Two decades after Julia Roberts slipped into her role for a film named after her, American activist Erin Brockovich suggests casting amends if the project is revisited
Erin Brockovich
Almost two decades after Julia Roberts played her in the multiple award winning-film by her name, Erin Brockovich says the world has made little progress in finding solutions to the issues depicted in the Steven Soderbergh-directed venture. "We have not come too far in dealing with the water issues plaguing our planet," the American legal clerk and environmental activist tells mid-day, a hint of anger masked under frustration. Frustration, she says, would form the crux of a film on her life, should Erin Brockovich (2000) be made in this day and age.
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"If a film on my life would be made today, it would most certainly highlight my frustration, because we've not dealt with the issue. Nothing could be more important than water. We're all in trouble without it. Also, I think another thing that the film would highlight would be the legacy that we are leaving behind for the next generation. I'm a grandmother now. It's important that we become aware about what we're doing for our kids," she says.
Julia Roberts in a still from the film
The biographical film earned Roberts several accolades, including the Academy Award, the BAFTA and the Golden Globe. Brockovich looks back at her act with admiration, confessing that both Roberts and writer Susannah Grant did justice to her by aptly capturing "the passion for my children, and my frustration towards what was happening in the world."
Prod her on what she suggests could have been depicted better and she reflects on the scenes that showcased her anger. "Some of the discussions she [Roberts] has with the lawyers in the film were bold. I did talk like that, but only after acquiring years of knowledge on the subject in discussion. I don't just walk into a meeting and start working my mouth off. Those comments came after feeling frustrated, and knowing the apathy showcased in [important] circumstances. In a film like this one, the goings-on of several years have to be showcased in two hours.
That isn't always easy. I am a calmer, more thoughtful person than depicted in some instances in the film," she says of the film that will air on AXN later this week. Brockovich adds that should the project be made again, she'd love to play herself in it. "I always encourage people to be who they are. Julia did an amazing job, but, if we ever made a film again, it would be great to just play myself. Erin Brockovich is Erin Brockovich, right?"
Having spent several decades promoting environmental causes, the disappointment in her voice is palpable when she is prodded about the apathy showcased by world leaders in dealing with subjects close to her heart.
"I wish, they would remember that they are human too. They become so disconnected from the people that they forget that their families are also affected by the same issues that bother us. Don't you [world leaders] care about your homes like we do? Don't disconnect from us. We're all experiencing water issues and health concerns. World leaders shouldn't think that they are any different."
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