Stepping
into the shoes (or boots) of a cultural icon is no easy matter. When that icon
happens to be named Daisy, with a style of short shorts named after her, and you
grew up pretending to be her — well, the task grows even more daunting.
For Jessica Simpson, playing Daisy Duke in the big-screen version of "The
Dukes of Hazzard" — along with Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott
— has been more than a challenge; it's changed her life in ways she couldn't
have predicted. MTV's Chris Williams spoke with Jessica about learning to stunt
drive, what the film's (male) director looks like in a pair of Daisy Dukes and
why hanging out in a bikini in front of 40 guys is a quick way to learn all
sorts of things about the movie business — and about oneself.
MTV:
When you were young, did you ever think you were going to grow up and do a film
version of "The Dukes of Hazzard"?
I didn't even know what a film was, really. I didn't grow up going to a ton of
movies. But I think anybody who goes into a movie theater wouldn't mind being up
there on the big screen. I never thought in a million years that I would end up
being Daisy Duke. When I heard that there was actually going to be a movie, I'm
the one who kind of sought it out. I went and knocked down [producer] Bill
Gerber's door.
You sought out the role?
I made it very, very obvious that I wanted to be Daisy Duke. That was one thing
that I told my dad, who's my manager. I was like, "This is my first movie.
This has to be my first movie." And I looked at it as a goal I had to work
towards, and I mastered it.
Being
a Southern girl, what effect did Daisy's character have on you when you were
young?
I'm definitely a girl who looked up to Catherine Bach [the original Daisy Duke].
I wanted to be her. I just remember me and my cousins — my cousins would be Bo
and Luke, and I would be Daisy, so to actually be able to try to fill those
shoes has been such an honor.
Was it difficult living up to the expectations that come along with being
Daisy Duke after Catherine Bach?
Stepping into your first role is always a nerve-wracking thing. Having to be
Daisy Duke just adds to it. I knew that I was gonna have to walk around in this
bikini and short shorts, and yet have this confidence and strength. It was fun
to play that role because it ... she taught me a lot. She taught me how
to walk and talk and get away with things — in a good way. Having to wear a
bikini and smile and be a role model at the same time is a hard thing to pull
off, but Daisy Duke does it well.
Does walking around in a bikini and short shorts take some getting used to?
Yeah. I'm not even a girl who walks around the beach in her bikini. I lie down
on the towel, and I wrap up when I stand up, so I was definitely acting in the
movie. Having that confidence of taking off my jacket and just using my body
like that — it was definitely far out for me. It was a big step. But I'm proud
of it. I'm proud of being able to pull off a character like that. I know how to
fight and drive and wear a bikini now. Wow, the perfect Southern girl!
How hard was it to get your body in shape for that role?
When you know you're going to have millions of people looking at you in a
bikini, I think any girl would want to make it look as good as they possibly
can. That's just how I looked at it. I looked at it as me training for a
character, training for a role, and then I loved training so much and I loved
the diet. It made me feel better. I cut out sugar and it just gave me so much
more energy and so much more confidence. So, you know, I definitely owe that to
Daisy Duke. But getting in shape was probably my biggest challenge for the
movie.
What goes through your mind when they're shooting a close-up on your body?
It was a closed set the day I had the bikini scene. Well, actually, there's a
couple of bikini scenes. But the one where I bare all in a bikini was
pretty much a closed set, but that still means there's like 40 people around.
You know, men. Forty men, not women. It was hard for me. But when I took my
jacket off it was mostly like, "OK, I hope everything stays in, and I hope
my sticky tape is on right, and that my body makeup isn't sweating down my
body." So there are definitely things that are going through your head, and
most of it is not really professional. It's all about insecurities, more than
anything, but I had the confidence. I was proud of my body, so I didn't mind
taking it off. I was proud of being Daisy.
I think every girl always has somebody that she looks up to. I mean, there are
bodies out there that I want mine to look like. Even the biggest of celebrities
will look through a magazine and say they want to look like somebody else. It's
never good enough and you're never satisfied, but just as long as you find
confidence in who you are and give yourself a goal and work towards it, once you
get there, then you can take your jacket off and be proud.
How do you think loyal fans of the show will react to you as Daisy?
I think that they're going to enjoy it. Of course, it's not exactly what they
watched, because that was for TV. This is on the big screen, and Daisy Duke is
blond, and there are things that will probably be brought up that some fans
won't like. But I like it, and I think that all my friends love it and my
parents love it, and as long as my friends, parents and fans love it and I make
a couple more along the way, that's all that matters.
What was it like working with Jay Chandrasekhar, the director?
Jay was the best director to work with on my first movie, because he's an actor,
as well, and he just made me feel really comfortable. He knows from an actor's
point of view what you're thinking and your insecurities, and he was just really
good at putting his arm around me and taking me to the corner and running lines
with me. He even stepped into a pair of Daisy Dukes. I basically made a bet with
him that by the end of the movie he would have to wear 'em. It was the last day
of shooting, and I was like, "Don't you remember that bet we made?"
And he came walking out in Daisy Dukes. We had a moment. They weren't short
enough, though.
You went to stunt-driving school for this movie, right?
I went to driving school, which was a blast. I learned things that I never
thought in a million years that I would do. I mean, I learned how to do reverse
180s on a wet pavement in a cop car. I wish I could've done it in the movie! I
was like, "Can't we write this in, 'cause look, I'm doing it, I'm doing
it!" That was so exciting for me. There were great moments of just being in
the car and screaming, pulling it off and being so proud. I wasn't really that
much of a thrill-seeker kind of girl — but now I am. I loved doing that. I
loved just kind of putting myself out there and not being Jessica for a little
bit.
The General Lee is arguably the most popular car in entertainment history.
Why do you think that is?
Yeah, the General Lee is one of the most iconic cars in history. Other than the
Batmobile, I think. The Batmobile and the General Lee are, like, the two most
recognizable cars in TV or film. Growing up, that was one of my favorite
characters, in a way, and my favorite TV show. It was a very cool car, so it was
fun to drive it.
Fans seem to like you even more than the General Lee, though. They're looking
forward to seeing you as much as they're looking forward to the car.
That's good. Maybe it's my Southern charm that won me the part and, hopefully,
will win over the hearts of America. And the rest of the world, for that matter.
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