AE: There's a moment after your big musical number where your character uses the word "fag," a word that's come under a lot of public scrutiny lately —
LAW: After my number? I actually think I say "fairy." I could be wrong, because it's been a long time, but I thought I called him a "Polish fairy." I certainly don't recall anyone saying anything to me — and that was improvised, on that day — about being concerned about that.
[ Editor's Note: She's absolutely right, of course!]
AE: I could be wrong, too — although the word is definitely used later by King Marchand's business partner. Lately the word has been coming under fire; was there any concern at the time about the language that was used?
LAW: Sure — we're in a different time, people are in a different mindset. And I think there's a much greater sensitivity and awareness in terms of name-calling and segregating different aspects of the population based on bias and prejudice, etc. I think we are much more cognizant of being cautious and careful about how we throw around those kinds of words.
AE: I was playing Trivial Pursuit a few weeks ago and came across an interesting quote from Christopher Plummer, who said that working with Julie Andrews was like "being beaten with a Valentine's Day card." Is this true?
LAW: [Laughs.] She's one of the finest people in the business, I think, that I've been able to work with and get to know. But contrary to popular opinion, she's got a ribald sense of humor. She's very funny herself. She enjoys a raucous laugh. She's a tremendously committed, hardworking professional, and she's got such grace and dignity about her — just her personhood.
But I don't find her in any way treacly or saccharine. She's definitely a woman of manners, but not in any way that's offensively on the saccharine side. She just embodies a kind of grace and elegance and civility, and that's not how you would describe most people in show business. [Laughs.]
AE: I understand that initially you were concerned about your performance in the film?
LAW: I cried for about four hours when I saw it the first time. I thought, "This is the end of my career — this is the absolute end of my career." I thought it was just, you know, so big and so broad — and I was so wrong.
AE: You've been popular with gay audiences for a while, and could even be considered a gay icon. Have you felt that gay audiences have been supportive of you?
LAW: I do. I feel it totally now, absolutely one hundred percent. I've felt it since Victor/Victoria. What's surprising to me — because I've been thinking about doing a one-woman show — what's surprising to me is that the gay audience that appreciated Victor/Victoria so tremendously and have become such great fans are also great fans of Cinderella. I was surprised to find that out. A lot of them say to me that they grew up watching the show because it was on 10 years in a row, and they said they wanted to be me. And I'm totally flattered.
AE: Is it the feeling of wanting to be that special person? The fairy tale?
LAW: I guess — I don't really know. The feelings of wanting to be chosen and wanting to be loved and wanting to be free of an abusive situation — those underlying feelings, I think, are pervasive. It doesn't matter what your sexual proclivity is.
AE: What else do you think has endeared you to your gay fans?
LAW: You know, I've thought a lot about this, actually, and it's interesting that you're asking this question. Certainly the performance in Victor/Victoria because it is so wildly feminine — crazily so. But I think, because I've heard from so many gay men about Cinderella, that it's also about this deep vulnerability, this brokenness, this kind of shattered quality that I carried for so long — I think it's relatable on a very deep level. And I think that's part of it, too.
AE: Is that a quality that you feel in your recent career you've left behind?
LAW: Well, I think that it depends on the role that I'm doing, but it's part of me that I can always go back to. I've certainly spent most of my adult life trying to heal that place. And I think I've done a pretty good job, but it's available to me because it was such a big part of me.
