Vanessa McMahon

Today I have the lovely American actress Julianne Michelle here to speak with us about her role in the much talked about film Wall Street Money Never Sleeps (2010) by Oliver Stone, as well as her other recent and upcoming film projects.

ME: Julianne, thank for joining us. Can you talk about Wall Street Money Never Sleeps? While you played a cameo role, still it must have been something to be a part of this highly anticipated sequel to Stone's Wall Street (1987) Can you tell us about your part in it?

JULIANNE: It's a cameo role in the film. I did it as a favor to Oliver. He is a fantastic director. My role is Natasha, the $5,000 a night call girl (aka: party/club girl). A lot of it needed to be cut due to time constraints along with 59 other scenes so I'm lucky to still be in it!

ME: Well, you're in it and you worked long and hard with a fantastic cast. What was it like to work on set with Oliver and the others?  

JULIANNE: As with most of the films I've done, the production becomes a family unit while filming. It's extraordinary how many wonderful friendships have been cultivated as a result. It's always sad once the filming is over, because all of a sudden the same people you've been with day after day, 14 hours straight from morning till night, brainstormed with, driven with, ate with, laughed with, shared secrets with, conspired with, etc. will no longer convene. Many of us still keep in touch of course, so it's nice. Working with directors like Oliver Stone, Chris Frieri, Holger Ernst...there is open dialogue about the script and the characters. This really promotes a free flow of creativity. The film making process is a collaborative effort and allowing the actors to contribute their ideas and thoughts about their roles and the story can really enhance the film's efficacy.

ME: Can you tell us about other films you have finished recently? Like Sweet Lorraine (2010) where you play Stephanie Beebe?

JULIANNE: Sweet Lorraine is a dark comedy. I play Stephanie, the deceitful and manipulative stepdaughter of Lorraine (played by Tatum O'Neal). Our characters despise each other but secretly want to emulate the other. It's a great script- very funny- contains components to which all demographics can relate. Writer/director Chris Frieri did a brilliant job directing. I hope that my character will elicit a thoughtful response from the audience, such that they may even be able recognize a little of themselves in Stephanie. She's a multi-dimensional character- aside from the manipulative part- she is really just a 17 year old girl who resents her stepmom from taking the place of her biological mom. 

ME: Besides Wall Street and Sweet Lorraine, what about the other films you have finished this year that we can look out for in the near future?

JULIANNE: Wall Street is out now. Sweet Lorraine, Shannon's Rainbow, and Apartment 1303, are scheduled to be released in 2011. 

ME: Can you tell us a bit about Shannon's Rainbow? :-)

JULIANNE: Shannon's Rainbow is a heartfelt story about a teenage girl who struggles to cope with the loss of her father and discovering a mother she never knew she had. It's an entirely different type of film from Sweet Lorraine. Claire Forlani plays my mother. Eric Roberts, Krista Allen, and Michael Madsen also star in it. This film will be released in 2011. 

ME: Another awesome cast! Can't wait for Horrorween, in which you play a cameo role, as it's coming upon that time of year again. How did you get into acting? Did you just fall into it like many say or did you always dream of it?

JULIANNE: I literally fell into it at age 5 when I did my first (and only) commercial for ‘Thrifty' drug stores. I never conceived of entertaining as a profession although by nature I was always entertaining. My mother was a talent manager and one day she brought a client to an audition when I was very little (about 2 years old) so she had to bring me with her. The casting director saw me in the carriage and called out the producer, and that was it. 

ME: What will you be working on in the future? Any ideas yet?-

JULIANNE: I will begin filming Apartment 1303 this November. It is based on the original Japanese psychological thriller. The director is Daniel Fridell and I very much look forward to working with him. He has really great ideas for this movie. This film will be similar to Dark Water and The Shining. I also have two other upcoming projects but don't have a start date on those yet. One is Nth Degree (2010) and the other is Hack 2. Both are psychological thrillers which is one of my favorite genres ;-)

ME: I love psychological thrillers too and it is definitely one of the most selling genres these days fitting with the times. Well, Julianne, you have a lot on your plate right now and a list of great films for your fans to look out for. If any of our readers haven't seen Wall Street, see it now! And check festivals and theaters for Julianne's films either out now or to be released in the very near future: Shannon's Rainbow (2010), Sweet Lorraine (2010), Night at the Carriage House (2010/11), Horrorween (2010/11), The Nth Degree (2011), Apartment 1303 (2011) and much more! She's a great and gifted gorgeous go-getter! Thanks Julianne. Keep rockin' it.  

Interview by Vanessa McMahon on October 4th, 2010.

actress Julianne Michelle

For information on 'Shannon's Rainbow' click here:

http://www.shannonsrainbowmovie.com/