Catherine Mary Stewart [Interview] (2024)

February 1, 2019by rontrembathiiiLeave a comment

Today we have some amazing words from the renowned actress Catherine Mary Stewart who has been delightfully entertaining the world for the last 40 years. She has appeared in everything from cult classic films (one of which happens to include some old friends of ours!) to legendary sci-fi/fantasy films, and so much more. With such an uncanny on screen presence, it is extremely clear why Stewart has had a long lasting presence in the world of film, television, and the stage. She is also one heck of a nice person, which is always a plus!

Catherine was kind enough to take a look back a bit at some of the projects she has worked on that we are very fond of here at Trainwreck’d Society. We also delve in a bit into what she has been working on lately, and how she has become a favorite amongst the Con scene, especially in regards to her magnificent performance in the 1984’s The Last Starfighter, which has only grown in popularity in the 35 years since it was released. Yes, from blockbusters to indie darlings, Catherine Mary Stewart has had a truly commendable career that we are so happy to hear about here today in our digital pages.

So Folks, please enjoy some wonderful words form the legend herself, the great Catherine Mary Stewart!

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When did you first discover that you had a passion for the world of acting? What was it that initially drew you into this world? I understand you started in the world of dance, over here on this side of the pond in London. What prompted the transition?

What I discovered through dance was that I loved being on stage performing and expressing myself. The first time I performed professionally as a dancer in a company, I knew without adoubt that that was what I wanted to do. It had a life altering, tangible effect on me. Along with my dance training I performed in lots of theatre projects in school and took acting and singing classes. After I graduated from high school in Canada I crossed to your side of the pond and studiedat a performing arts school in London. It’s during that time that I got my first professional acting gig. I auditioned as a dancer for this rock musical called“The Apple” and was asked to read for the lead female role. I ended up getting it. It was all very newfor me but in a way it didn’t feel overwhelming. There was a sense of natural progression and with my background I had the discipline from my years of dancetraining to work hard, to learn the ropes quickly and enjoy the moment.

You are a renowned performer in just about every genre, from sci-fi to comedy to thrillers. In your professional opinion as someone who has worked almost 40 years in the business, what are some major common traits amongst the genres that you have noticed? And what are some vast differences between certain genres?

I think the similarities are that the characters in any genre have to beidentifiable and to the audience on some level. There must be a level of reality no matter how bizarre the story or the audience won’t invest in the character and as a result the film. The differences are in the way the story is told or the genre, and what the overall effect is on the audience, emotionally, psychologically and sometimes even physically.

In 1987, you appeared in a wonderful film that was directed by our dear friend Penelope Spheeris and featured our new friend Daniel Roebuck, entitled Dudes. The film has achieved cult classic status over the years for very obvious reasons. And as somebody with experience working on the film itself, I am curious to know if you had any opinions on what it is that made this film such a classic? And when you were working on the project, could you tell you were creating something memorable?

Certainly two stellar people, both of whom I call friends along with Jon Cryer. I think what makes Dudes stand out is it’s originality. I’d never seen anything like it before and I haven’t seen anything like itsince. Again, I think the characters are identifiable for an audience on many levels. The are relatable characters in an outrageous situation. I love the concept of Dudes. I was drawn to this independent, strong, gun-slinging, horse riding character of Jessie. I’ve always had a romantic vision of westerns and I craved to be a part of one. I love that it is unique yet for me my character really embodied my idea of a character in a western. I loved working with Penelope, Jon and Daniel. Everyone was 100% invested in this crazy thing and it shows on the screen.

And speaking of a filmmaker like Penelope Spheeris, who is one of our favorites, I am always curious to know from a performer’s perspective: what makes a great director to work with in your opinion? What sort of dynamic between filmmaker and performer do you believe needs to be in place in order for a project to be a success?

A director needs to have a clear personal vision of what the project is and what they want to say. There must beunwavering belief in the vision, enthusiasm, integrity and communication with the cast and the crew to bring their vision to light. Penelope knows what she likes, knows what she wants and knows who she is. Those qualities are more than apparent in her work.

You have been known to make quite a few con appearances, whether it be for some of your cult classic appearances like Night of the Comet and Last Starfighter, which are HUGE in the sci-fi world, or maybe a Weekend At Bernies event. Overall, how has the fan reaction been to your appearances at these types of event? What type of folks have shown up to awe over your presence?

The fans at these events are the best! There is no specific“type” that shows up. Generally they are passionate about the genre, somedress as certain characters, but overall they are just big fans of the movies. Theimpact these movies can have on people cannot be underestimated. It certainly didn’t occur to me at the time we were making them. I’m so proud of Night of the Cometand The Last Starfighterbecause I believe the impact they have had is positive and even inspiring. There have been so many fans that I’ve had theprivilege to meet that have shared their personal stories about how these movies influenced them as young people andthrough the years. It’struly lovely for me to hear all the accounts!