your career as yet?
Belinda McClory: Well no-one recognises me in the street and I'm still looking at a few projects so I don't know yet

Interviewer: How did you find working with Keanu Reeves?
BelindaMcCloryIt was an absolute pleasure - he's very cute. Much better looking in real life

Interviewer: How about having two directors with the Wachowski brothers?
Belinda McClory: The Wachowski's were like working with one person - they're like 2 halves of the same brain

Interviewer: was it fun making the movie?
Belinda McClory: It was absolutely fantastic - I saw stunts that I'll never see again in my lifetime. There's a sequence in the movie that takes one or two minutes screen time and it took 9 days to Shoot!!

Interviewer: What sort of kisser is Keanu Reeves. I heard he's like kissing pumpkin
Belinda McClory: I've never experienced kissing a pumpkin - all I can say is Keanu's kisses are very soft.

Interviewer: What's the best role you've ever played?
Belinda McClory: To date the best role I've ever played is JJ Wilson in Redball - because she's multi-faceted, an interesting damaged character - you can just dive into those sorts of characters.

Interviewer: Treg asks: Did u like wearing those sexy clothes
Belinda McClory: The white suit is modeled on my other suit which is silver in the movie - the silver one is made of sharskin latex stuff and the white one's made from white PVC!

Interviewer: VL_BERLINA_TURBO asks: How did u get the role in Blue Heelers?
Belinda McClory: I got the role in blue heelers like any other actor - I auditioned for it and got a call back and luckily they liked me the best!!

Interviewer: Have you been approached yet to play Lara Croft?
Belinda McClory: Ha ha ha ha - no I haven't I'd love to play Lara Croft - I've got Tomb Raider III

Interviewer: Camera-1 asks: Belinda, the list of movies and TV serials you've taken part in is indeed impressive, but you are always playing "hard" characters, is there a space there for a more feminent role?
Belinda McClory: That's a question I've always asked casting agents unfortunately for me I seem to get typecast in working class , hard-faced mould. I kind of find those women sexy!! sucks and vice versa.

Interviewer: Jimbob asks: Belinda, does the screen bring out the good in you or the bad?
Belinda McClory: Both - often when I think I've done a really good performance it

Interviewer: Mac asks: When will the movie Redball be showing?
Belinda McClory: Redball has been screening in Sydney and Melbourne from April the 29th at Palace Cinema's and it will open in Adelaide on May 13th and Perth in June I'll be at the Adelaide premier on May 10th and there be a question and answer session after the film

Interviewer: Salle asks: Belinda is being a movie star something you always aspired to or did you just get 'discovered' and fall into it
Belinda McClory: I guess I fell into it - I've only made 4 films and I've really enjoyed acting in cinema, I'd like to continue it but I've spent 15 years becoming an overnight success.

Interviewer: Treg asks: Do you think you're hot?
Belinda McClory: No I don't think I'm hot - you're talking to a woman who favours trackie pants!

Interviewer: CeCe asks: What is the movie about
Belinda McClory: The film is about 8 city detectives in the vice drug, homicide squads and CIB It's about the corrupt activities they get up to and the film centres on my character trying to find a child serial killer and bring him to justice

Interviewer: Sweetie asks: Belinda can you say hello Sophie
Belinda McClory: Hello Sophie :)

Interviewer: Noggin asks: What's Carrie Anne Moss like
Belinda McClory: Carrie Anne's fantastic - she was very generous to me. She's a very focused actor and hopefully Matrix will be the beginning of great things for her.

Interviewer: Treg asks: Is this really u Belinda your so hot
Belinda McClory: It's really me and just to prove it I'll tell you something that only I know: I had my appendix out when I was 9 in the Mt Gambier hospital.

Interviewer: SebaT asks: Belinda McClory, Ewan McGregor said that working in the upcoming star wars prequel didn't give him much scope as an actor because of the level of technology present in post-production. Would u say the same for working on The Matrix, or was it not as technologically bound?
Belinda McClory: Not as technologically bound - Larry and Andy were very specific about certain shots and frames they wanted in the movie a-la comic book Jeff Darrow But within that the process was pretty organic

Interviewer: Camera-1 asks: Belinda, does making a movie with Hollywood people opens a door for you to join that market?
Belinda McClory: There's certainly been a lot of interest generated about me due to the success of the Matrix, so in that sense I guess it's open doors.

Interviewer: What about working with Hugo Weaving?
Belinda McClory: He's a beautiful man - but unfortunately I didn't get to work with him, we never in the same scene. We were just ships that passed in the make-up truck.

Interviewer: Jimbob asks: Did you read up on sci-fi before the film??? Any recommendations if you did??
Belinda McClory: The one book that I had to read before doing The Matrix, not only because it dealt with a Sci Fi film but because it's my all-time favourite movie I read a book on the making of bladerunner.

Interviewer: Asmodios asks: Belinda who is your favourite author? And why?
Belinda McClory: My favourite author I would have to say would be Ian McKewon, John Irving, Michael Ondajee, Russel Banks and Anne Tyler.

Interviewer: MEL asks: What is your character like in Blue Heelers
Belinda McClory: The flip side of my character in Redball. Robin Taylor is married with a small baby - she's very efficient and is quick with a joke. She's got a very thick skin.

Interviewer: Did you go after that role (in Blue Heelers) on purpose?
Belinda McClory: Yes, I wanted to make sure that the Victorian police wouldn't. All my character in Redball against me. I wanted to be a great advocate for them on TV because in the cinema I'm kicking them where it hurts!!

Interviewer: What vices do you enjoy?
Belinda McClory: God - I recently gave up smoking when I turned 30 so that's left me relatively vice less - boring I know. I do enjoy loads of chocolate!1

Interviewer: What are the important things in life for you?
Belinda McClory: That's pretty heavy - I'd have to say that my husband's the most important thing to me.

Interviewer: VL_BERLINA_TURBO asks: Belinda is getting into acting difficult. I ask this because I do acting myself and would eventually like to get into movies.
Belinda McClory: It's very difficult - I think acting is a highly skilled profession and if you're interested in wanting to be an actor then I'd highly recommend targeting a drama school in your State that would be right for you.

Interviewer: Asmodios asks: What do you think it will be like working with Lisa Mcune (Maggie Doil) it Blue Heelers? Considering she has won so many awards.
Belinda McClory: I've actually worked with Lisa in Blue Heelers about 5 years ago and I'd have to say that it was a pleasure. I don't measure talent by awards. She doesn't need them.

Interviewer: Do you have a professional role model - or which actors do you like most?
Belinda McClory: Independent American actors, Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon. I love actors like Kevin Spacey, Helen Mirren is my favourite female actor I think.

Interviewer: Mccar asks: What types of movies do you like to watch?
Belinda McClory: All sorts - my Dad brought me up to adore Noir films - the only movies that I can't sit through are Horror films.

Interviewer: Gidday asks: Belinda are you from Melbourne? What do you like to do to when relaxing?
Belinda McClory: No - I'm originally from Adelaide but I lived for 10 years in Melbourne. I'm a voracious reader - I love hardback fiction novels, contemporary fiction, I love the movies - I love watching movies, I love the experience of being in the Cinema's with Dolby Surround Sound and a Choc top!!

Interviewer: Do you have any interest in writing?
Belinda McClory: Yes I've dabbled in writing - my husband Jon Hewitt who wrote and directed Redball, We've collaborated on 3 screenplays already and we're currently adapting a Patrick White novel into a screenplay - I've never earnt any money as a writer so I don't call myself one.

Interviewer: Can you remember the most embarrassing incident on a set?
Belinda McClory: I think I've been very lucky - I don't remember anything happening to me that's embarrassing.

Interviewer: What is your worst nightmare - your biggest fear?
Belinda McClory: Drowning - my Mother nearly drowned twice as a child so I think I was born with an inherent fear of drowning.

Interviewer: Do you play sport? Which one/s?
Belinda McClory: I used to play a lot of Sport - I used to be an Athlete. I'm not anymore obviously I'm too old - I did play netball up until recently but now I just go to the Gym.

Interviewer: When were you first attracted to your husband?
BelindaMcCloryWhen we first met I was attracted to his ideas - there was no sexual attraction at first. It wasn't until we'd finished filming Redball that we got to be close. Wasn't until we'd finished filming Redball

Interviewer: In film, do you think the writer is as important as the director?
Belinda McClory: In film the writer is the most important person that's not on the set. By that I mean without amazing ideas and a wonderful script I'd be out of a job.

Interviewer: Mccar asks: Do you wish that you hadn't died ion the movie
Belinda McClory: There's talk of 2 more sequels and I figure with all that technology they could do a Lindsey Wagner on me - fingers crossed :)

Interviewer: Asmodios asks: Have you watched your movie " The Matrix" after being filmed? If yes than what did you think of it? do you think it will be one to remember like Ben Hur and Titanic?
Belinda McClory: The first time I saw The Matrix was at it's Hollywood premier. I was surrounded by 2000 screaming people and I was scared to death!! I think it's a huge movie and wonderful to be a part of I was very lucky! I think it will be remembered as an end of the millennium movie looking at how people feel about the impending 2000.

Interviewer: Are you on the internet and what do you think about its impact?
Belinda McClory: Yes, I'm on the Internet - I find it a fascinating tool for study and it's long techno-fingers are all pervading. Surf On!!!

Interviewer: Our time is up for Belinda. We'd like to thank her very much for coming. And being so generous with your answers. I'm sure everyone in the room has enjoyed this session
Belinda McClory: That was quick!! Pity we didn't have another hour :) Thanks very much for being interested and if you haven't already gone go and see REDBALL!!!!

Check to see if BigPond Broadband is available where you live.