29 March 2006
Interview with Kelly Preston
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A talented and captivating performer, Kelly Preston has performed in a broad range of motion pictures, portraying roles in such diverse films as Jerry Maguire, Citizen Ruth and Twins. Her dynamic and compelling performances have proven her to be one of the most sought-after actors of our generation.
Kelly, who is the current face of Neutrogena’s national advertising campaign, was most recently seen opposite Kurt Russell in Walt Disney’s Sky High, a teen comedy directed by Mike Mitchell and produced by Andrew Gunn. The film is centered on a high school for super-powered teens living in a world where super heroes are an everyday occurrence. Kelly and Kurt play Josie Jetstream and Commander Stronghold, the parents of a future superhero.
Kelly recently wrapped filming Paramount/MTV Films’ Broken Bridges, starring in the lead role opposite country music singer Toby Keith, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson and Tess Harper. The picture, directed by Steven Goldmann and slated for a 2006 theatrical release, is a bittersweet story of former high school sweethearts Angela Dalton (Kelly Preston) and Bo Price (Toby Keith), who return home after the deaths of their younger brothers, which forces them to deal with the past and future.
Kelly was also seen in Eulogy, which premiered in January 2004 at the Sundance Film Festival and was released by Lions Gate Films last year. She co-starred in this dark comedy alongside Ray Romano, Hank Azaria, Famke Janssen, Zooey Deschanel and Debra Winger. The film centers around a dysfunctional family forced to come together for their father’s funeral. She was also seen as The Mom in The Cat in the Hat alongside Mike Myers.
Kelly also starred in the independent drama Convicted alongside Connie Nielsen and Aidan Quinn for Oscar-winning director Bille August. Kelly plays Susan Kennan, a lawyer fighting to exonerate a woman who is on death row. As the case unfolds, she is forced to question the motives of a man who has befriended her client. The film premiered in September 2004 at the Toronto Film Festival.
Upon graduating from high school, Kelly relocated to Los Angeles and enrolled in the University of Southern California, where she studied drama and theatre. She ultimately transferred to the University of California at Los Angeles and decided to commit to pursue acting seriously. She would soon win her first audition.
Kelly was born and raised in Hawaii. As a result of her father’s position with an agricultural firm, the family moved first to Iraq for one year and then to Australia for two years. It was while she was a teenager in Hawaii that Kelly appeared in television commercials and began to develop an interest in an acting career.
She made her feature film debut with a well-received role in the hit motion picture Twins opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. Her additional film credits include Only You, Run, The Perfect Bride, The Experts, Spellbinder, Space Camp, 52 Pick-Up, Secret Admirer and Mischief. Kelly also starred in the Academy Award-nominated short, Little Surprises directed by Jeff Goldblum.
Kelly appeared to rave reviews opposite Tom Cruise in the number one box office smash it Jerry Maguire. The Tri-Star picture was written and directed by Cameron Crowe.
She was also seen in a pivotal role in the critically-acclaimed motion picture Citizen Ruth for Miramax. In addition, she starred in the hit feature film Addicted to Love co-starring Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick and was seen in the comedy Nothing to Lose opposite Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence.
Kelly also starred in the feature film comedy The Holy Man, with Eddie Murphy and Jeff Goldblum, Jack Frost opposite Michael Keaton for Warner Bros., Daddy and Them directed by Billy Bob Thornton, For the Love of the Game opposite Kevin Costner for director Sam Raimi, and most recently in the Miramax film, View From the Top with Gweneth Paltrow and Christina Applegate and directed by Bruno Barreto and the Warner Bros. film What a Girl Wants opposite Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth.
Q: How did you find out about and get into Scientology?
A: Actually, I learned about it through my acting class teacher, who ran his class with unusual precision. Everything he did made so much sense and his acting class was such a happy and very non-invalidative environment to work in — a very rare setting for an acting class. I really thought, “Hmm. There’s something to this.” I knew he ran it with Scientology principles.
What struck me the most was his care for us as individuals and as artists. Like when my then-boyfriend and I had difficulties with our relationship, he had us write up all of our misdeeds we had committed against each other. That was a big eye opener. It handled so much that was going on, it was amazing. At the time my life was falling apart. I ended up getting some Scientology auditing called “Life Repair” and this totally changed my life. That was my first introduction to Scientology really, and that’s when I thought, “Yeah. My life can be better! I want more of this.”
Q: You then did the Purification Rundown procedure. What made you decide to do it?
A: I had heard some of the results of it and thought it made so much sense. I heard about how it could improve your happiness, your memory, your career. There was also mention of the fact that it gets radiation out of the body — having been born and raised in Hawaii and having been in the sun a lot, you know, it all made sense. Then there were also all the different chemicals and drugs I was aware I had been exposed to, not to mention all of the drugs I had done years ago. All that together with the desire to handle myself and get all of this out of my system made me want to do the Purification Rundown.
Q: What changes did the Purification Rundown make in your life?
A: While I was doing it, what was really cool was the running out of certain drugs. It was like, “Oh my, what’s that?” I would never have thought that all these drugs and toxins would have stayed in my body and that they still could be having an effect on me. But they had and they were coming out of my system and that was really wild.
Also, seeing sunburns I had had fifteen years ago turn on and come out! I remember clearly the time when I was seven years old, I had this bathing suit that I thought was so cool — with holes in the sides and a hole in the center — and I got a sunburn in it. And then, fourteen years later, while doing the Purification Rundown, I had the exact same sunburn turn on and “come out.”
The Purification Rundown heightened my senses greatly. Colors became brighter, my hearing more acute, everything tasted better and I felt more focused. Life became more vibrant, more alive and more vital. I was happier, lighter, brighter. My outlook was better than ever. It was like the edge had been taken off of life, which was really nice. Things became more effortless. Wow!
I couldn’t believe it. And if that was only one of the first steps on The Bridge, I thought, “Oh my! This is awesome.”
Q: Is there anything else you want to say?
A: If you want your life to be richer and fuller, and you just want to be really happy, then there you go. You need Scientology.
I have much more care and love and responsibility for groups and mankind. I had always been quite insular with myself, my family and friends before. But now, I really feel great responsibility for mankind and people. My interests are so much higher. I’m more involved in life and take a much more active stance. And I love it.
I’m able to do so much. I mean, before Scientology, trying to get something done was tough. There were stops here, barriers there and uhh... it was a strain. But now, I can do fifty times the amount of what I used to accomplish, literally, and with total effortlessness. Life is so much easier, wonderful, fun and rich. •
