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Rosario Dawson is a beautiful and fiery New Yorker. She’s perhaps best known for an illicit turn as a vengeful lady of the night in Sin City and for helping to bring hit musical Rent to the big screen.
Since her debut in cult shocker ‘Kids’ at just 16, she’s popped up in an impressively long list of films. She’s had star turns in Seven Pounds, Clerks II, Eagle Eye, 25th Hour, Deathproof, Unstoppable and a Men In Black sequel.
Purpler Revolver caught up with the stunning star on the red carpet in Cannes at an exclusive VIP party. She told us all about France, fashion and the future…
Q: So we’re here in Cannes, how good is your French?
“I’ve had a couple of amazing French people in my life over the years, but they’ve only taught me dirty thing. They’re not really appropriate for putting in print!”
Q: What about the food, are you a fan of the delicious French cuisine?
“Yes I love French food. I have it for breakfast. Everything I have is full of tons of butter. I’ve been told I should get a French passport just based on that!”
Q: You’re looking gorgeous tonight what are you wearing?
“Oh, so you’re checking me out huh…(laughs warmly) Well of course I’m wearing Calvin Klein head to toe. This was the very first dress I tried on tonight. I went through a bunch of them afterwards but then I came right back to this one in the end.”
Q: Do you know Calvin personally?
“Oh yes, I know Calvin very well, we’re great friends.”
Q: So what really brings you to Cannes is it the films or the fashion?
“I’m here for Calvin I guess. I was actually invited to be honoured by Calvin Klein at their party. Which is incredible. This is actually my first time coming to town without a film in the festival. it feels great and pretty awesome actually because I feel like this is the first time I can actually watch films rather than being stuck doing press all day.”
Q: How many film festivals have you done here?
“This is my third actually. It would have been my forth because I was planning to come here with Sin City, but I was busy shooting Rent at the time so I missed that one.”
Q: So you’re an old pro here then?
“Oh my god yes. I’m so excited. There’s this amazing little tea shop I go to every time I come here. I can’t remember it’s name and I don’t know the name of the street it’s on. But I know how to find it and I never miss a chance to go. It’s full of all these amazing teas in huge jars and these delicious little Tuna sandwiches.”
Q: What are you looking forward to seeing in this year’s festival?
“Well there’s just so much going on. I haven’t had a chance to look at the full list for everything but I know that there’s so many female directors in competition this year. I want to see all of their work. I’m really curious to see what the audience response is. One of my favourite things about coming to Cannes is the audience responses. they’re very full on here there’s nothing polite about anyone. If they love it, they will cheer and give you a standing ovation. But if they hate it, they will boo you out of the theatre. There’s something in me as a New Yorker that makes me go “Oh I Love That!”
Q: You look great onscreen, but do you have any desire to take the reins behind the camera and become a director?
“Well I’ve produced and I co-write a comic book. So I think at some point I would like to try directing something. I recently directed some readings in a play format. So I’ve been dabbling with it. It’s something I feel like I need to learn, but it’s exciting for me as a journey in my career to know that I’m building and taking steps towards that already.”
Q: What are you working on at the moment, what’s your next project going to be?
“I actually just finished doing a short film directed by Alicia Keys. It’s about breast cancer and it’s for the Lifetime TV channel in the States. It’s part of a project that’s been made by all women directors, which is really cool as well. People like Patty Jenkins, Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore and Jennifer Garner, they’re all involved. The whole thing deals with breast cancer so that’s going to be pretty amazing. That’s it for now.”
Q: Do you have any plans for rest of the summer?
“I have Zookeeper coming out in the summer and I’m about to get going on my press tour for that so that’ll keep me busy. but for now I’m just chilling out. You know my birthday just happened so you know now I’m just taking some time out and seeing what I want for the next couple of years.”