The calm-- At the evening of the premiere
of " volcano " Anne Heche was 28. She had acquired a great popularity in the TV series
" Another world ". Her beginning in movies where full of promises, she had climbed one by one
the steps leading to the stardom. She is on the way to play the part of her life with
Harrison Ford, the hero, whom she had seen the first time in " the Star Wars " when
she was a child. But things are not yet completely perfect for Anne. Some days before, she had met in a
public reception actress Ellen DeGeneres, who is 10 years older than her.
than her.
-- before the storm. Anne announced to her amazed managers that
she has fallen in love with the actress and that she wants to go with her to the premiere
of the film " Volcano ". They tried to dissuade her to reveal her
relationship. They said that the scandal would inevitably follow could compromise
the success of the film and moreover the proposal for the next film will be
withdraw. But neither the advice, nor the threats would make Anne yield.
She went to the premiere of the film on her partner's arm. They would later confirm
in a TV-show the nature of their relation. The seism, which shook
Hollywood in the beginning of spring is comparable to the volcano which
is devastated Los Angeles in the film "Volcano".
Interrogations. Many wondered what had instigated Anne to take such a
decision. Perhaps it was the middling success of Volcano that inspired her to throw
caution to the wind and brave the possible damage a lesbian affair might do to a
leading-lady-on-the-rise's career. Or more likely, it was her brash pursuit of all
kinds of experiences , for her who had already, in her youth, seen everythings :
cigarettes, alcohol, sex, drugs.
Anne assume the defensive. The fact remains that she face all the
critisisms:
To those who claim that ' wild-child Heche' is sacrificing her career, she answers:
"I'm in love with a woman. Celebrity is not the most important thing in the world."
If you tell me I'm going to lose my celebrity to be in love, I say, "Love is the most
important thing." I'm blessed and honored to be a movie star. But if you don't have love
in your life, what's the point?"
To those who reproach her, her activist for the gay community she answers:
"I'm kind of an activist by accident. But the cool thing is: What better thing to stand
for? I don't want to be one of those celebrities who doesn't have something to say.
I am showing that love is more important than a career. That's a beautiful thing."
To those who claim that she cannot henceforth be credible in a romantic part she answers:
"It's a funny thing. People do treat you differently. It's strange to realize that
you're trying to convince them that you're the same as you were the day before. What
about me had changed except that my heart had expanded? The implied question is,
"Can you play straight?" Well, I'd been straight for 28 years. I don't have any
children, but nobody asked me if I could be a mother of three when I was in Donnie
Brasco."
Waiting. But in the immediate future, there remained the question of
the Disney studios' film. Anne anxiously waited for the decision. One day, the telephone
rings :
- "Anne?"
- "Yeah?"
- "This is Harrison" My heart sank
- "Hello, Harrison. How are you?"
- "I'm fine. I bet you're not too good"
- "Things have been better"
- "Well, I'm just calling to say I'm sorry"
My fear was confirmed I knew I had lost the job
- "And Frankly, my dear, I don't give a shit who you're sleeping with. I'm looking forward to working
with you. Try not to let this stuff get you down. It'll all wash over. It always does"
I couldn't believe my ears. There was actually one person on the planet that did not take my decision
to sleep with a woman personally.
- "God bless you Harrison"
It was the first good new I had gotten since the premiere
The delivery. Finally, thanks to Harrison Ford's support, she gets to keep the part.
She will be obliged to him:
-- I give Harrison Ford all the credit, but certainly I wouldn't have gotten hired if
other people didn't feel that way. But he really went up to bat for me and said, this is
who I want to work with. And, you know, he's my hero. It's the funniest thing, because I
-- he was the first person I ever saw in a movie. He became the hero to the world
because of that movie, and then became my personal hero because I thought that he was
just the most incredible man who could have gotten any single girl in Hollywood to do
that movie with him, and even with all the controversy said, I want her. I mean, he's just-- you know, he's my hero.