Interview Exclusive Interview with Mimi Rogers (Captive) (1 Viewer)

[Neil Middlemiss]

The lovely Mimi Rogers began her career in 1981 on Hill Street Blues, and has since starred in everything from Ron Howard’s 1986 comedy Gung Ho, Ridley Scott’s crime thriller Someone to Watch Over Me, 1998’s big screen adaptation of Lost In Space, and in shows such as The X-Files and Two and a Half Men. Ever graceful, with a strong onscreen presence, she recently appeared in the crime drama Captive, a film based on the true story of Brian Nichols, a courthouse escapee who holds a young woman, Ashly Smith, hostage. Ashley was able to read passages from Rick Warren’s “The Purpose Driven Life”, and to eventually secure her freedom. She would recount her story in the book “Unlikely Angel”. A remarkable story dramatized with a very strong cast.


Captive is available now on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment, and from on all major digital retailers.

HTF: Thank you for talking with Home Theater Forum today. Captive is quite the emotional experience, talk about how you became involved with the project.


Mimi Rogers: It's interesting that it really came about through Kate Mara. I've been friends with Kate's mother since Kate was a little girl. Low and behold, all these years later, Kate has become a very successful actress, and a good friend of mine. She literally called me one day and told me about the movie, and said that it really needed someone to play the part of her aunt and would I be interested. That's how the whole thing got started.


HTF: Had you read the story "Unlikely Angel" (the book upon which the film is based) before you came on board? Or was that one of the first things that you did when you became a part of the project?

Mimi Rogers: No, it wasn't a story that I was familiar with. Obviously, she had sent me script. So I read the script right way and started to become familiar with the story in that way.


HTF: What was the most challenging part of playing the aunt, being that character, and working with Kate Mara's character as she was trying to piece her broken life back together? How was that relationship on screen?


Mimi Rogers: It was actually a nice situation for Kate and I because we are friends, we have been close and I have a lot of maternal feelings towards her any way. We were able to tap into and renew some of our pre-existing relationship which was nice. I'm a mother, I have kids. I haven't had kids certainly go through the kind of difficulties that [Kate’s character] Ashley has, but being maternal, being worried, and caring, and wanting, and hoping for the best, those are elements that come naturally. And as I said, with the pre-existing relationship that Kate and I had, it was actually just a very-- obviously, it's difficult material and difficult circumstances, but we had a good time doing it and working together. It was inspiring, but not difficult.


HTF: And talking of the inspiring story, one very popular in the Christian community, it has broader appeal in its ideas and drama and human stories about broken people trying to piece their lives back together that sort of transcend ideological or religious lives. When you see the film, when you were participating in it, did you get that sense as well that, beyond its faith-based roots, it would transcends any one particular faith?

Mimi Rogers: I think for most of us, certainly for Kate and I, our attraction to the material was not because we were eager or looking to make a faith-based film. The faith element is certainly very much a part of the story and very much part of Ashley's life in this world. But, more in terms of pure storytelling is what Kate was excited about, and that's what I was excited about. In making the film, really what you're looking to do is to try to tell a story and tell it well. The faith element, and all the other elements are kind of ancillary to that. So we were just looking to make a good film about a fascinating and truly heart-rending story.


HTF: I enjoy films that can break down a movie and just have characters talking in a small space, and you get that experience of a two person play almost. One of the remarkable elements of the film for me was watching David Oyelowo and Kate Mara work together. It's quite the experience, and David is a fantastic actor. Kate is a wonderful actor too. Talk about working in and around such a great cast - yourself included, of course.


Mimi Rogers: Listen, I think that is the great joy of the film because David is extraordinary. Such a talented actor. And Kate is a remarkably talented young woman. So I'm with you, I love films where you get two actors in a room and just get to see them do their thing. Along with how evocative and significant the story is, just the pure joy of watching two actors go at it, to me, as I said, that's one of the great joys of this movie.

HTF: You've had a fascinating career, and one that I've enjoyed for a number of years, and I have been recently re-watching the X-files in advance of the new episodes, and I have always enjoyed your Diana Fowley character on that show role and watching again your performance. Can you tell what your next project is, where we might see you next?


Mimi Rogers: The next thing that you're going to be seeing me in is season two of the Amazon series Bosch that Titus Welliver stars in. I just finished shooting the season finale of that about three weeks ago. Whenever the second season of Bosch debuts on Amazon, that's the next thing you'll see me in, because that's the thing I've just [chuckles] finished.


HTF: And you've obviously having spent time on the X files, you know what network television looks and feels like. Do you find there to be any difference working on a production for Amazon that perhaps doesn’t have the same network concerns, does it feel different? Or it's the same thing, just a different product?

Mimi Rogers: Yeah. It's kind of the same thing, but you have certain differences. Usually, with Amazon or other outlets, you might have a little more leeway in terms of language, or depictions, or partial nudity, or things like that. It's essentially the same situation with few minor differences. There may be a little bit fewer people involved in terms of decision-making. You may have a little bit more leeway in terms of broadcast standards, but that's about it.


HTF: Before I let you go, I wanted to ask what have you read or seen lately, that really stood out to you that inspired you, or really spoke to you in the last year?


Mimi Rogers: If we want to talk about recently, the film Spotlight, I'm completely blown away by and just so impressed and so thrilled, and inspired, and everything that you can be. It was directed and acted with such humility, and economy, and lack of melodrama. I just think it's a massively impressive piece of work for all people concerned.


HTF: Well, thank you for taking a little bit of time to speak to Home Theater Forum today. I really appreciated it, and all the best with Captive, and Bosch season two, and all your other work in the future.


Mimi Rogers: Well thank you very much, it was my pleasure.