Jim
Ferguson chats with Kim
Basinger
About "I Dreamed
of Africa"
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Jim
Ferguson: Congratulations. What a wonderful job in "I
Dreamed of Africa." The difficulty of that shoot in
Africa and the experience of feeling in a remote area�in a small
way did it parallel the life of [the movie's heroine] Kuki Gallmann?
Kim
Basinger:
�The similarities were amazing. I took my family. Alec and my 2-1/2
year old into the bush�It was quite a challenge for me. And coupled
with the fact that the film, the actual role would be a huge challenge,
it was a great deal of stress leaving what all of us consider 'real
civilization' and going into the bush. There were a lot of fears
I had to face.
Jim
Ferguson: I haven't met her yet, but Kuki must be a fascinating,
incredible lady. How would you describe her?
Kim
Basinger:
Well, I can't describe her�I can't without taking first of all the
experience I had when I read the book. The lady's an amazing writer,
she's a wonderful storyteller. And every adjective, she was so descriptive
with the book that it was like a diary of her journey, through the
ups and the downs and the tragedies and discovering herself. And
you know�the director and myself had a marvelous relationship, and
he's an amazing director and storyteller in his own right. But the
thing that I counted on, on a daily basis was that book, to go back
on any given day I could go into the book and find whatever day
it was, whatever scene I was filming and find�Kuki would just speak
to me through that book. As a writer she is phenomenal, and as a
human being, I've now met her now, and the great work she does in
Africa, she is an amazing woman. So, look forward to meeting her.
Jim
Ferguson: I am. It's funny you mention that because a couple
of lines in your dialogue just jumped at me. I'm going to read them
to you.
"I'm
a dreamer and I think I lack the courage to make that move to Africa."
She certainly did have the courage didn't she?
Kim
Basinger:
Well, she found out that she did. I don't think initially she knew.
And I think she found that only her�her self in Africa�she found
her true self and her purpose in this life. She had to go through�her
journey to find that out.
Jim
Ferguson: In another line, "in Africa, I'm afraid but
happy."
Kim
Basinger:
It's wonderful isn't it? It's so simple. I have a motto. "Do
it afraid." And you know what, that was my motto going into
Africa to even do this part. I said, I had so much anxiety, and
so many fears about little things, and especially about my daughter,
and I just went "Oh, Kim, just�it'll all go away, and just
do it 'afraid' you know, and I did, I did it 'afraid.'"
Jim
Ferguson: And another great scene, you have a little vegetable
garden, and [you] wake up in the middle of the night and the elephants
there and Vincent Perez grabs you and says, "You've transcended."
[laughter]
Kim
Basinger:
That scene was actually quite funny! We kept doing it so many times.
The elephants that were used in the movie... were owned by this
one gentleman. And they were brought up since birth. These four
elephants. How they got anything to do anything were with some oranges.
So they would throw oranges at me, and the elephants would come
get me, they really?were almost] missing, you know! [laughter]
That was a great�that was a fun time.
Jim
Ferguson: Did Africa change you?
Kim
Basinger:
Tremendously. It gave me such a gift. Africa does this. It takes
something from you and gives you something. And the exchange is
just so�such a magical one. It's a memory that you can, I don't
think you could make it any other place in the world. And
my family, both Alec and my daughter speaks of it. She was 2-1/2
at the time, and she speaks of Africa now and the Zulu people, knows
everyone's name, never forgot the animals, never forgot anything
she ever saw, and she longs to go back to Africa.
Jim Ferguson: Just such a wonderful
experience�as is sitting with you for five minutes.
Kim
Basinger:
Thank you.
Jim
Ferguson: I'm on the board of directors for the Broadcast
Film Critics, and�a year from now we won't forget this movie. We
won't forget your performance, I guarantee it. And if you want to
see the best movie of the year without a doubt, "I Dreamed
of Africa." Thank you. I loved it.
Kim
Basinger:
Thank you. Oh, that's sweet. Thank you!
--
End of Interview --
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