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When it comes to relationships, how much information is too much? That question is a main premise of "Little Black Book," hitting theaters August 6. In the film, Stacy Holt (Brittany Murphy), an associate producer for daytime talk-show hostess Kippie Kann (Kathy Bates), is frustrated when her boyfriend (Ron Livingston) refuses to discuss his past relationships. With the encouragement of Barb, a co-worker (Holly Hunter), she delves into his Palm Pilot to learn about his ex-girlfriends. Using the show as a ruse and Barb as her guide, Stacy interviews and befriends them, only to discover that the past, in a few instances, is rather present.
MTV's Chris Hart sat down with Brittany Murphy ("8 Mile," "Girl, Interrupted," "Clueless") and Ron Livingston ("Adaptation," "Sex and the City," "Band of Brothers") to find out how true to life "Little Black Book" is for the actors.
MTV: In "Little Black Book," "The Kippie Cann Show" uses those "Jerry Springer"-style captions for its guests — you know, like "My mom dates my little brother." What would your caption say if you were to appear as yourself on a real show?
Brittany Murphy: Oh, lordy. Kippie couldn't get me on the show! No, I'm kidding. I don't think I'd do a show like "Kippie." It's a little too ... my dream is to be on "Oprah." As far as daytime reality television is concerned, that's a scary venue to be involved in, but I can't count anything out.
Ron Livingston: I don't know, but I hope it wouldn't be "My grandmother's a hooker"! Those shows are interesting. "Jerry Springer" definitely took it to a whole other level. But there is a level to them that, as an actor, is interesting to watch. I actually prefer those shows to "The Swan" or the staged version of it. It's kinda cool seeing people having real fights with people they really know.
MTV: Now that you've had a sneak look into how TV shows are made, do you think they're all staged?
Livingston: I don't know. I think a lot of the time, they know what is going to happen. As an actor watching that stuff, I don't think people can act that well. There is definitely some laundry being aired on those things. It is interesting to see. And that's a lot of what this movie is about. The reality-show thing is a metaphor for taking something secret and getting it out there in the open.
MTV: Have you ever had a situation like the one in the movie, where an ex complicates a relationship?
Livingston: Oh yeah, definitely. Are you kidding? [But] my girl and I have been going together, so we have nothing to hide.
Murphy: Do you mean, have I ever had had my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend come back into the picture? Oh yes.
MTV: Was it dramatic? It probably helped you out with this role.
Murphy: It's just weird. And if I could learn anything from that, it's to be extremely respectful of my significant other and make sure that doesn't happen to them. Because it's uncomfortable, even when it's [just having] pictures around. I dated somebody once that had a picture of his ex-girlfriend on the fridge and in the office. And it was just a little weird. She was really sweet and a nice person.
MTV: You couldn't hate her?
Murphy: No, I'm not a hater and I'm not really a jealous person either. I understand what envy means but I don't really ... God forgot to give me the jealous bone, so I don't really get it. And not with the boy-girl thing and the snippy stuff, I just think it's respectful to treat others as you'd like to be treated.
MTV: Would you encourage a lover to look though someone's little black book to find out the past?
Livingston: Well, it depends. I think it all comes down to probable cause: If you think something's up, maybe you gotta take a look.
MTV: Brittany, you play an associate producer in the film. Could that be an alternate career if you weren't acting? Do you have any prior TV experience?
Murphy: I went on "Access Hollywood" and I worked there for a day [as] an associate producer. It was really enlightening. I had been watching the show, and we had a big staff meeting and prepped the next few episodes. I was just in awe of what goes on over there. And they are really kind.
MTV: Do you find yourself being attracted to more serious roles or comedic roles?
Murphy: I think what makes something funny is if you believe the absurd. So if you believe what you're doing, and if you're pure and if you're honest, then it will be funny. Sometimes I've done dramas before that I thought were comedies and I've done comedies that I thought were dramas. And then dramadies — who knows what they are? They fall somewhere in the middle.
Livingston: I'm trying to do some funny stuff lately, [but] I always end up doing the opposite thing. If I'm in something that's serious I end up turning around and trying to do something that's funny with it; if I'm in something funny I like to try and find some kind of serious line in it that people can relate to. But this one was good because this definitely crosses the line back and forth into both territories.
MTV: In two to three sentences, how would you define "Little Black Book"?
Murphy: "Little Black Book" is a romantic comedy that shows the relationship six months in. Generally, in romantic comedies, you see the first six months, the beginning, and all the lovey-dovey and honey-poo. And this shows what happens when you wake up one morning and your realize you're sharing a toothbrush with somebody and you think, "Who is that person? They are a part of my life, every single second, and maybe it isn't right." And you start questioning.
And I think it's definitely very realistic. That's one of the things that drew me to it. My character, Stacy Holt, is the most relatable character that I have ever played: I can relate to her and my friends can more than any other character that I've ever played before. She's everygirl and Ron is everyguy. It's an informative film for guys to see, and every woman can relate to it.
Livingston: I would say Little Black Book is about what happens after the romantic comedy that you're used to. What happens after the two people they wake up, they see each other the next morning and go, "OK, what the hell did I get myself into?
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Photo: Zade Rosenthal
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