Cheering on the Boys

Amy Smart says she enjoyed getting into the guy-centric, Seventies vibe for Starsky and Hutch remake.

by John Millar

Carmen Electra and Amy Smart (right): "free-spirited, fun-loving, willing girls"

Carmen Electra and Amy Smart (right): "free-spirited, fun-loving, willing girls"

Question: You look far too young to have seen the original television series - how did both of you get into Starsky and Hutch?

Amy Smart: I rented a few episodes because it was a little before my time. Not a lot before my time. I grew up in the 1970s but just right on that cusp so once I got the part in the movie I decided to do some research and find out what really Starsky and Hutch were about and the way girls were in Starsky and Hutch. They were pretty replaceable. (laughs). There were new girls every week. And so those were the sort of girls we were playing - free-spirited, fun-loving, willing girls who want to have a good time.

Question: What do you think of 1970s fashion

Amy Smart: I personally like it. Not all of it. But I will definitely go to vintage stores to get cool pieces from the 1970s.

Question: What kind of stuff do you like?

Amy Smart: I like the scarves, I like the tops. I like some of the bell bottoms and the shoes but I wouldn't just always wear 1970s clothing. I think guys have more of a problem, because of the really tight-fitting pants (laughs) and the bell bottoms, but I thought that was sort of hot-looking on a guy. So I enjoyed the fashion.

Question: What about the music from that time?

Amy Smart: Amazing. It was amazing. It wasn't mass-produced like it is today and it wasn't only about how much money you could make, it was about rock 'n' roll and singer-songwriters and bands that last still to this day. I love the music from the 1970s.

Question: Was it easier for you to do a movie like Starsky And Hutch than The Butterfly Effect?

Amy Smart: They're just such different movies and I like them both for completely different reasons. I still take acting classes, I still work really really hard on acting and the craft of acting so The Butterfly Effect really challenged me in that aspect. With this movie it wasn't really quite as much about the acting, it was just, "This is just going to be fun."

Question: You might never have the opportunity again to play so many different facets of a character in one movie as you did in The Butterfly Effect?

Amy Smart: It was an amazing role to get and to work on.

Question: Was it funny for you having to kiss each other? Did you have to practice much?

Amy Smart: (laughs) We didn't practice before but, you know, you don't really see this type of kiss in a movie like this. I personally like to try new things in movies all the time and it was written in the script and it's sexual and it's fun. The girls and Owen are just willing to have a good time so you just have to surrender to that and I enjoyed it and I had fun with Carmen.

Question: What is sexy for you?

Amy Smart: I think somebody who is confident and has a good sense of humour and has humility.

Question: What's your view on the chemistry between Ben and Owen?

Amy Smart: I think they really compliment each other very nicely because they're both comedians but Owen is funny sort of in the Christopher Walken way... the way he delivers his line... it looks like he's not trying at all. Ben has directed four films and he's more technical and he's funny really in the physical sort of way and playing that guy where things can never go right. So I think both of them together create a lot of chemistry.

Question: Did you have to do a lot of takes because you were laughing?

Amy Smart: I think we were pretty good at holding our laughs in, because we would be the ones laughing and they definitely improvised and tried new things.

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