Love strikes again

Sandra Bullock (left) trying on the wedding dress with help from Betty White (right) as the grandmother

Bullock and Reynolds, the unlikely couple

As Margaret Tate, a high-powered executive at a New York publishing house, she forces her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Reynolds), into a sham engagement when faced with the prospect of deportation to her native Canada.

Her assistant has plans of his own. Securing the promise of a promotion and turning the tables on his domineering boss, Andrew takes his unlikely fiancée to Alaska to meet his eccentric family (Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White) and prepare for an impending hearing with a suspicious immigration official. First, however, the unlikely couple must survive each other.

Directed by Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses), Sandra Bullock talks about her role in this release from Disney.

• What attracted you to this film?

The writing. When I first heard it was coming up, I actually said: ‘No, not interested.’ They said, ‘Trust us, just read it.’ I did. And they were right.

• Why the initial resistance?

The way that it was described – as a romantic comedy. I cringe when I hear that. I don’t want to be in them. I’ve done them to the point where I felt I’m done with them. There’s a cliché to them that just makes you roll your eyes. And I read this and, of course, it’s not a romantic comedy. That’s the thing. It reminded me of the great comedies that had some romance in them and work on many different levels. I didn’t expect it to actually be funny and emotional.

• It also has a great central character, Margaret Tate.

(Laughs)… We all love a good bitch. And we all have it in us. But for Margaret, it’s masking fear and insecurity. As long as you allow that in, you can play the comedy a lot better. If you were simply cruel the whole time, it wouldn’t really make for a funny film.

• What was it like working with the director?

I cannot say enough about Anne Fletcher as a director. She comes from choreography. So if you don’t get it, how it’s written on the page, she figures out your comedic rhythm and what works best for you. Comedy is about rhythm. Choreography is about rhythm. And everyone has a different comedic style. You have Betty White. You have me. You have Ryan (Reynolds). You have Craig T. Nelson. You have Mary Steenburgen. You have a dog! So you have to have someone who is comfortable tapping into all those different rhythms and making them work within an ensemble situation. So I cannot say enough about Anne Fletcher. She is one of the most thorough, enjoyable and hardworking directors I’ve ever worked with in the comedy business. She’s truly extraordinary.

• Which is harder to do, comedy or drama?

Comedy, really. Because with drama, you have a lot of other elements helping you through the scene. Comedy, if you don’t nail it, there’s nothing… And when it fails, it’s painful.

• What was the biggest challenge for you on The Proposal?

The cold. And the damn heels (laughs). And then they go, ‘You’re doing your first nude scene, now…’ Yes, my first nude scene — with an 11-week-old dog, a hairdryer and a washcloth.

• And it was...

Daunting. You run around with a little thing stuck to your private parts and you slap against your costar (laughs)… I mean, I’m very happy being naked in my house, when there isn’t a film crew around. Well, I read it in the script. And I thought, this is hysterical. And then the second thought was, ‘Oh my God, how are they going to shoot this?’ And then you forget about it. And then, a couple of weeks before, you start thinking… Maybe I should cut down on the butter and the carbs... Maybe I’ll skip the salt… Maybe I’ll skip the wine at dinner. And then you get to the day. At the beginning of the day, Ryan and I were looking at our little stuck-on codpieces that stay on for maybe two takes. And then it was just all hanging out. By hour eight, you just don’t care. Ryan and I have known each other for many years, and we knew we were trying to make it as funny as possible.

• What are your hopes for The Proposal?

I want it to entertain people. I want to make people laugh. I want people to go and have a good time. You know, we’re not in a time right now where we should really bring people down.

Our job is to entertain. That’s my job. That’s our job. And I hope we did a good job.

The Proposal Contest

Grand Prize x 10

One The Proposal luggage lock, One The Proposal shoe bag and One The Proposal necklace.

Q: Name the director of The Proposal.

Tell us why you think Sandra Bullock is a terrific comedic actress in 15 words or less

E-mail your entry (ONE ONLY) to: discontest@gmail.com

Closing Date: noon, July 28, 2009

Include your full name, I.C. No, Contact No and Postal Address

Subject Field: The Proposal-Sunday People

Terms & Conditions: l Contest is open to all Malaysians except employees of NST and Sony Pictures. l Judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entertained.

• Late entries will not be entertained.

• Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash.