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Shes very involved in the music scene.
Gayle [Rankin] and I leaned heavily on her.
I was sort of presented with, like … Take what you want and leave the rest behind.
And I think thats what we all did as actors.
Quite honestly, the script was my main influence and inspiration.
I probably could have done absolutely nothing and just followed the script.
I dont know anyone like Becky.
There are people that have similar traits or experiences, but theres nobody like her, I think.
To me, [differences] in their backgrounds, in their style, in their culture are huge.
Its interesting to hear Elisabeth say that so much just came from the words on the page.
Thats kind of a fun thing that I got excited by, to the potential detriment of the actors.
Moss: It sounds nonsensical.
So it sounds like it doesnt make sense but you cannot say it any other way.
I worked for Aaron Sorkin; I worked for Matt Weiner; Ive done a David Mamet play.
This script was single-handedly the most difficult to memorize, and the most difficult to perform word for word.
All those three writers that I mentioned are word-for-word writers.
This was far more difficult than any of that because what Alex did was maddening.
We would have a catchphrase, but [Becky would] just change one word in it.
That was honestly the most difficult part for me and I have no problem memorizing lines.
Its actually one of my specialties.
You had to know the play that you were doing that day.
You had to prepare for the entire arc of it.Moss: Yeah.
They are both exhausting characters, physically and emotionally, for themselves and everyone in the room with them.
I can imagine its something you really have to prepare for.Moss: Thank you.
I hope to always be compared to Denzel Washington.
Ive been waiting for that my whole life.
Perry: I would love to see the two of you onstage.
I mean, that was kind of the size of the performance.
I used to joke that this woman would eat Daniel Plainview for breakfast.
I watchThere Will Be Bloodand Im like,Imagine being in the room with that.
I wanted to do a movie with a character and a performance like that.
Where its like forever when you watch it, youre like,People had to make this.
I wanted that kind of a character.
I mean, I think Becky Something is an abuser.
I hope its okay to say that.Moss:Oh, for sure.
And shes going totell themthat they fucked her over.
Everyone else is also having a great fucking time.
I wanted to talk about thePhantomT-shirt.Moss: Favorite costume.
Perry: Its nowmyfavorite T-shirt.
A very specific piece of wardrobe design.
So I actually sawThe Phantom of the Operasomewhat recently, for the first time since high school.
It really was amazing.
And I came away with a whole new appreciation for the show.
I had just seen it and it changed my life and I was so happy.
It was very influential.
So she was like, I dont know if youre going to like this but I found thisPhantomshirt.
And I said, I actually have that at home on my eBay watch list as well.
It was the exact same shirt?Perry: It was the same shirt.
She had flagged the same item on eBay that I had saved.
And then found a picture of Kim Deal wearing the shirt.
So it kind of was a perfect storm.
I wear that shirt very proudly now.
Moss: Hell do it!
A retelling of events isnt interesting on its own.
For me, as a writer … if youre telling a true story, great.
Thats what youre inspired by.
But then youre backed into a corner.
You probably owe them the biggest moment of that persons career.
You probably owe them the low point.
Moss: Then youre just making a documentary.
Its just like, great, thats the story.
But for me it was like … anything that I want to happen, can happen.
So I could be inspired by all kinds of things.
The world of this film is so much more influential than any one artists story.
Moss:For me, the fact that she was a rock star in a band is so secondary.
For reasons that we dont really get into because theyre, in a way, not important.
Thats not our story that were telling with this movie.
And to me that was the story that I wanted to tell.
It wasnt important to me what she did as much.
Perry: In my mind, the movies not about a band.
The movies not about grunge.
Its not about women in rock.
Its not about the record industry.
Its not about the 90s.
Its about women with split-identity issues.
To live either as Becky or Rebecca.
Everyone in the movie has this dilemma, even Dan Stevenss character, Dirtbag Danny.
And that, to me, is what the movie is about.
And I think thats something Beckys definitely dealing with.
And I dont think she feels like that as Rebecca.
And reconciling those two people in a spotlight is really difficult.
Add drugs and alcohol to the mix, and the actual addiction, and you have a mess.
Ive seen that a lot in my industry.
Becky is sober, but nothing feels safe.
Her life is possibly destroyed.
And then Act Five, same thing.
Shes just barely holding it together.
I think Becky went back to rehab several times before shes able to get sober.
I think it took many, many, many tries.
