Kevin Costner in Uma Thurman: the “notorious” interviews of Maureen Dowd

Maureen Dowd has profiled the rich, famous and powerful for the New York Times since the 1980s. As she writes in her new collection, “Notorious”, “I have always been fascinated by the power of people who exercise power, how charismatic people create charisma, how talented people nourish or waste their talent.” She has the talent to ask questions that go to the edge of intrusion but which rather give intimate and intimate ideas.

“Notorious” presents conversations with everyone, from Uma Thurman to Elon Musk, Paul Newman to Mel Brooks. We chose five of the most juicy treats and anecdotes.

“They say that life is only a series of snapshots,” writes Dowd. “This book is certainly. They are pioneer, talented and shiny people at some point in their lives – and these moments can be lit.”

Kevin Costner: Never meet your heroes

Dowd admits that Costner was once a “big crush”. It was before interviewing it in 1991 in New Orleans.

“Things took a bad start when we crossed the French district to his hotel for the interview,” writes Dowd. “A group of sweet seniors shyly asked Costner to put a photo with them while waiting for a red light, tapping his cowboy boot with irritation.”

“OK,” he slammed to women, “but don't you see that I am interviewed?”

Dowd writes: “It was like watching someone kicked the kittens.” As the interview progressed, Costner asked Dowd, “with arrogant insurance”, if she was going to play the interview band for her friends. “I told him of the Amalux: 'I interviewed Paul Newman and I did not play this band for my friends. So I think I can refrain from playing yours.'”

Jane Fonda: refused sexual healing

When Dowd interviewed Jane founded in 2020, she asked the movie star / queen / black beast of the right if she wanted to have sex with Che Guevara. “No, I don't think of him,” replied founded. “To whom I think, and what is a great regret is Marvin Gaye. He wanted it and I didn't do it. I was married to Tom (Hayden). I met a lot of performers to try to make concerts for Tom and the woman who helped me do this presented Marvin Gaye. ”

Dowd: “Please tell me that his collection line included the words” sex healing “.”

Fonda: “I needed it but he didn't say that, no. But then I read, apparently, he had my photo on his refrigerator. I only discovered that later, after his death.”

Paul Newman: Eyes (don't have it)

One of my favorite pieces in “Notorious” is the profile of Newman from Dowd. Published in 1986, shortly before the release of “The Color of Money” (for which he would finally win his first Oscar), history shows that Newman is a relatable and humorous conversation partner – and very embarrassed to be considered a sexual symbol. It is worth quoting for a long time.

“For the public, the cerulean eyes of the actor have become a symbol of his celebrity. For Newman, they have become a symbol of his long struggle to be considered a craftsman. ” To work as hard as I worked to accomplish anything, then have Yo-Yo and say: “ Taking these dark glasses off and look at these blue eyes “is really discouraging.

“It is as if someone said,” Open your mouth and let me see your gums “or” open your blouse and let me see your chest “. The thing I never understood is that you present yourself with your eyes?

Uma Thurman: Immeable to death

In the profile of Dowd in 2018 by Thurman, the actress talks about dangerous meetings with two men. One is Harvey Weinstein, whose sexual assaults have been well chronic (Thurman “moved away from his attacks). The other is Quentin Tarantino, who, said Thurman, made him drive a dangerous car on the set of “Kill Bill”, which she crashed, leaving her seriously injured.

“Uma Thurman said she didn't want to drive this car,” writes Dowd. “She said she had been warned that there were problems with it. She said she should do it anyway.”

“The steering wheel was in my belly and my legs were stuck under me,” explains Thurman. “I felt this burning pain and I thought,” Oh, my God, I will never walk again. When I came back from the hospital in a neck splint with my knees and a big egg on my head and a concussion, I wanted to see the car and I was very upset.

Daniel Craig: Does Wi-Fi work?

“Often”, writes Dowd, “famous people just give you a well -offed riff that they have given thousands of times before. But sometimes you can lead them to a strange subject that takes them away from the script. And from time to time, they will simply surprise you.”

Such a surprise came in 2013, when Dowd interviewed Craig.

“The very cool Daniel Craig told me that he and Rachel Weisz had the ban on technological devices in the room and recommended this for everyone,” she wrote. “'If the iPad sets, I mean, unless you look at porn on the internet, he is a killer,' 'he said.

And scene.