Hines sat down with
SheKnows for an exclusive chat about Serious Moonlight, directing Ryan and how
the short life of Shelly changed her own forever. Shelly died fighting off an intruder in her New York City apartment before Waitress premiered.
Hines is a product of the Los Angeles improv group The Groundlings and became a television icon for her portrayal of Larry David's wife on HBO's groundbreaking Curb Your Enthusiasm. Hines' Cheryl on Curb Your Enthusiasm is only one spoke in the talented wheel that is this superb multi-faceted artist. Now that she adds director to her titles, Hines has Hollywood standing up and taking notice.
SheKnows: Thanks for visiting with SheKnows.
Cheryl Hines: Thanks for having me, Joel.
SheKnows: When did you first become familiar with Adrienne's Shelly script for Serious Moonlight? Maybe while making Waitress?
Cheryl Hines: I was actually doing publicity for Waitress. I was in Paris. The film was had opened in Paris and I was there when I read this script. I remember so well because I was in a hotel and I was jet lagged and I couldn't sleep. So, I started reading the script. And I loved it so much, I stayed up and read it again.
SheKnows: Wow.
Cheryl Hines: I just loved it.
SheKnows: At that point, had it even crossed your mind to direct Serious Moonlight?
Cheryl Hines: Actually, Andy Ostroy who was married to Adrienne, wanted to produce this film and Michael Roiff -- who produced Waitress with Adrienne -- they asked me before I had even read the script.
SheKnows: Oh, you're kidding?!
Cheryl Hines: They wondered if I was at all interesting in directing a film that Adrienne had written.
SheKnows: Considering you hadn't directed before…
Cheryl Hines: Yeah…
SheKnows: They must have been taken with you and your talent while filming Waitress.
Cheryl Hines: I don't know what it was…
SheKnows: Maybe your keen understanding of her words…
Cheryl Hines: Well, you know what. That's what I like to think it was actually. I really appreciate Waitress and the work that Adrienne did on that film and her writer. I love the way she writes…the way she wrote . They knew that from working with me on Waitress -- especially, when Waitress started getting out there and hitting audiences. They did a lot of PR for the film and talked about Adrienne.
SheKnows: How did you find Adrienne while working with her on Waitress?
Cheryl Hines: We were in scenes together in Waitress and she wrote, starred, directed in Waitress.
SheKnows: But, she never got to see it completed.
Cheryl Hines: She did. She didn't get to see it with an audience.
SheKnows: What struck you most about you about your time with Adrienne Shelley?
Cheryl Hines: Well, she was a very intelligent, funny person. I love that.
We both laugh.
Cheryl Hines: She also had a daughter the same age as my daughter. Our daughters played together a little bit. And then, when we were shooting Serious Moonlight, they became really good friends.
SheKnows: When you were thinking about shooting Serious Moonlight, and I'm sure a lot of names got tossed around, but when that final Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton and Kristen Bell came back from casting, you must have been thrilled as a first-time helmer?
Cheryl Hines: Oh my gosh. I was elated! I was literally jumping up and down .
Up next…Cheryl dishes on how Serious Moonlight's story resonates with today's take-charge woman.
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![Meg Ryan and Tim Hutton]()
Cheryl tackles
a Serious story
Cheryl tackles
a Serious story
SheKnows: The story of Serious Moonlight has been creating quite a lot of buzz. How do you think it plays to what women are going through in today's world?
Cheryl Hines: It's a fun movie to watch because there are a lot of women and some men who have to knock out their spouse and tie them up and make them listen to what you have to say to them . There's a little bit of a fantasy playing out in this film. Also, Adrienne wrote about a woman who was doing it all. Louise, she has a great career. She's independent and as Ian says can "bench press more than he can." But, he says, "You don't need me." She says, "I love you. Isn't that better?" And he says, "No. It's not better." It's interesting because I think there are a lot of women out there they are independent, making it happen and they're not expecting a guy to ride in a white horse, much less a guy who says he wants to ride in a white horse. It's an interesting situation.
SheKnows: It is, and it is unique for our times. Creating a new dynamic in an already complicated world of male-female relationships.
Cheryl Hines: Yes! Yes!
Comic chemistry 101
SheKnows: You've worked along some real comic greats including Larry David, of course and you keep step with them every step of the way. I was wondering if your early background was in comedy performance?
Cheryl Hines: Yeah, I studied in The Groundlings theater here in Los Angeles. They do sketch comedy and improv.
SheKnows: As you've worked with the likes of Megan Mullally, Jeremy Piven and Robin Williams, have there been experiences that have inspired you as a comic artist?
Cheryl Hines: I remember one day on the set of Curb Your Enthusiasm. I was supposed to walk into a room and catch Larry with his hands on this woman's' bare breasts because she just got breast implants and wanted to him to feel them. When I walked into the scene and Larry said, "Why don't you come in carrying something?" He thought it would be funnier. They gave me this tall plant to carry to come into the scene and it was funnier. It made me think, "Oh, yeah, comedy is so visual and even little details that I'm sure if you're sitting in your living room." You're not thinking, "Oh, that's hilarious that she walked in carrying a plant." But, for some reason, it did the make the scene funnier. It made me think of comedy in a broader way.
SheKnows: Almost adding a third dimension.
Cheryl Hines: Yeah, exactly! It's a different layer, texture to it that you don't even think…you don't know , unless you're witnessing it.
SheKnows: That's a fascinating window into that world, thank you Cheryl!
Cheryl Hines: Sure!
SheKnows: Now, Serious Moonlight, it has such a great feel and pacing to it, I wondered if we'll see you back in the director's chair anytime soon?
Cheryl Hines: I hope so -- it's funny because when we were actually shooting I would have said that there is no way. It was just too hard. I didn't think I'd make it through the day. It was stressful. But, now that I've had a little perspective and I feel like I would want to do it again. It has to be the right thing.
SheKnows: It was a true pleasure to witness your first directorial work and it was a true pleasure to speak to you as well -- Cheryl, thank you so much.
Cheryl Hines: Thank you, Joel. Thank you very much.
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