Gabby Sidibe really hit me with her performance in Precious, it’s definitely one of the hardest hitting films I’ve seen in the last few years, if you want to see explosians, slapstick comedy and spaceships this film is not for you. Gabby plays Claireece “Precious” Jones  a sixteen-year-old girl born into a life no one would want. She’s pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother (Mo’Nique who also gives a sensational performance), a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, she’s doing well but she’s living with the secret that she can neither read nor write. Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, Each One/Teach One. In the literacy workshop taught by the patient yet firm Ms. Rain (Paula Patton my crush of the month), Precious begins a journey that will lead her from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination, it’s serious business and hands down one of the most powerful films I’ve seen.

You give terrific performance in Precious, but I understand you had no real aspirations to become actor. You thought it was a dream too far…

Gabby Sidibe: Yes. That makes a lot of sense, a dream too far. I had been told for most of my life that I would never be able to do something like this. Also I got a lot of cues from the media: when it comes to actresses and people the media cares about, you can probably count the girls that look like me on one hand. So I certainly didn’t think I could break any barriers and become an actress.

And even when you got the audition you weren’t convinced?

Gabby Sidibe: No. I wasn’t. I was withholding; on the fence. I thought it was a dumb idea to go in and do the audition because there was no way that I could be an actress. It had never been within my scope and I never auditioned for anything. I wasn’t an actress. I had no training. Nothing. I thought it made more sense that I to go to school. I was a receptionist for a company while I was studying psychology. But somehow or other it ended up with my going to the audition.

Who persuaded you?

Gabby Sidibe: It was partly my mother and also I have a friend, Henry, who is the assistant director in my local theatre. He called me when they were coming to cast and he thought of me, because they were looking for a very specific girl that I look like. After the audition I went straight to work and by the time I got out of the subway, which is literally an hour later, I had the call back.

I heard that you had an amusing phone call when trying to ring them for the call back…

Gabby Sidibe: Yeah, I was still in disbelief, I dialled the wrong number and I got some lawyer office and I was talking to this lawyer and who happened to have the same name as the guy I was meant to be calling. I was like, ‘Can I talk to Billy Hopkins?’ So they put me through to Billy, the lawyer! He was like, ‘What are you looking for?’ And I said, ‘I have just done this audition and I am doing the call back.’ He laughed, and said, ‘I hope they actually gave you the right number!’ I was pretty sure they did, because I was just one number off so he wished me luck. ‘I hope you get it.’ he said. So I called the right number and made an appointment to come in the next day. The callback was the next day and I was called within half an hour of leaving, saying Mr. Daniels wants to see you. He wanted to meet me that day but since I had already gone all the way back home — and I think the office at the time was five blocks away from where the call back was — so they said I made the appointment and went back in the next day and was talking to Lee for about forty five minutes to an hour. The whole time I am waiting to do the audition again because I was told I would have to audition for him, but it never happened. He just gave me the part.

Lee Daniels says that you told him things about the character that he had not considered. Do you remember what?

Gabby Sidibe: Being a fan of the book, anytime they wanted to do something a little different I would get up on a soapbox, saying, ‘No, you can’t do that because they didn’t do that in the book and we can’t change the book.’ I am anal and got very serious about the character. I have probably told him a lot of things just because there are so many layers to Precious and he just thought because she was big and dark skinned that she had to be a certain way. But in meeting me, I am big and I have dark skin but I am certainly better than what he thought of me. He thought I would be not so and certainly I changed his idea of who Precious is, based on the way I am.

What were you thinking during the audition?

Gabby Sidibe: It was the scene where Precious meets Ms Weiss for the first time, the social worker, and I was given about three minutes with it. I hadn’t seen the scene beforehand. For the most part if you have a manager and the manager submits you for the role then they will email you the sides to the audition so you can prepare the night before. But since this was an open casting call I just showed up, no appointment, no nothing. And they had sides available so I was given three minutes with it and I went in and I did it. I remember thinking that it was a complete waste of time. Billy Hopkins was in the room with his assistant director Jessica Kelly and I wasn’t nervous at all, because I was feeling pretty stupid for having cut class and I was wondering about what I was missing. That was pretty much all that was on my mind. I wasn’t nervous at all because I didn’t think I had it all; I thought that I had zero chance of actually getting the part.

There are many layers to character and some very harrowing scenes to film…

Gabby Sidibe: I tend to disappear when I am acting as Precious. I am blank, completely, I am just feeling every emotion as Precious would feel it and how she should feel it. I leave my body and I take on this character. It is such a weird thing to describe because at first you do a certain amount of takes for every scene, sometimes more than others and for each time it is all brand new information and it a real revelation. It never grows cold or dead to me.

Precious dreams about the red carpet in the movie. How are you finding it yourself?

Gabby Sidibe: Red carpets are more fun in the film. Photoshoots are more fun in life. That’s the way you split that. Red carpets. They don’t suck but they are actually more fun to film than to actually do. Photoshoots are really awesome because sometimes they give you the clothes you are wearing. They give you free shoes and stuff like that!

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL “PUSH” BY SAPPHIRE is released in cinemas across the UK on 29th January 2010

1. The Road

Out of all the films I’ve seen this year,The Road is the one film that truly blew me away, it is a harrowing experience that is equally beautiful in a apocalyptic, grim, raw, moving and hopeless sort of way. As a big fan of the book I was hoping the film would do it justice, at first I had high hopes, Viggo Mortensen is one of my favourite actors, John Hillcoat is a brilliant Director, Nick Cave scored the film and the supporting cast spoke for its self – Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Mickael K Williams (Omar in The Wire) and Charlize Theron, yet with all the delays and the early promotion of the film, the posters were really bad and the first trailer made it look like an action road movie, I was put off slightly. Thankfully the film more than met my expectations, it is as devout to the source material as I’ve seen from an adaptation in recent memory, the changes made actually help the film. To watch the film is agonising, it’s definitely not a film for everyone, it is a real challenge to watch at times but it’s a master class in suspense and the most powerful film I’ve seen this year.

2. The Hurt Locker

I’ve got a feeling this will be winning a bunch of trophy’s come award season, to add to it’s already large collection. The Hurt Locker engages you so deeply you really do feel like your there in Iraq with them. The tension the film builds up is ridiculous, the whole film is an adrenaline rush, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. It is the best ‘War’ film for a long long time, it’s the best character study on addiction and courage under fire in film I’ve seen in a while. The cast was great especially Jeremy Renner.

3. Inglourious Basterds

I loved this film, Tarentino was on top form, the dialogue was hilarious and the performances were sensational especially Christoph Waltz, Brad Pitt and Til Schweiger. A film based around the time of War has never been so fun. The opening scene alone was worth the admission for me. I love how Tarentino doesn’t give a monkeys about the norm or conventions, he butchered history but we love him even more for it!

4. Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans

This has been my surprise of 2009, the casting of Nicolas Cage originally put me off to be honest with you, nowadays 90% of his stuff is crap, with this he was amazing! Hands down it is the most entertaining film I’ve seen this year. Every time you think the film is taking you one place it takes you in a whole other direction, Nicolas Cage gives his best performance in years as a rogue detective who is as devoted to his job as he is at scoring drugs – while playing fast and loose with the law, wielding his badge as often as he wields his gun in order to get his way. The movie is hilarious, it’s completely bonkers, the tripped out scene with the iguanas, the dancing soul scene, random alligator point of view shots, the whoa scene and when the ‘pipe’ gets verified the audience were in stitches (I was in a press screening, who are usually a miserable lot so that adds more value) , I can definitely see this film having a cult following in years to come, Werner Herzog is a both a genius and lunitic.

5. A Prophet

Rounding out my top 5 is the French film A Prophet, this year I have seen a number of brilliant films, yet I have only been blown away a handful of times, watching A Prophet was one of them times. I have to admit I am a sceptic, if I see a film getting rave reviews EVERYWHERE in the back of mind I think everyone’s just jumping on the band wagon (my faith in humanity is low!), but with this particular film it deserves every praise it has been getting. It was fully deserving of The Best Film at the London Film Festival and this years Grand Prix Award at Cannes. It must be a shoe in for Best International Film at the Oscars. The lead actor Tahar Rahim was sensational, the prison kingpin played by Niels Arestrup was equally as good. The film was EPIC!

6. Samson And Delilah

Samson And Delilah showcases the harsh realities of sections of the Aboriginal community – including addiction, violence, rascism and poverty. The film is visually stunning, but you best believe you will come out of this film feeling numb, it is brutal at times, a true emotional roller coaster of a film. In Australia and Internationally Samson And Delilah has won a bundle of awards, in which it completely deserves. I’m pretty sure it’s getting a release early 2010 in the UK, do yourself a favour and check it out.

7. The Hangover

By a stretch this was my favorite comedy film of the year, I laughed the whole way through. Definitely the ‘go with your mates to have a laugh’ film of the year. I would go as far to say its a comedy classic. I also really like that it made a sh*t load of money without a huge budget or A list stars. Zach Galifianakis also wins beard of the year.

8. Let The Right One In

With a bunch of crap Vampire films this year (Twilight), Let The Right One In couldn’t have come at a more perfect time, hands down the best Horror film of the year for me, a Horror classic, the whole film had a haunting atmosphere about it.

9. Avatar

For what Avatar is, it’s almost perfect. Yes the story isn’t the most original, yes it’s obvious in parts, but no one can deny it was one hell of a thrill ride, considering the  running time it didn’t drag at all, I didn’t check for the time once. Avatar was definitely an experience, visually it was spellbinding, I have to take my hat off to James Cameron, he’s not scared of change and technology. For blockbuster popcorn fun this would definitely be number one. I was happy it met the hype

10. The Messenger and Up (yes it’s a tie)

The Messenger: Ben Foster gave one of the most underrated performances I’ve seen this year. So many War films don’t get there message across because they are so preachy and ham fisted, The Messenger is one of them rare War films that remind us the cost paid by soldiers and there families, which in turn makes us consider whether those costs are REALLY worth paying, without no political agenda, just a moral one.

Up: Pixar do it again, they keep raising the bar, Up was touching, funny and visually stimulating.

Honourable mention: 500 Days Of Summer, Bright Star, Watchmen, District 9, Me & Orson Welles, The Informant, In The loop, Sherlock Holmes, Tyson, Thirst, Creation, The Firm, Red Cliff, Up In The Air, Chocolate, Gommorah, Zombieland, A Serious Mab

Haven’t seen that may have made my list: Drag Me To Hell, Precious, Synecdoche, New York , The Class, Looking For Eric, Fifty Dead Men Walking

Also just a quick note, I haven’t included any films that were released in the UK in January, that could have qualified for last years Oscars – The Wrestler, Che part 1……. I class them as last year.

Biggest disappointments:

Pubic Enemies: This was OK for me, nothing spectacular like I thought. The cast looked great, I love how Michael Mann shoots films visually, it’s based on one of the most iconic figures of the 20^th century, set in a a hugely interesting time and it’s a gangster film, come on that sounds great doesn’t it, well it wasn’t, it was actually quite boring, the worst thing for me was Johnny Depp, I know I’m gonna get a lot of flack from Johnny Depp’s flock die hard fans for saying this but he wasn’t good as Dillinger, Dillinger was a gangster, he was a complex man, a man’s man, Johnny Depp done his usual conflicted, mysterious, emotional guy act, he wasn’t manly at all, which is how my idea of John Dillinger was, Johnny Depp is a great actor, he was just terribly miscast in this. That being said Stephen Lang was brilliant, when he done that roll and shoot manoeuvre in the woods I nearly wet myself, I loved the cinematography and shoot outs as well. Christian Bales character was pretty much non existent, he wasn’t utilized at all, like Dillinger, Purvis was a complex man which we didn’t really get much of an incite into. I’d still give it at least a 6/10, just dissapointing not bad

Where The Wild Things Are: This was a real shock for me, I’m not saying it was terrible, just that for me it wasn’t very good. I was really looking forward to it as well, before seeing it I loved everything about it, I loved the trailer, I really like Spike Jonze, visually it looked great and the soundtrack sounded great, I thought this film can’t go wrong but boooooooooooooooy was I wrong. The little kid whatever the hell his name was annoyed the hell out of me, the spoilt little bastard, if that was my kid, straight adoption, no question about it, you don’t bite your Mum then run away smiling, little tyrant, I’m not one to advocate beating children but in this case I would have gone medieval on him. My hatred for him during the film grew so much I wanted him to get eaten by the whiny ‘Wild Thing’ that must have been on her period

Carey Mulligan is the recent winner of The Best Actress Award at the British Independent Film Awards for her highly acclaimed role in An Education, a coming-of-age drama about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age. An Education is based on an autobiographical memoir of the same title written by the British journalist Lynn Barber. Carey’s performance in An Education has gained her a nice little Oscar buzz as well. Look out for her next up in Brothers, Wall Street 2, Brighton Rock and a bunch of awards in tow!

Why did the memoir interest you?

Carey Mulligan: My main attraction was that Nick had written it and Lone was directing it and the people who were already attached, Emma Thompson, Peter Sarsgaard. Lynn Barber’s story was obviously important to me, but really my focus was the script because I didn’t feel I was playing a young Lynn Barbour I felt like I was playing a fictionalised version of her story. It’s rare to find a young female character who has a journey, especially someone so young, I thought I can play young so I’ll go for it.

Was there anything about that era that interested you?

Carey Mulligan: I think my interest was that it seems like there wasn’t teenagers in the 60’s you were a child or an adult, you didn’t have time to be ridiculous I think that was a shame, I thought that was interesting, it wasn’t a very interesting time, your frustrated enough as a teenager, I certainly was, adding everything to that and no rebellion or nothing going on or no fun that must have been frustrating. I loved the music though and the men looked beautiful as well!

How are you handling all the acclaim? Have you googled yourself?

Carey Mulligan: (laughs) I have googled myself but it’s horrible because you read one thing and think that’s very nice, then you read the next thing and think that’s horrible, so I thought I wont do that anymore. I hadn’t been to a film festival before Sundance and I had never been a lead in a film, when it got picked up that was huge and everything since then has been huge, it’s afforded me opportunity’s I would have never had in the past that I’ve managed to play this year, that’s amazing. The number one thing is the work though everything positive added on is great.

How was it like playing someone a lot younger than you?

Carey Mulligan: I’ve always played parts younger than myself, it’s rare I’ve played an adult so it didn’t worry me you know, wearing the costume and not wearing makeup made me feel young anyway. In a play when I was 19 I played a 14 year old so I’ve always played younger than me.

Who were your influences growing up?

Carey Mulligan: Emma Thompson was my biggest acting influence, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Samantha Morton and when I started acting luckily I started working with some of them, Judy Dench, Claudie Blakley, people who do film, TV and theater and keep finding interesting parts. Emma was probably the biggest influence, getting to work with her on this was pretty huge.

What were you like in school yourself?

Carey Mulligan: I was quite strait laced I was quite academic until I went to boarding school when I was 14, there I got lest interested and became more involved in acting, nothing professional. I didn’t get into drama school. I was pretty dull really.

How did you not making in drama school make you feel​?

Carey Mulligan: I applied to three and went to the auditions, it’s still the most terrifying moment of my life, one of them I had to stand on stage in front of ten or so other people and do my piece, I did Shakespeare and I had never had any experience with Shakespeare so it was a nightmare, when I didn’t get in I was disappointed but three thousand people apply to each of these places every year and it’s hugely competitive, I did an awfully pretentious monologue about suicide and I come from a really happy life (laughs). It wasn’t a huge surprise, I always wanted to go, I was in New York last week and went past Julliard I sort of pined for it, that was my dream, it’s so personal, some people go and do brilliantly and some people don’t go and do brilliantly, there are things I miss from not being trained, I think I would have been more confident on stage, they equipt you better. In general its worked out very well luckily, I might still go (laughs). I feel I missed out on technical aspects