Academy Award winner Kim Basinger and multiple nominee Jeff Bridges star in “The Door in The Floor,” a dramedy about love and sexuality based on John Irving’s novel, “A Widow for One Year.” The film is a reunion for the decorated duo, who previously collaborated in 1987 on Robert Benton’s “Nadine.” Basinger, whose recent films include “People I Know” and “8 Mile,” and Bridges, still riding high in the wake of the smash hit “Seabiscuit,” spoke with a group of reporters at a recent press conference.
QUESTION: What was it like working together again after all those years?
JEFF BRIDGES: It was kind of like a long weekend.
KIM BASINGER: Jeff has always been one of my dearest, most favorite actors of all-time, and it was an honor to work with him on “Nadine” and (“The Door in the Floor”). We were talking earlier about how our methods are so different, but the two of us seem to work well together.
Q: Jeff, can you tell us anything about Kim that we might not already know? Something surprising?
JB: She’s got a wild side to her, that people don’t know too much. It’s kind of a funky, down-home, very accessible, sweet side. But I don’t know if there are any big surprises. What I know about her is she’s a wonderful actress, but that’s certainly no surprise.
Q: Kim, you seduce a teenage boy in this film. Did you enjoy playing the older woman?
KB: “Harold & Maude” is my dream. I love that movie so much. So this was my “Harold & Maude” or my “Summer of ’42” all wrapped up together. It was my dance, and I loved it.
Q: What do you keep in your trailers on location?
KB: Oh, lots of water. Nuts. Great music. I have to have my music. I have to have it more than anything.
JB: (To Kim) What sort of music were you listening to on this shoot?
KB: I always pick one song, or one piece of music to get me through.
JB: And what was it on this one? Do you want to share?
KB: Um, God, I’ve finished two movies since then and have gone through two other pieces of music (laughs).
JB: Music is so important.
KB: It is so important. I’ve got to have music and antibacterial soap. And great towels. Clean white towels, not the expensive kind. I want the kind that really absorb water. You can get them at Target or K-Mart.
JB: When I’m doing a movie, I’ll go through my computer and burn CDs that I’ll play in the trailer. I don’t care much about the towels.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 16, 2004. Read the original PDF.