Granddaughter of two-time Oscar winner actor Melvyn Douglas, Illeana Douglas began her career as a stand-up comedian, but soon found herself on the big screen in Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear (1991), one of four Scorsese films she’s appeared in, and started a long-term relationship with Scorsese that lasted eight years.
She is most widely known for her roles as Denise Waverly in Allison Anders’ Grace of My Heart (1996) and her supporting roles in To Die For (1995) and Ghost World (2001). Douglas has appeared on many television shows including The Larry Sanders Show, Action (with Jay Mohr, which has a Kickstarter project to revive it), Seinfeld, Law and Order, Six Feet Under and as Mrs. Ari’s sister in Entourage.
Douglas, 47, is starring in the new film Chez Upshaw, a comedy directed by Bruce Mason with Kevin Pollak, the closing-night film at the Palm Beach International Film Festival. She’ll be there for the April 11 screening at the Frank Theatres CineBowl and Grille in western Delray Beach.
Chez Upshaw tells the story of an endlessly bickering but truly devoted and quirky couple who run a B&B. When the opportunity presents itself, they get the idea to turn their bed and breakfast into a “check in, don’t check out” last resort for assisted suicides.
We spoke with Douglas from her home in California.
PBAP: Have you been here before?
Douglas: In 1991, I was in Florida to shoot Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear, starring Robert De Niro and Nick Nolte, but I haven’t spent much time there otherwise. All I care about is that it’s warm. I’m skinny, so I’m perpetually cold.
PBAP: How did you get involved in Chez Upshaw?
Douglas: I’ve worked with Kevin Pollak before on my Web series, Easy to Assemble and on Otis and a new film called Max Rose, and we’re doing a Christmas movie called Saving Santa coming out this Christmas.
Kevin was meeting with Bruce Mason and he said, “You know, Illeana Douglas would be good for the part of my wife, Rita,” and Bruce said, “That’s funny – I wrote the part for her.” Kevin called me and I said, “Just tell me when to show up.”
PBAP: Tell us a bit about your Web series, Easy to Assemble, which takes place at the Burbank IKEA store. It has won a number of awards, including a nomination for you for Best Individual Performance at the 14th annual Webby Awards, and won two Webbys for Best Branded Content and Best Comedy Episode. You play a fictional version of yourself and write, produce, direct and act in it. Is this your alter ego?
Douglas: Yes.
PBAP: Did you always have the desire to work at IKEA?
Douglas: Yes. The whole idea of IKEA is that you have to put everything together – so the idea is I play myself as a person that is trying to get out of show business, but nobody will let me get out. Once you’re an actress, you’re an actress for life. The show is a metaphor for putting myself together. With the help of IKEA, I discover that the best role I never played is myself. I host an Internet talk show called This Side Up, and I invite my friends like Tom Arnold and Justine Bateman and we deconstruct and reconstruct my life.
You’d have to drag me kicking and screaming out of show business. I love doing it.
PBAP: Your grandfather was the Hollywood actor Melvyn Douglas, who played opposite Greta Garbo in the 1939 romantic comedy Ninotchka. You come from true Hollywood royalty. How has that affected your career?
Douglas: Honestly, I don’t think people remember my grandfather. But I’ve always cared about movies and the history of film and so it’s a personal boost, but I don’t think I’ve gotten any parts because of my grandfather. It hasn’t opened any doors for me, but it’s a good conversation starter.
PBAP: You are a versatile actor and can play sexy and quirky parts as well as both comedy and drama. Do you have a preference for a particular type of role?
Douglas: I love doing independent films. I do a lot of them and it’s very rewarding when a film like Chez Upshaw resonates with people. I love making movies because it’s such an original art form and my favorite thing is being on a set and experiencing the camaraderie.
PBAP: Do you seek out independent films?
Douglas: People know I’m receptive to playing these roles. The parts are better and so I gravitate toward them. The character of Rita Upshaw is such a great part and fun to play.
PBAP: You’ve been acting steadily for the past 25 years in a tough profession. To what do you attribute your longevity in this field?
Douglas: Even though I’ve been acting since 1987, I feel like I’m at the beginning of my career. I’ve got a long way to go. My grandfather won his first Oscar in 1963 for best supporting actor in Hud when he was 65, and he was 80 when he won his second Oscar for best supporting actor for Being There with Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine.
I’ve finally figured things out and now I can really start going.
PBAP: Is winning an Oscar a goal for you?
Douglas: Absolutely. I’m now in Phase II. Phase I is trying to make it and the second phase is trying to stay in show business.
PBAP: What do you blame Dennis Hopper for? (Douglas is working on a book of film essays titled I Blame Dennis Hopper.)
Douglas: When I was a kid my father saw Easy Rider and wanted to emulate the lifestyle of Dennis Hopper. So, my childhood took a wildly different direction than it was supposed to. I had a very theatrical upbringing that probably led me into show business. Things happen that change the direction of your life and you don’t understand why. I ended up doing a movie with Dennis Hopper (Search and Destroy) and I was like: “YOU! I blame you for everything.” He laughed. We became good friends. I said to him, “You ruined my life. My whole life would have been different.”
I have a great story about Marlon Brando and one about going to the fountain of youth with Tom Arnold and Sharon Stone.
PBAP: What was it like to meet Marlon Brando?
Douglas: You’ll have to wait for the book.
PBAP: How did Easy Rider change your life?
Douglas: We became hippies. It was a very unconventional life and when you have an unconventional upbringing it’s usually conducive to going into show business.
PBAP: Would you say luck has played a part in your success?
Douglas: No. It’s all hard work. I remember auditioning for To Die For, Gus Van Sant’s take on the Pamela Smart murder in the 1990s. Fifty people auditioned for the role of Janice and I ended up getting it. That’s not luck, that’s hard work. To be in show business is a full-time job, and you have to love it, work hard and make a lot of sacrifices.
PBAP: Are you disciplined?
Douglas: I’m incredibly disciplined. I was that way back in acting school. You have to be that way. You have to really know your stuff. I like being disciplined. I enjoy going to bed early and getting up early, going to the set and seeing everyone. It’s fun. You have to be disciplined to do movies. You work 12-hour days. It’s a joy, so I can’t really complain. When the movies come out, it’s worth it.
PBAP: What quality to you value most in yourself?
Douglas: Empathy. It helps me as an actor. I have empathy for people and I don’t take things personally. I just say, “Oh, he’s in a bad mood.” I get yelled at 10-15 times a day – that’s my job. You have to go “Ah, that’s not me,” although in my case, it probably IS me, but you have to choose not to believe it. I choose to believe everybody loves me. I live in denial.
PBAP: What’s your favorite movie?
Douglas: I love Elaine May and Mike Nichols, and love Stanley Donen’s films, especially Two for the Road, the 1967 film starring Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn, and The Third Man. That’s one of my favorite movies; I could watch it over and over. I also love the classic film, East of Eden, and I love the work of Alexander Payne (About Schmidt and Sideways) and David O. Russell, the director of Silver Linings Playbook.
PBAP: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Douglas: Working on a movie, in a great part with co-stars that I love, and the man behind the camera is my husband, and knowing there’s food on the set. Especially spaghetti ― I’m Italian. That’s my favorite food.
Closing-night festivities begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 11, at Frank Theatres CineBowl & Grille west of Delray Beach (on West Atlantic Avenue and Lyons Road), followed by the “It’s a Wrap” party. Illeana Douglas and Bruce Mason are scheduled to attend. Tickets for the film and party: $40. For more information, please call (561) 362-0003 or visit the festival web site at www.pbifilmfest.org.