An interview with actress and musician Helen Slater by Ryan Stride She is an actress, singer, songwriter and the original Supergirl. Having made her film debut as Supergirl, Helen's acting career literally took off, playing roles starring alongside film greats such as Bette Midler, Danny DeVito & Michael J Fox. She has also had a successful television career, appearing in Seinfeld, Smallville, Agent X, Grey's Anatomy and CSI:NY. In addition to her piano and her song writing skills, she is also a classically trained singer who has recorded 5 albums interweaving mythology, folk and jazz. She has also written a musical and is the co-founder of the New York-based Theater group, The Naked Angels. A talented creative soul, a spiritual artist and a mother- it is a pleasure to present this interview with the iconic Helen Slater... RS: Helen a very warm welcome to The Peace Dimension and how lovely to be able to do this interview with you. Now I have to say this Helen, when you agreed to do this interview I started watching some of your other recent interviews and you come across as this wonderfully gentle person- there is and I am not quite sure how to put it...there is this tranquillity about you that certainly comes across on screen. I have been involved in meditation practice for many years and I would say that I have sometimes seen this quality in other people who are involved or have gently integrated meditation into their life- but with you it’s different - it’s like it's a part of you. Do you think this was something those who cast you for Supergirl back in 1984 also picked up on? HS: Ryan, thanks for this unusual question. I have been meditating regularly these last few years. I have always had an interest in meditation and mindfulness practices. I don’t know if that was part of the casting process, but I am sure a casting director could speak into what qualities that an actor brings to a role that they have innately…. RS: The super hero theme has certainly reemerged right now in the context of what's been happening in the world. We have seen society rightly acknowledge the health care workers and medical professionals on the front line doing their best to help those brought down by this horrible virus. They have been identified as the superheroes of this time. Would you say that if we put aside the 'out of this world' superpowers possessed by these epic characters, that the fictional superheroes still embody qualities that can be demonstrated in the real world? HS: There is no doubt in my mind that human beings continue to evolve in a spiritual manner. Religion, mythologies, folklore all share a foundation in compassion, being of service, doing actions for the common good and living with an awakened heart. These are all qualities of superheroes and human beings. I think we are being asked to increase our capacity for love and tolerance so that we might ultimately retrieve and recognise the basic goodness in all of us. RS: Yes I really agree with you there. You have acted in many films and television shows and on the stage, is there a role or performance you have conveyed during your career that you are especially proud of? HS: I am not of the mind of being proud of my work. I have been lucky though to play parts that helped move the conversation forward around issues of sexism and equality. I am thinking of the role of Billie Jean in The Legend of Billie Jean. RS: Helen as you studied and further developed your acting skills could you mention two particular tools or acting realisations that helped you or significantly altered the way you performed in later roles? HS: The greatest insight into the acting process was the understanding of how relaxation can benefit an actor. The body and psyche are intimately related and when the body and mind are relaxed the actor has access to the unconscious. Spontaneity, being in the moment, all those qualities we treasure in life as well as in art are made more available when the body and mind can relax. RS: Yes relaxation is like a creative doorway to the radiance of the moment so it's great that you have shared that with us. You have performed alongside with some very distinct actors and actresses over the years including: Michael J Fox in The Secret to my Success; Peter O'Toole and Faye Dunaway in Supergirl; Betty Midler and Danny DeVito in Ruthless People. Did you gain any particular insights either relevant to acting or to life from this experience of working them? HS: I have learned so much from every actor I have worked with. Sometimes it is their sweetness and kind heart like Michael J Fox. Peter O’Toole taught me to be fearless and jump in wholeheartedly. Faye Dunnaway taught me about practicing self-care and advocating for what you need. Bette Midler taught me the art of being generous with other actors. RS: That's very cool and I can see that you hold them all in high regard. I could also really see Peter O'Toole offering that lesson on being fearless. It's great to see Danny DeVito still acting as he brings a unique brand of humour that seems authentic to his persona. Does his on screen humour manifest off set from what you can remember of working on that film Ruthless People? HS: Danny DeVito has the rare gift of making us laugh while bringing a rich sense of truth to characters that may not seem lovable at first sight. RS: Coming back to your iconic role as Supergirl, it must have been quite daunting Helen, when you first got cast to play this powerful female character, especially as I think you were the first actress to portray that character on the big screen, right? So, did you take inspiration or were you influenced by any other actresses or their portrayals of strong female characters when you prepared? HS: I was eighteen years old when I got the part of Supergirl. I had been involved in high school with writing musicals based on fairy tales and had studied the wisdom of kindness. I am thinking specifically of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Emperor’s Nightingale and how the themes of inner work and spiritual awakening were key. I think that was an underlying preparation for playing Supergirl. RS: I am not familiar with The Emperor's Nightingale but curious now to explore it. You also appeared in Smallville as Superman's biological mother Lara in one of the later seasons I believe and in the more recent Supergirl television series starring Melissa Benoist; with you again in a mother role. By the way, I nearly called this interview The Mother of Super Heroes...which sounds quite empowering- like The Mother of Dragons in HBO's Game of Thrones! OK, you both seemed to convey that mixture of gracefulness and power backed by integrity that the character embodies. Were there any distinct differences you noticed between your portrayal and Melissa's? HS: Melissa is such a wonderful talent. Kind, funny... generous. I felt she surpassed me in so many ways. The writing, the themes of Supergirl are so current with what is going on in our country now. Somehow Greg Berlanti and his team of extraordinary writers figured out a way to lace these political issues into the format of the TV show. I am thinking specifically of immigration, racial justice and equality for women. RS: There is an image of you on IMDB which I understand is from the popular television series Mad Men in which you appeared in one of the episodes. In the image you are sat in a cross-legged Yoga pose with your hands holding a mudra. Is Yoga something you practice in real life? HS: I do practice Yoga regularly. RS: You are also a pianist, song writer and singer. I notice one of the albums available on your website is called Selkie which is the mythological creature from Scottish folklore. Now I understand you are working on completing a PhD in Mythological Studies and you have a deep interest in this subject. Is there a particular region's mythology that you are particularly fond of? HS: There is so much in mythology I love. Right now, we are studying the Arthurian romances. I am writing a paper on Parsival based on Wolfram von Esenbach’s poem. The myth is so beautiful and points to the struggles we all have of living a meaningful life. RS: I believe you also wrote a Supergirl story titled A Hero's Journey for DC Comics Supergirl comic book. Any influence here from Joseph Campbell’s depiction of The Hero's Journey? HS: I am going to school at Pacifica Graduate Institute which is where Joseph Campbell’s library is. I have loved his writings for many years. I don’t know how exactly but I am sure he is influencing me constantly. RS: That's really interesting- there is a connection there I think! So Helen whilst we are talking about the hero's journey or the super hero's - we probably have to mention this sense of transformation that is part of the hero's process of growing- in these testing times what do you think is the lesson on transformation that humanity has to realise as we continue through this unusual time? HS: IF we are going to change, if we are going to leave the world more peaceful than we found it, than I think we have to practice the art of speaking, the art of ethical action and cultivate a general foundation of caring for the common good. One thing we have learned these last few weeks is we are deeply intertwined with each other. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Gnostic Atheist (or a mythologist) the need for love and compassion towards each other is deeply needed. We are no longer living in an isolated reality. RS: Helen you are a wise soul and make a lot of sense especially with what's going on right now. You were a co-founder of New York theatre group The Naked Angels. Are you still involved with the group? HS: I am no longer involved with Naked Angels since I moved to LA. RS: Now I recently did a great interview with writer and producer Brian Herskowitz- a terrific guy and as I understand you acted in one of his upcoming projects called Murray Ghosts right? HS: Brian is a great writer, director. His movie is so sweet and touches on themes of the invisible and what happens when we die. RS: It sounds interesting and I look forward to seeing you in it. Despite the restrictions of the pandemic, do you have any plans or projects you are working on for the near future? HS: I am in school at the moment. It is a blessing because I have so much reading and writing to do. RS: You spent some time in London when you were filming Supergirl and I’m sure you have been back here since then. How do you find London and are there any other places in the Uk that are of interest to you? HS: I would love to go back to England and visit more castles and sites from the Grail period. RS: Helen when I wrote my book The Peace Dimension it was supposed to be a small...I don't know... maybe road map to this place beyond time and space, where people can connect with some tranquillity. I never thought it would lead to these fascinating interviews with all these thoughtful and wise minds. Everyone so far who has agreed to do an interview seems to be, in some way or quite a few ways, on the same wavelength or frequency of the message shared in my book. Never thought I would be asking this to Supergirl... but Helen can I please ask: what does The Peace Dimension symbolise to you? HS: The Peace Dimension: I suppose if you think about string theory and that you need ten dimensions to get a unified field theory, then the framework for understanding Peace as a living reality is a lovely idea. It may not be visible to the eye, but at any moment we can choose to practice peace and equanimity even in the face of great aversion or anxiety. It is not easy, but it is available. RS: I really like that. Helen thank you so much for sharing your message with us and I wish you and your family peace and good health. Helen's website is: www.helenslater.com The Peace Dimension by Ryan Stride is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk Copyright © Ryan Stride 2020 All rights reserved Comments are closed.
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AuthorBorn in London, England, Ryan wishes to share with people how the mystical can be found in the moment, allowing great things to happen. Ryan is also a writer and social commentator who is currently working on a script and several new book titles. ArchivesCategories |