I thought the movie was so cute! What attracted you to the role?
Keri Russell: Oh, good! It's cute, right? I thought it was fun, and I thought it was different from things I've done before. Really, [director] Jerusha Hess is what intrigued me. I was definitely familiar with her work, and I thought her version—her specific, quirky, weird version of the story—would be fun. And I wanted to support her in her directorial debut.
How much Jane Austen research did you do to prepare?
KR: Not as much as you'd think. I mean, a little bit, but I wasn't crazy about it because, to me, the point was what's funny about someone who's so obsessed about these things. Also, more the idea of fantasy and reality—and how you can get stuck in your life emotionally and have to rely on a fantasy to get you through, and then realize that you're relying too heavily on this fantasy.
What do you think it is about Jane Austen that still resonates so much with women today?
KR: It's insane! It's really crazy. Someone just showed me something—have you ever heard of Jane Austen Fight Club?
No! What's that?
KR: I was like, what are you talking about?! She showed me this clip, and it's literally these girls have cut together this spoof trailer—they're fully in the garb, and they're talking in that language—and then she's like, "Hit me!" They start fighting and sparring each other!
So, the first rule about Jane Austen Fight Club is not to talk about it?
KR: They say that! It's hilarious. They're in their bonnets, and it's hilarious. Then they're showing up to like, needlepoint with bruises.
Did you have any Jane Austen fans show up to the set?
KR: No. I think in England, there's a costume drama being shot on every corner, so they're like, "Oh, they're making another costume drama, nothing fancy..."
How were the costumes? What was it like?
KR: Beautiful. Fun. Although we were making this silly, funny, poppy movie, secretly you get in to those clothes, and you think you're sort of in Atonement. You're corseted up, and you're wearing those little lace-up boots and petticoats, and your hair is crazy.
How long does it take to get dressed in the full costume?
KR: So. F--king. Long. No wonder people had maids and servants. You can't do it alone. You can't. You can't lace everything up, and you have to tighten up corsets, and then tighten it again…it's a long process. A lot longer than this lady likes to take.
What was your favorite part of filming a period-style piece?
KR: I think just being in those clothes, in that setting. Walking up these big grassy hills in the English countryside. You feel like you're in one of those movies with the big, draping dresses behind you, following you in the grass. It's beautiful. I'm not saying for every day, but there's something about the respect of it—like showing up to dinner, and it's so beautifully prepared and laid out. There's something to the formality of it that we just don't have anymore. I think in Europe there's a little bit more of that culture, if you dress for dinner, but certainly not in the states. I mean, you can wear flip-flops pretty much anywhere. There is something to the preparation of presenting yourself, and there's a romance to it. I like that.
