As film projects go, few seem quite as preordained as Lifetime‘s powerful new docudrama, Living Proof. And here’s the proof.
The script, based on the nonfiction bestseller Her-2, which chronicles Dr. Dennis Slamon’s fight for his revolutionary new breast cancer drug Herceptin and the dying women depending on it, wound up in the hands of film star Renée Zellweger — whose own publicist, Nanci Ryder, was successfully treated by Dr. Slamon just a few years before.
The actress immediately signed on to executive produce, tapping Harry Connick Jr., her friend and costar in the upcoming feature Chilled in Miami, as her onscreen doc.
A great actor for a great role, to be sure — but it turns out that Connick’s own mom had died of ovarian cancer when he was just 13, an experience that inspired him to play the first ever Fire & Ice Ball, masterminded by Hollywood power player Lilly Tartikoff and Revlon Chairman Ron Perelman to fund their newly created Revlon/UCLA Women’s Cancer Research Program.
Which was helmed by — you guessed it — Dr. Dennis Slamon.
Connick took a few minutes off from recording his new Christmas album, What A Night! (which drops Nov. 4) to tell us about this inspiring circle of life, death and the opportunity for ordinary, extraordinary people to do a lifetime of good.
Everybody loves a good “labor of love” story, but you really do have a very personal experience with cancer and a lifelong tie to New Orleans, where you suggested that the film be shot. To be able to contribute to Lifetime’s breast cancer initiative and bring the film’s shoot and the ensuing business to New Orleans — could one ask for much more from a project?
Harry Connick Jr.: On the immediate level, as an actor, it was a great role — whether or not I had any experience — that kind of set it apart from anything I’ve ever done.
But to have the choice to bring it to New Orleans and bring that revenue there was fantastic. And because of my personal experience with cancer, to do something different than the traditional fundraiser or benefit was pretty special — to get in there and figure out what it was all about was amazing.
What I’ve learned through this process is that people need to know the importance of research. It’s great to have the money and the fundraisers and the benefits — but it’s important for people to know where their money is going. Because you can’t find a cure — or in this case, a very successful treatment — without research. I think it’s almost a bottomless pit of need among people in the research community, so if we can bring awareness to anyone, I think we’ve done our job.
You have the unique perspective of having played the very first Fire & Ice Ball in 1990. At the time, do you recall being aware of the direness of the event … of what was at stake?
At that point, I had offers to do different types of benefits but I kind of limited them to things within the cancer community because of my own experience with it. And I knew it was a big deal — but I didn’t really know the specifics of it. It never really impressed me as being particularly different or special from the other ones that I did.
I didn’t even realize that that‘s what it was until I started preparing for this role and reading the Her-2 book. I saw my name in there and went, “Oh my gosh! I can’t even believe that’s the same thing!” Then it all came back to me.
Once you start reading about Slamon and his plight, and that of the women who knew this drug was there and couldn’t get their hands on it, it’s hard to stop reading — it is like a suspense novel. And it really opens your eyes to the idea that medicine is business.
But you have to take into account — as difficult as Slamon’s plight was — you have to take into the account the perspective of the drug company, too. If they did spend all this money and the drug was unsuccessful, it could’ve bankrupted the drug company. So it really is a tough call.
What got me was that even after he had done these three phases of these FDA trials — even when he had done the first two — it was obvious that this drug was going to work, and they still gave him a hard time about it. It was like pulling teeth to get this thing passed through.
But what a guy for the job. I’ve watched some clips from his presentations and speeches and there’s no hysteria there. No theater. He knows what he knows and knows what he needs and communicates it plainly and accessibly. There’s just such a real charm there.
That’s what really makes it happen. It’s almost like you see people in the public eye — you know, athletes, politicians, whoever it is — there’s people out there who have all the technique in the world, and when you couple that with the skill of being able to communicate, that’s what really separates them from the rest of the pack.
I’ve met musicians, for example, who are truly among the best ever and they’re all the same. They’re just as kind and gracious as you can imagine. It’s the ones who are maybe a tier or more down where the attitude comes in. And it’s obvious that there’s insecurity there. I mean, the people who are incredibly confident in their own skin — and this goes for anyone — and know who they are and realize their skill level, they’re great people to be around and Dr. Slamon is a perfect example of that.
When I had dinner with him, you know, it sounds silly but I left the dinner feeling like I could do it. I really did. I felt like I could just join his team and work in the lab with him. He made it so easy to understand and I said, “This doesn’t sound like that difficult a concept.” And he said, “Well it really isn’t. It’s not that hard to understand.”
He’s a special, special man and the right man for the job and you have to wonder how far this would have gone if he hadn’t been at the helm.
And what a guy to have on your side in a literal fight for your life.
You’re talking about women with Stage IV cancer in these trials. And I think for a lot of these women they had passed the hysterical point. They knew they were going to die. And here comes this guy saying, “Listen, give me one more shot at this.” To bring somebody’s hope back from that level, I think, is very dangerous. You’re dealing with some real heavy stuff there — that’s a whole different level of interaction between people. And not all of them lived. But the fact that he was able to try, he’s just a remarkable guy.
I keep going back to where all of the elements were in place. I mean he was a medical phenomenon, a genius, but the way he deals with people, the way he deals with the press and just his tenacity and not letting go. There was almost an infinite number of opportunities for him to say, “Screw it. I can’t do this any more.” But he just didn’t stop.
And then you look at the fact that the guy made nothing after all this. I mean, he should be worth tens of millions of dollars, but because of the way the system was back then, Genentech owned the rights to it and they have it.
And I said, “Man! Doesn’t that bother you a little bit?” And he said, “Nahhh, I’m not really in it for that. I’m in it for what it can do to help people.”
Was it daunting for you to play the guy once you realized the actual magnitude of the man?
The most daunting aspect of it is that he’s alive. And he’s very much in the prime of his medical career and his life. He’s a young guy — he’s only 60 years old and active and a very powerful man. And to think that I had to portray this guy — I’ve never played a historical figure.
If I were to play Abraham Lincoln it would be a lot different. I mean, as famous as he is, he’s not around to see it, you know what I’m saying? So to play somebody who actually has the potential to see my interpretation of him is kind of intimidating.
But on the other hand, it’s not a documentary. And I thought that’s where the art comes in, to try to play him in more of an impressionistic point of view as opposed to straight-up realism. It sounds like a rationalization … but I thought it would be more appropriate to try to capture his spirit than to mimic him.
So what is step one in the process … ?
I had to meet him first. And I just wanted to get as much information as I could. He’s a runner — he loves to run — or at least he was at the time that the movie takes place, so I would run a lot and throw my iPod on and listen to lectures he would give. I was kind of killing two birds with one stone, because I hate to run and it was difficult for me. So I would get through it by listening to his interviews, and that would help. I would learn a lot just killing time.
In addition to Renée, you’re surrounded by a veritable who’s who of seriously talented women in the film [Connick’s costars include Amanda Bynes, Tammy Blanchard, Jennifer Coolidge, Angie Harmon, Regina King, Swoosie Kurtz, Paula Cale Lisbe, Amy Madigan, Bernadette Peters and Trudie Styler] …
The cast is incredible. There’s not a lot of projects that you get to work with that many talented people. And so diverse. From age to experience to interpretive degrees. Everybody was bringing something different to the table.
In previous interviews, you’ve copped to a childhood crush on Ms. Peters …
I still have a crush on her. She’s just such a great talent and I’m attracted to that. But she’s also so beautiful and humble and they really don’t make performers like that any more. First of all she looks like she’s 17 and to have that type of performing skill, it just doesn’t exist anymore.
Living Proof premieres on Lifetime Oct. 18 as part of the network’s 14th annual Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign.
