Source: 411mania.com
Article By: Tony Farinella
Date: November 19, 2007
411′s Tony Farinella sits down with Genevieve Cortese of ABC’s Wildfire!
Wildfire, which airs on ABC Family, is a real crowd-pleaser, to say the least. The show follows Kris Furillo, a young girl who develops a unique relationship with a horse named Wildfire. When everything around her seems to be falling apart, she can always count on Wildfire. During Season Two of Wildfire, which is currently out on DVD, we see Kris as she struggles to deal with fame and everything that comes with it. Recently, I interviewed Genevieve Cortese, the lead actress on Wildfire. I hope you enjoy my interview with Genevieve Cortese.
TONY: In Season Two of Wildfire, your character deals with success and everything that comes with it. As an actress, was that pretty easy to relate to?
Genevieve Cortese: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think when all of a sudden you have a certain reality and then you step into this success: You gain new friends, you gain new enemies, you meet all these new people, and you’re not really sure of everyone’s intentions. And I can absolutely relate to that, and I think that’s really what Kris is going through. And initially when Wildfire hit, it was kind of like, “What are people’s intentions, and what do you want from me?” So, yeah, absolutely, and you kind of walk on egg shells around people and you’re very inquisitive and questioning everything.
TONY: Now that you’re on Wildfire, do you get recognized more? Do people come up to you and talk to you as the girl from Wildfire?
Genevieve Cortese: Yeah, they do, and it’s always at weird times. It’s always that crazy moment, or it’s always at funny times for me I feel like … I’ll be on the subway and hauling luggage and just getting back from a trip. My mom, actually, was getting her nails done in San Francisco and overheard two girls talking about the show, and she decided that she had to correct something, because someone said something incorrectly about me or something, and she goes, “That’s not true. That’s my daughter.” So, it’s very funny. And I think it’s really funny being on the show, because people assume because you’re in their homes and on their TV sets, that somehow they know you, because they’re very familiar with you. It’s really funny when people approach you and stuff about it.
TONY: I think what I enjoy the most about Wildfire is the fact that it shows a strong independent woman. She doesn’t really need a guy to make her happy. I mean, she likes guys and she dates, but it’s not her sole reason for living. Do you think we see too many women on TV who are just there to date guys and be eye candy?
Genevieve Cortese: Right. Yeah, and if they do, it’s like the old horror thing, where they’re killed off or something. They definitely depict women a lot of times as weaker, but I feel like now, more than ever, that women are becoming stronger on TV. And I feel like overall that there are stronger characters. But I definitely feel like when we first started the show that there weren’t a lot of great role models out there and there weren’t a lot of women characters that were very driven or had a great direction and drive and not being so apologetic. So, I think that’s one of the great things about Kris.
TONY: Now that the show is about to enter its Fourth Season, how do you feel it’s changed overall?
Genevieve Cortese: It’s changed in a lot of ways. The characters have really grown up a lot, especially in Season Four. And I think my character’s presence on the farm and the ranches and stuff, she becomes a lot more comfortable in her success. It’s not so new and jarring … it’s more accepted and she knows how to use it to her advantage rather than to her detriment. And as a whole, we’ve become a big family. So, everything about it has gotten closer and deeper. And it’s just fun.
TONY: What was it like making the transition from stage to television?
Genevieve Cortese: Well, I went from stage and then I did a couple of small bits in movies and stuff and then I did TV, so I feel like as long as you have a certain foundation, I think that you’re fine. All the three mediums are really different. I mean, from TV to theater to film, they all have their aspects. As long as you have a certain grounded foundation and you know where you’re going into character, I think that you can do any of them. I mean, theater’s a little bit different, and I think you need a little bit of training. But, as a whole, as long as you’re open and you’ve done your homework, you’ll be fine.
TONY: When you’re working on a show like Wildfire, does it help to work with people around your own age?
Genevieve Cortese: I don’t think it necessarily has to do with age. That’s so irrelevant, I think. I think that sometimes it helps, but I think, you know, life experience and what people bring to the table, really, because there’s certain people my age on the show, and we don’t have anything in common. And other people that are much older on the show or much younger, and we’ll have a lot more to talk about. So, it’s funny how that works.
TONY: As an actress, who do you look up to in Hollywood?
Genevieve Cortese: I really love a lot of the young women actors that are now out and about. I think Rachel McAdams is outstanding. I think the way that she carries herself and the way that she is in films, I mean, she’s just so graceful and such a phenomenal actress. I really admire Diane Lane, because she’s been working since she was like thirteen-years-old and has still remained so incredibly grounded and just a phenomenal actress as well. I think that those two, also, have great range and versatility. I mean, they’re in so many different parts, and it’s not all about becoming famous, but it’s about what do I bring to the table and how can I make this a better project and how can I be part of an ensemble, as opposed to me, me, me. So, I think that’s what makes them really cool.
TONY: Has anything surprised you about Hollywood and television so far?
Genevieve Cortese: No. I think it’s what you make out of it. It’s just like one big crazy circus, and we’re all a bunch of carnies. I mean, I think the media makes more out of it. I think the media is like the Hollywood part of it. It’s the media that creates this frenzy, and you can either choose to be in it or be out of it, but you can still do your job regardless.
TONY: Speaking of the media, how do you avoid a lot of the nonsense that goes on with the media? It seems like your every move is being recorded. I mean, look at the poor girl from High School Musical and the photo of her online. How do you avoid that side of the business? Is it hard to have a real life as well?
Genevieve Cortese: Well, don’t take naked pictures of yourself and put them online, first of all. (laughs) Secondly, just act accordingly. I carry myself in a way that I feel like my siblings would be proud of me or my mom. I try not to do things that I’ll regret too much. I just think it’s about being grounded. It’s tough, because being young and being in Hollywood, you’re trying to figure out who you are and then on top of that being in Hollywood, you have this craziness surrounding it. It’s a difficult situation, and you just really gotta somehow be solid and know who you are and how you treat yourself.
TONY: How do you also manage your time? It’s gotta be tough when you’re filming a show all the time.
Genevieve Cortese: I read a lot, and I travel a lot. So, anytime that I’m overwhelmed, I travel. I know that sounds really exhausting, but I live mostly in New York. I go between New York and L.A., but I live, for the most part, in New York, so I do things that I feel are gonna energize me and make me feel good.
TONY: As an actress, is it more freeing to be on television? On television, you get 25 or 30 episodes to develop your character. In a movie, you only have 90 minutes. What’s that like?
Genevieve Cortese: No, I think television, actually, can be a little bit more difficult, because you don’t have an end, whereas in film, you have an end. So, you know where your character begins and you know where she ends, whereas in a TV show, you have no idea, because it’s all in the writer’s hands. So, because of that, I find television to be a little bit more difficult, because you could have a whole vision of your character and your character’s back-story and my character’s father is dead, and then all of a sudden the writers are like, “Nope. Guess what? Your father’s alive, and he’s in the next episode.” So, it can be a little bit more difficult I find. I think film is not easier by any means, but it’s a cool medium, because you know where you’re going.
TONY: What kind of work do you want to seek out in the future?
Genevieve Cortese: I don’t care if it’s a lead or a bit part, as long as it has a great story to tell. It can be comedic or it can be dramatic … it doesn’t matter, as long as there’s a great need in the story and I can help support that, as long as it’s a fun project.
TONY: On Wildfire, we see how Kris is extremely close with her horse. What is it about the pet/owner relationship that is so rewarding?
Genevieve Cortese: Well, the pets don’t talk back to you, so that’s a always a plus and a good thing. (laughs) I think that one of the wonderful things about animals, though, is that they have unconditional love. And all you need to do is give them love, and they’ll just give love in return, and I think that’s a great bond that people have. I do it to my dog all the time … I’ll talk to her about anything, and I feel like she can hear me. And they can’t do anything but honestly just love you, so I think that’s really why.
TONY: What was it like working with Nicole Richie on Kids In America?
Genevieve Cortese: She was one of the nicest, funniest, most gracious, coolest people … I can’t say enough good things about her. She’s just really lovely.
TONY: Is it hard sometimes to work with certain celebrities that have a reputation and keep an open mind? I mean, you can’t believe everything that you read on the Internet. Do you try to go into the project with an open mind?
Genevieve Cortese: It’s tough, because you can’t help but hear things or whatever, but I try to go into everything with an open mind and do that with everyone, because you shouldn’t judge. You should be willing to expect anything. I mean, nothing can surprise me at this point. And that’s really why you can’t read the tabloids and you can’t read this bullshit. Just be excited to be working with someone. Just let them overcome expectations or just don’t have any expectations.
TONY: Finally, what are your plans for the future?
Genevieve Cortese: I’m up for a couple of films and hanging out and living between L.A. and New York and walking my dog.
