Curious. Ever Thoughtful, Ever Insightful. Learning all she can while she is here. SBJCT presents the lively and discerning Liv Tyler, an actor who remains an enigma to most, even having spent most of her life in a glaring public eye. Here’s to staying present, honestly, from a beautiful and most intuitive Mama…
BY ERIN WALSH
Dress Elie Saab Earrings Courtesy of IHPR
Erin Walsh Dearest, sweetest Liv. What a joy to get to feature you for our October issue! I have so many questions but don’t want to overwhelm you. Tell me, as someone who has been in the spotlight for so many years, what is it like for you at this point? Is it normal to be famous? How do you deal with public attention in general?
Liv Tyler Thank you so much for having me on your cover!!! And allowing Helena and I to collaborate together again. She is one of my oldest and most treasured girlfriends and I love having my picture taken by her.
EW Tell me, as someone who has been in the spotlight for so many years, what is it like for you at this point? Is it normal to be famous? How do you deal with public attention in general?
LT Hmmm interesting question.. I would say it changes and ebbs and flows. I suppose I’m used to it in some ways because I have grown up in a family of creatives etc. I have an understanding of the world to some extent. but I don’t let it define me. My greatest joy in life is blending in and being a real part of life. I’m comfortable with the attention at times when I meet special people who have connected to or have been touched by the stories that I have been a part of. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed by it… when that happens I adjust my life accordingly, and try to focus on my life’s passions on what is most important to me.
Being famous or whatever it is called, comes and goes.
EW Tell me about your relationship with social media. Love/ hate? Love? Or…
LT Love and hate. I won’t focus on the hate.
I love taking photos and editing little films together. It’s a very creative way of sharing yourself with your friends and fans. I love documenting everything! Milo my 14 year old always makes fun of me. It’s my favorite thing. I have ridiculous amounts of photographs.
It’s such a great way to tell stories and share with others.
EW It’s interesting to me because after so long in the public eye, I think there is still so much mystery about you. Is that intentional?
LT Thank you!!!
I don’t really feel comfortable living in “the public eye” I’m ok with working there, but not living. Anonymity is very appealing to me, without it you have no freedom .
Privacy for my children and my family is so important.
To me these things are sacred and worth protecting.
EW Why did you want to become an actor in the first place?
LT Oh boy I’m not sure.
My mother always told me when I was growing up that I was going to be an actor one day.
I think she saw something in me that I couldn’t see yet at a young age.
I was interested in my friends and dreamed of marine biology, singing Guns N’ Roses songs in my shower or taking care of animals.
I think I have always been comfortable with emotions and interested in what people are feeling and how they process things in very different ways. I’m fascinated with visual and verbal storytelling.
Dress Ester Abner Cape Stylists own
EW Why are you an actor today?
LT It surprises me the most in my life.
Each time I work it feels like the first time, like a new discovery. It’s always an exciting exploration. I often try to get away from it and dream of other professions .
But I always find my way back to it or it to me and when I do I feel my most happy, and I love working with amazing filmmakers and getting lost in their worlds.
EW What is the most pressing, important element of the vocation you have chosen? Do you always enjoy it?
LT The unknown, not knowing when you will work again and with whom. That anticipation, and then the surprises that come along the way.
Dress Mason Scognamiglio Tights Wolford
Dress Mason Scognamiglio Tights Wolford
EW Who are your muses? Who has taught you the most about your craft?
LT I think I’ve learned most from observation. Watching and paying attention to the details of things. You learn so much from each actor, director, the different crew members in every field. There are so many lessons to learn if you are looking and listening.
EW Has there ever been a moment in filming of a project where you really felt like it was too much? That the stress of something on set made it all seem not so worthwhile after all?
LT Yes, but I have forgotten. It’s like child-birth. Its excruciating but then you forget all about it.
The madness in the middle of filming when you are working the longest hours and days and nights can be crazy but it’s also so fun to concentrate that much and to have a shared end goal in sight. Honestly I love that thrill and all that hard work in the creation of some thing.
Dress Preen Rings Livs own
EW What is your first thought in the morning when you wake up?
LT I hear the pitter-patter of little feet and I think, “Oh, is that the end of sleep?
I want more!!!!”
EW Last thought before going to bed?
LT Why didn’t I go to bed earlier? I’m going to be so tired in the morning.
Dress Preen Rings Livs own
EW You are a MOTHER, Liv. How do you feel about the whole working mother bit? I find the balance part a bit “unbalanced” most of the time, but gosh, do I keep trying. What do you do to chase after that balance?
LT Oh, the balance is a constant challenge. It really is for all mothers and fathers.
It comes and goes in waves depending on the ages of the children and workload.
Some times I get very overwhelmed but when I do I try to remind myself to stop and just be, be present in that moment either at work or with my babies and to not try to be in 50 different places at once.
I’m grateful for all the amazing experiences I get to have and share with my children.
I tell them stories of my adventures and show them as much as I can.
The children are all so different and I love to connect to them all in our own little way.
They inspire me so much to do my best work and bring back what I learn to them.
It’s a sort of an unexplainable magical thing and then you work from there.
Dress Elie Saab Earrings Courtesy of IHPR
EW I think this world is an especially confusing, confounding, place these days. How do you translate it to your kids?
LT I try to be truthful about the good things and the bad things. I try to answer their questions and explain as much as I can to them so they don’t feel too confused or scared.
Honestly, we don’t watch the news much on TV. It’s full of too much fear and darkness these days. I don’t trust what I’m seeing. I prefer to read the news and discuss it with people who I can learn more facts from.
EW Liv, there is in all your work a beautiful fragility and vulnerability that to me reads like heartbreaking TRUTH. You are an incredibly truthful actor. How do you find the truth in your performances?
LT Thank you so much! That is very, very kind of you to say.
Well I suppose the connection starts with the story and the script and the character. It can be quite instant. It’s a sort of an unexplainable magical thing and then you work from there.
They become a part of you and you become a part of them and in time you connect to their truth and become one.
I always liken it to love, you can’t always explain why you fall in love , it just happens. I’ve had the same experience each time I’ve fallen for a character. It’s a feeling and a connection and I just know I must play that person.
EW What is in your acting bag of tricks?
LT Oh I’m not sure I have any tricks. I wish I did. Hahahaha….
It’s different each time. Each film, each character, it’s ever changing. I just feel very deeply and try to be in the moment and express as honestly and freely as I can.
Dress Ester Abner Earrings Courtesy of IHPR
EW Favorite film of all time?
LT Ohhhhhh I love soooo many I can’t pick one!!!
I’ll pick a few….
1Wild at heart
2Barry Lyndon
3Jules and jim
4The color purple
5Betty blue
6Wings of desire
Dress Ester Abner Earrings Courtesy of IHPR
EW Dream Meal? And with whom?
LT Watermelon ice cream at Mary’s Fish Camp in nyc on West 4th street with David.
EW Do you enjoy the fashion bit of being in the spotlight?
LT Yes, it’s such an incredible part of the job.
I love fashion and costume design.
The workmanship blows me away.
I love the creations of the designers and the beautiful detailed work of the tailors and seamstresses.
I love the incredible gift of being able to even touch such beautiful things, but also being able to wear then is just next level amazing.
To be able to transform into different looks and periods is such fun.
EW How do you unwind?
LT I love reading bedtime stories to my children more than anything in the world. It takes me to another place no matter what’s going on.
That or red wine and a good laugh.
EW Regrets, if any?
LT Not going to University. I was working on the most amazing film sets, I wish I had done both. I am always trying to make up for it.
EW What is it that you hope your legacy to be?
LT To have been a loving and supportive mother and a good friend.
interviewers go on-line and pull a bunch of quotes from articles from a long time ago
Dress Elie Saab Earrings Courtesy of IHPR
EW What do you wish interviewers would stop asking you?
LT Everything !! Hahahah just kidding, sort of.
I really don’t like that these days how most interviewers go on-line and pull a bunch of quotes from articles from a long time ago and re ask you the same questions. I wish they would think for themselves (like you have, thank you!!!) and ask new questions or pay more attention and be in the moment.
Oh and everyone is obsessed with what you are doing next. What about what we are all doing right now. It can be very interesting too.
Bodysuit Natori Tights Wolford
EW What should your fans stop asking you?
LT I love when I have the opportunity to speak to some one who loves films and has a question about that work.
EW Who is your mentor? Why?
LT I think you have different mentors at different times in your life.
I love learning from people.
It can come in many different forms at different times.
Sometimes very unexpected. Like London taxi driver’s . They always give great advice.
EW What do you find most necessary to instill in your children?
LT Kindness, consideration, awareness, thoughtfulness, curiosity, a willingness to stand up for what they believe in, to feel their true feelings and express them, respect for themselves and others, a love of learning and exploring, a love of hard work and helping others.
Bodysuit Natori Tights Wolford
EW What’s your SBJCT, Liv Tyler?
LT Curiosity, learning all I can while I’m here.
