Excerpts From Interviews with Erika Christensen and John Polson

In talking to Erika Christensen, who is best known for her outstanding performance in "Traffic," and director John Polson about their upcoming movie “Swimfan,” there is anticipation and excitement in the air. They know that “Swimfan” will probably be thought of as a teen or junior version of “Fatal Attraction,” and to their credit such a comparison is totally welcomed. They recognize that in pulling from a great film, one can only benefit and hopefully with this insight their film can hit some of the same marks as “Fatal Attraction” once did fifteen years ago, for a new generation of movie goers.

Did you know how big Traffic was going to be?

Erika: I didn’t. I didn’t specifically. I knew it was going to be really, really big from the beginning but I didn’t think, maybe it will win best picture. It really has been amazing the reaches out into the world that it has made. Just being in Washington D. C. where I hear from the DEA that it’s like a theme movie…they’re so behind that movie, like all right! Good. I was in the Caribbean and I met this guy on a little island off somewhere. This guy was like ‘Were you in Traffic’. You speak English? You’ve seen Traffic? Yeah. He had a satellite or something.

What’s it like going out now knowing people might recognize you?

Erika: It’s good. It keeps me in line. I don’t really drink so that’s not usually a problem. People probably look at me and think I’m drunk because you get me on the dance floor and I kind of go crazy but it’s just good, a nice way to be forced into becoming the person you would like yourself to be.

What sort of roles were you getting offered after Traffic?

Erika: Strippers. I guess people thought oh, she’ll go there. She’ll do all that kind of stuff. I don’t know, now, fortunately, I’m balancing things out. For the a long time, four or five years of my career, I was really getting the nice girl next door, so Traffic was almost a rebellion. It was perfect. It was exactly what I wanted. I couldn’t have asked for better. It was my dream. And now, especially with Swimfan, I’m looking to play some nicer people.

So with all the stuff you could have done after Traffic, why Swimfan?

Erika: First of all playing somebody that’s that far off into the extreme is also on an actor’s wish list just because you want to explore that and it’s a lot of fun. And then as Jesse was saying earlier, there’s sex and violence and it’s a beautifully shot movie so hopefully we can kind of justify all of that by saying--we’re discouraging teenage boys from cheating on their girlfriends.

There’s a lot of the Glenn Close and Sharon Stone vibe in your performance. Did you watch those performances?

Erika: You know the Fatal Attraction connection in undeniable. So yes, the thing I really, really admired about her [Close’s] performance in Fatal Attraction was the vulnerability that she portrayed. You think that she’s so strong but she’s really not. She’s so vulnerable and I wanted to emulate vulnerability in this character.

You play a strong seduction scene with Jesse Bradford in the coffee shop. Did you rehearse or talk about it?

Erika: We kept it on the set, but actually, that scene in the diner before we go to the pool, I don’t remember whose idea this is so I’m going to take credit for it, I was playing footsie with him under the table. Some people are thrown off by that kind of thing and some people just roll with it. He rolled with it. He was like whoa, okay cool, this is good. It just makes you pay attention.

What do you find attractive in a male co-star?

Erika: Well, I certainly find the same thing attractive in a person which is the ability to really look me in the eye. That’s necessary for an actor and it’s necessary for a boyfriend too. Jesse can definitely do that. He’s really intense. You can see in those scenes. He’s looking right at me. ‘Leave me alone’.

What movies are your favorites?

Erika: You know what popped into my head immediately, “Life is Beautiful” because it’s such an inspiration. Since film is such a powerful medium, I think you should take that opportunity and use it and that movie is a great inspiration just for people and for life and also movies like “Shawshank Redemption”, I like seeing the happy ending. It opens up the discussion for philosophical, how do you live conversations.

Is it a coincidence that you also have a swimming pool scene in The Banger Sisters?

Erika: Yes it is a coincidence.

Tell us about that movie.

Erika: It’s a comedy which makes it different from Swimfan and Traffic. I can tell you that Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon, it was just wonderful for me to be able to watch them work and to discover their senses of humor because they both have great senses of humor. They’re such pros. They really know when to stay focused and when to have fun.

Who else in the industry impresses you?

Erika: Actually, Michael Douglas really impresses me. Like that’s a surprise? He was just thrown into [in Traffic]… all those scenes with the real people that work at the border and the real people that worked in all that.

Did you research stalkers for Swimfan?

Erika: I did research stalkers. There were some websites. Interestingly enough, I think of it as kind of being comparable to addiction which is basically what this girl has, is an addiction for this guy. She’s very needy and she’ll go to any length to get what she wants. It’s in that way, very comparable to a drug addiction.

Give us a sound bite about why people should go see Swimfan.

Erika: I think Swimfan is just good scary fun. It’s a summer date movie, so bring somebody you want to grab on to when it gets scary.

SWIMFAN OPENS NATIONWIDE ON SEPT 6, 2002