[karana]

Graham Tracker

''Gilmore Girls'' star Lauren talks about working with Diane Keaton, her new production company, and getting the giggles while shooting a late-night scene at Neiman Marcus



Graham (right) with Keaton and Moore




Gilmore Girls fans know Lauren Graham as the hyper-talkative, lovably neurotic Lorelai Gilmore, mom and best friend to her daughter, Rory. But in her new film, Because I Said So, Graham attempts a very different role — that of Diane Keaton's psychologist daughter. EW.com chatted with Graham to find out what it was like being the calm kid for a change.
Tell me a little about Because I Said So.
I [play] Mandy [Moore]'s sister, and Diane's daughter. It was seriously some of the most fun I've ever had. And it's just about one sister who can't keep a relationship [going] — Mandy — and it follows this family through weddings and babies and stuff. Because we shot this all in two days. So literally in one day, I think, I was pregnant twice and in three weddings. I was like, Okay, pregnancy pad on, pregnancy pad off. It was a whole seven cycles of life in, like, three days. And it's just amazing to just talk to Diane — she does a thing where she strokes her fake beard, and we all picked it up by the end.
Is she wearing the gloves while she's stroking her beard?
Yeah, always with the gloves and the turtleneck. And the great hair and the cute glasses and the shoes, gloves.... The only sad thing about doing that movie is, now that I've [played Diane's daughter], that chance probably won't come around [again] for a while.
You could play her lesbian lover.
Well, maybe I'll play her something-else. Why can't I be her sister? Why do I have to make out with her? She's like my mom. That's too creepy.
Any memorable scenes you can share?
There's this scene where we had to shoot overnight in this mall. I had a laughing attack, and I just remember Diane going, ''Oh, yep, there she goes — I don't think we're going to be able to shoot.'' How ridiculous it was that there we were at 3 in the morning in the shoe department at Neiman Marcus, and I'm having a laughing attack, and Diane [is] totally nonplussed.
You play Steve Carell's wife in the film Evan Almighty, which comes out this summer. How was that?
That was amazing. Really cool. I had three boys playing my sons who were the best. [The film] is sort of loosely [based] on the Noah's Ark story, but in the story Noah has three sons. That's why I'm Joan... of the Ark. Get it? I do not catch on fire. I have yet to catch on fire in any of my current projects. There is so much left to explore in my career.
Could you describe the projects your TV production company is doing?
We have a drama that takes place in the art-auction world. It's sort of marries my love of Antiques Roadshow and The O.C. It's like a soapy high-brow show about following objects. I'm a real collector and antiques person... [Another project is] sort of like My Name Is Earl at a black Baptist church. Actually, don't say that, because my grandmother — if she sees [the word] Baptist, she'll have a complete meltdown.
Tell us more about your production company.
My best friend from college is my producing partner, and her son is my godson, and it's really amazing to work with such a great friend. I've learned a lot about having a show from being on [Gilmore Girls] for so long. So that's a real interest of mine. We're still in development right now. This is the time of year where they start buying things but you don't know what's going to happen. But it's fun because our emblem is a picture of my grandmother playing basketball. [To me] that's better than ''I love you.'' There's no higher compliment.
Posted Feb 02, 2007