谢琳·伍德蕾:邻家女孩初长成

2016-03-12 21:11Fromshailene-woodle
新东方英语·中学版 2016年3期

From+shailene-woodley.org+宋怡秋

她是《后人》中那位任性叛逆的女儿,与乔治·克鲁尼饰演的父亲精彩对戏;她是《分歧者》系列电影中的翠丝,生动地塑造了一个无所畏惧、身手矫健的女英雄;她还是《星运里的错》中身患癌症却不轻易向命运低头的黑兹尔,给我们带来了满满的温暖与正能量。她就是备受瞩目的新生代女星谢琳·伍德蕾。没有明星架子、崇尚清新自然的她或许是娱乐圈中一个与众不同的存在,然而,正是她身上的这份亲和力与邻家气质令她在星光熠熠的好莱坞中显得卓尔不群。

Most young stars learn to quickly cultivate an aura1) of untouchability, but that is not how Shailene Woodley likes to operate. It's January on the Sundance2) red carpet for White Bird in a Blizzard3). The 22-year-old actress approaches a reporter with uncommon familiarity, slipping4) her hands under his semi-raised arms and giving him a robust5) squeeze6). At first I think she must know the journalist, perhaps one of her red-carpet favorites. Then I realize she's hugging every single person before they interview her. They are all strangers.

Later, after I receive my first of many Woodley hugs, I ask her about this habit. She explains: "We've got a set amount of time in our lives, you know. You might as well make every conversation count. So that's like the hug. It's kind of like, 'Hey, I'm real. You're real. Let's connect.'"

It's that unique accessibility—both onscreen and off—coupled with raw acting talent7) that has made Woodley one of the most hyped8) starlets. Woodley may soon boast a YA9) blockbuster of her own with Divergent10), which Lionsgate11) opens March 21. This summer's The Fault in Our Stars12), in which she stars, already is attracting fervent fan interest.

In fall 2012, Lionsgate was looking for someone with the same qualities as Jennifer Lawrence and its Twilight heroine, Kristen Stewart, to carry the $85 million Divergent. Woodley was the studio's first and only choice thanks mostly to her breakout13) performance in Alexander Payne's 2011 drama, The Descendants. She also had a fan base due to a five-season stint14) on ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Still, handing the keys of a big-budget movie to an unproven star is a nerve-racking15) proposition. "But once we met her and saw her presence and the way she carried herself and knowledge for the material and her passion for the character, we were sold16)." says Rob Friedman, co-chair of Lionsgate's motion picture group.

Despite the appearance of overnight success, Woodley worked for 17 years to reach this moment. The native Angeleno17), who has a younger brother, Tanner, began working at age 5 in commercials, appearing in more than 40 TV spots18). Her parents—a middle-school counselor19) mother and a former elementary-school principal father who now is a family therapist—happily drove her to auditions20) but insisted that her education stay on track. Woodley was a 4.021) student who took AP22) classes at Simi Valley23) High School but interestingly avoided the drama club because "acting was such a big part of my life outside of high school, and I wanted to really dedicate high school to other things that I was passionate about". Instead, the "choir nerd" sang alto24) for four years, even as she starred on Secret Life.

Along the way, she had her share of disappointments, like losing out to Dakota Fanning25) for the drama I Am Sam at age 9. Recalls Woodley: "My dad pulled me aside, and he said: 'Shai, what are you doing? You have so much anger, and you're feeling so let down26) by the fact that you didn't book27) [this]. I want you to close your eyes right now and picture this Dakota girl, and I want you to send her so much love and so much light because one day you're going to book something that you really want, and you're not going to want all of the girls around you that you competed against to feel anger against you. You're going to want them to support you on your journey. And so it's your turn right now to support Dakota on her journey.' And so I did that."

As her father predicted, years later Woodley seized a role she had chased for months with Descendants. After reading28) for the casting director, Woodley was on the "don't call back" list ("I wanted the role too intensely," she says). But she managed to get a second read and wowed29) Payne. "She is that truly unique actress who can make even bad dialogue sound good," says Payne. Her ultimate performance opened eyes in the industry, earning an Independent Spirit Award30) and a Golden Globe nomination.

"She wept underwater—take31) after take," marvels32) Payne. "That was something to see."

For the Sundance premiere, Woodley wore minimal makeup and a simple black silk shirt, black slacks33) (she later changed into jeans for the after-party) and a pendant34). As for the pendant's significance, she explains: "It's my way of just recognizing spirit in an industry where sometimes materialism is the main focus; it's kind of my way of remembering what's important to me." As for her understated and utilitarian approach, Woodley says, "As a citizen of this planet, I'm going to do my responsibility and live in stride35) with nature instead of constantly fighting against her."

Woodley's determination to live in harmony with the Earth extends beyond her wardrobe. She takes a Mason jar36) for drinking water because she doesn't want to expose herself or the planet to the chemicals used in plastics. She has no current home ("I'm doing the vagabond37) lifestyle for a bit," she says), but when in Los Angeles, she lugs38) 5-gallon carboys39) up in the mountains to capture her own drinking water. When I ask if she adheres to a particular religion. "My religion is the Earth, man," she answers. "I believe in trees."

Fault in Our Stars producer Wyck Godfrey, who also produced all of the Twilight movies insisted that Woodley's edgy40) leanings41) should be celebrated, not second-guessed42), in a business obsessed with box-office grosses. "She's always going to be drawn to characters that feel real and interesting to her, and she's not going to be driven by, 'Oh, this could be a huge success,'" he says. "Regardless, she's going to be the first Shailene more so than the next anyone else."

Whatever Woodley does next, she vows not to rush into it. "I made five movies in the past year and two months and finished a TV show during that time," she explains. "The second your boss or somebody whom you really respect comes to you and says, 'I can't wait to see what you do next,' there instantly becomes this new pressure of, 'Wow, am I creating art for myself or am I suddenly creating art for other people?'"

With nothing lined up beyond the Divergent sequel Insurgent, which likely shoots in the summer, Woodley says she is content to spend her days reading books and traveling. She just trekked43) to Costa Rica by herself before embarking on the Divergent tour.

For now, she's letting her mind wander and enjoying the freedom that comes with being a sought-after44) young star. There's no telling what her future holds45)—maybe even something outside of acting.

"I might open a restaurant, and it's going to be like restaurant in the morning, dance club at night," says the self-described omnivore46). "Who knows?"

1.aura [???r?] n. 气氛;氛围;光环

2.Sundance: 指Sundance Film Festival,即圣丹斯国际电影节,它是专为没有名气的电影人及影片所设立的电影节,也是全球首屈一指的独立制片电影节。

3.White Bird in a Blizzard: 《暴风雪中的白鸟》,由谢琳·伍德蕾主演的一部剧情片,改编自同名小说,讲述了一位少女寻找失踪母亲下落的故事。

4.slip [sl?p] vt. (不惹人注意地)迅速放置;悄悄塞

5.robust [r???b?st] adj. 很费力气的;需要力气的

6.squeeze [skwi?z] n. 紧抱;紧握

7.raw talent: (未发展的)天生的才能

8.hype [ha?p] vt. 大肆宣传;炒作

9.YA: (= young adult)年轻的成年人

10.Divergent: 《分歧者:异类觉醒》,由谢琳·伍德蕾、凯特·温斯莱特等主演的青少年奇幻题材电影,改编自同名畅销书,上映于2014年3月。其续篇《分歧者2:绝地反击》(Insurgent)上映于2015年3月,《分歧者3:效忠者》(Allegiant)则将于2016年3月上映。

11.Lionsgate: 狮门影业,起源于加拿大温哥华,总部位于美国加利福尼亚州,是全球最著名的娱乐电影公司之一。《分歧者》系列电影由该公司所发行。

12.The Fault in Our Stars: 《星运里的错》,由谢琳·伍德蕾主演的青少年题材电影,讲述了两个患有癌症的少年之间有关生命、死亡和爱情的故事。

13.breakout [?bre?ka?t] adj. <口>一炮打响的,非常走红的

14.stint [st?nt] n. 工作期限

15.nerve-racking [?n??v?r?k??] adj. 伤脑筋的;使人不安的

大多数年轻明星都学会了在很短的时间内培养出一种令人不敢触碰的气质,但谢琳·伍德蕾却不喜欢这样做。今年1月(编注:英文原文发表于2014年3月),因出演电影《暴风雪中的白鸟》在圣丹斯国际电影节上走红毯时,这位22岁的女演员非常亲切地走向一名记者,双手滑过他略微抬起的手臂下方,给了他一个大大的拥抱。起初我以为她肯定认识那位记者,说不定对方还是她最钟爱的红毯采访者之一呢。可随后我就发现,她在接受每个人的采访前都会给他们一个拥抱。她和他们所有人都不认识。

后来,当我第一次收获了伍德蕾的拥抱(这是她给我的众多拥抱之一)后,我向她询问了她的这个习惯。她解释说:“你知道,我们的人生长度是有限的,你不如让每次交谈都显得有意义。所以我的拥抱也是如此,它就像是在传达,‘嘿,我是真的,你也是,咱们建立联系吧。”

正是这份独特的亲和力(无论是在银幕上还是银幕外)以及她的表演天份使伍德蕾成为最受力捧的年轻女演员之一。伍德蕾可能很快就将拥有由自己出演的一部青少年题材大片——《分歧者:异类觉醒》(该片由狮门影业发行,将于3月21日上映)。而由她主演、将于今年夏天上映的《星运里的错》已经引起了影迷的热烈关注。

2012年秋,狮门影业在寻找一位与詹妮弗·劳伦斯和其出品的《暮光之城》系列电影的女主角克里斯汀·斯图尔特具有相同特质的演员,来担纲其耗资8500万美元的《分歧者:异类觉醒》。伍德蕾既是狮门影业的第一人选,也是唯一人选,而这主要得益于她在亚历山大·佩恩2011年所执导的剧情片《后人》中的突破性表演。此外,由于她在ABC家庭频道播出的电视剧《青春密语》中出演了五季,她也积攒了一定的人气。

然而,把一部大制作影片的命运交到一个实力未经验证的演员手里实属冒险之举。“不过,我们一见到她,看到她的仪表风度、言谈举止以及她对剧本的了解和对角色的热情时,就立刻被她吸引了。”狮门影业集团的联合主席罗布·弗里德曼这样表示。

虽然她看似一夜成名,但伍德蕾为了这一刻已经付出了17年的努力。这个土生土长的洛杉矶女孩从五岁起就开始接拍商业广告,在40多个电视节目中都露过面。她有一个弟弟,名叫坦纳,妈妈是一名中学辅导员,爸爸当过小学校长,现在是一名家庭心理治疗师。她的父母都乐于开车送她参加试镜,但坚决要求她不能影响学业。伍德蕾是一个GPA拿过满分(即4分)的学生,她在西米谷高中修读大学预修课程。不过有趣的是,她有意避开了该校的戏剧社,因为“在学校之外,表演已经占据了我生活的那么大一块儿,我想要把高中时光真正用在我热爱的其他事情上”。结果,这个“合唱团狂人”在学校唱了四年的女低音,就连出演《青春密语》期间都没有中断过。

一路走来,她也经历过不少属于自己的失意之时,比如九岁时,她在争取剧情片《我是山姆》中的角色时败给了达科塔·范宁。伍德蕾回忆道:“爸爸把我拉到一边,然后对我说,‘小谢,你这是怎么了?因为没有得到[这个角色]你就这么生气,还感到这么沮丧。我要你现在闭上眼睛,想一想这个叫达科塔的女孩,我要你为她送上好多好多的爱与光,因为总有一天你将得到自己真正想要的角色,而你将不会希望你身边所有跟你竞争过的女孩都生你的气,你将会希望她们在你前行的道路上支持你。所以,现在是你在达科塔前行的道路上支持她的时候。我就照着爸爸的话那样做了。”

正如伍德蕾的父亲所预言的那样,几年后,她经过几个月的努力争取到了电影《后人》中的一个角色。在为选角导演试读台词后,伍德蕾被排除在了复试名单之外(“我太急于得到那个角色了。”她说)。但她设法得到了第二次试读台词的机会,并博得了佩恩(编注:《后人》的导演)的称赞。“她是那种真正独一无二的演员,即便是糟糕的台词,她也能将其演绎得动听起来。”佩恩说。她在片中的最终表现令业界眼前一亮,并为她赢得了独立精神奖以及金球奖的提名。

“她在水下哭泣——一个镜头接着一个镜头,”佩恩赞叹道,“那真是值得一看。”

在圣丹斯国际电影节的首映式上,伍德蕾淡妆出席,她身穿简洁的黑色丝质衬衫以及黑色宽松长裤(后来她在参加首映式后的庆功会时将其换成了牛仔裤),佩戴着一条有挂坠的项链。关于这条项链的含义,她解释道:“在这个有时物质主义会当道的行业里,这是我向精神致敬的方式,我用这种方式提醒自己什么对我而言才是重要的。”至于她朴素低调和讲求实用的做派,伍德蕾表示,“作为这个星球的一员,我将承担起我的那份责任,与自然和谐共生,而不是不断地与之抗争。”

伍德蕾与地球和谐共存的决心不只表现在她的着装上。她用随身携带的一个梅森玻璃瓶喝水,因为她不希望让自己和地球暴露在制造塑料所使用的化学品中。她现在没有自己的房子(“我暂时过着流浪的生活。”她说),不过当她在洛杉矶时,她会把一些五加仑(编注:约19升)的大瓶子搬上山,用它们来收集她自己的饮用水。当我问她是否信奉某种宗教时,她回答道:“老兄,地球就是我的宗教,树木就是我的信仰。”

威克·戈弗雷是《星运里的错》以及《暮光之城》系列所有电影的制片人,他坚持认为,在一个票房至上的行业里,伍德蕾稍显前卫的偏好值得人们的称赞,而不是事后的评头论足。“她总是会被那些她认为真实有趣的角色吸引,而不会被‘哦,这部片子会大获成功这样的想法所左右,”他说,“无论如何,她会成为独一无二的谢琳,而不是第二个某某某。”

不管伍德蕾接下来要做什么,她都发誓决不会仓促行事。“在过去的一年零两个月里,我接拍了五部电影,同时还拍了一部电视剧,”她解释道,“一旦你的老板或者某位你特别敬重的人走过来对你说,‘我等不及要看你的下一部作品了,你就会立刻感到一种新的压力,‘哇,我到底是为了自己而从事艺术事业,还是突然之间为了别人而从事艺术事业?”

《分歧者:异类觉醒》的续集《分歧者2:绝地反击》可能将于今年夏天开拍,在那之后伍德蕾并没有新的工作安排,她说自己很高兴能有时间读读书、旅旅游。在开始为《分歧者:异类觉醒》做巡回宣传之前,她刚刚独自远行去了一趟哥斯达黎加。

目前,她正放飞心情,享受着身为当红年轻明星所获得的自由。她的未来将会如何发展并不好说——说不定她甚至会去尝试一些表演之外的事情。

“我也许会开一家餐馆,早上是餐馆、晚上是舞厅的那种,”这位自称杂食动物的女星说,“谁知道呢?”

16.sell [sel] vt. <口> (常用作被动语态)使极感兴趣

17.Angeleno [??nd???li?n??] n. <美口> (美国)洛杉矶人

18.spot [sp?t] n. (定期在电视、广播、俱乐部、剧院等中演出的)短小节目

19.counselor [?ka?ns?l?(r)] n. (学生)辅导员

20.audition [???d??n] n. 试镜,试演,试唱

21.4.0: 这里指平均成绩点数(Grade Point Average,简称GPA)。在美国,普通课程的GPA满分是4分。

22.AP: (= advanced placement)美国大学预修课程,指美国中学生在上大学前所修的能获得大学学分的高级课程。

23.Simi Valley: 西米谷,美国加利福尼亚州城市,临近洛杉矶。

24.alto [??lt??] n. 女低音

25.Dakota Fanning: 达科塔·范宁,美国女演员,其成名作为《我是山姆》,其他代表作包括《夏洛特的网》《暮光之城:月食》《暮光之城:破晓(下)》等。

26.let down: 使失望;使沮丧

27.book [b?k] vt. 参与;加入(演出等)

28.read [?ri?d] vi. (演员为电影、戏剧等中的角色)试镜;试演(多与for连用)。下面一句话中的read用作名词。

29.wow [wa?] vt. (尤指表演)使叫绝,使喝彩,博取……的称赞

30.Independent Spirit Award: 独立精神奖,是好莱坞电影界为鼓励独立制片人所设立的一个重要奖项,相当于独立电影界的奥斯卡奖。

31.take [te?k] n. (不停机一次连续拍摄的)镜头,场景

32.marvel [?mɑ?vl] vt. 对……感到惊讶

33.slacks [sl?ks] n. [复]便裤,宽松长裤

34.pendant [?pend?nt] n. 有垂饰的项链

35.stride [stra?d] n. 步法;步态