Last week,Monica Barbaromet Joan Baez in person for the first time.
But now, at last, the two women have met at Baezs San Francisco concert on February 8th.
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You were in London shooting Crime 101.
And youd been to Denmark Street guitar shopping.How was the rest of that shoot?
Or are you not done?
L to R: Monica Barbaro with ‘A Complete Unknown’ co-starElle Fanningand Kylie Jenner at the Golden Globes in January
So now its kind of perfect in timing with the BAFTAs.
So, Im going to New York tomorrow and then to London on Saturday.
BAFTAs are on Sunday.
Youve been to the Oscars beforewith Top Gun Maverick, but now youre personally nominated in Supporting Actress.
How are you feeling about it all?
BARBARO:Im so excited.
It has its overwhelming moments, for sure.
Or at least thats been my experience of it.
So, I feel confident that Ive been before, so at least Ive seen it.
And we all just get to share in the kind of madness of it.
Its like the ultimate event, but it also is the last event.
I think theres something about that that is just really freeing.
They were so happy, but there was also…
I make it sound like its a bad thing.
DEADLINE: Its a long road.
BARBARO:Its so nice.
I never really expected that.
That was something I didnt know about beforehand.
And thats what happened when we were running around withTop Gun.
I remember getting to chat with Kerry Condon a bunch.
And just a lot of different people.
And like I said, theEverything Everywhereguys.
It becomes kind of your little community.
Has there been an instant of Im going to treasure this moment forever?
BARBARO:Constantly, yeah.
I think I ran away.
I dont think I gave her any clues as to how big of a deal that was to me.
That was at the Golden Globes.
But in Santa Barbara, we just had the funniest moment.
And it goes beyond that.
DEADLINE: Its such sisterhood, isnt it?
Like being in the bathroom with the girls and fixing your makeup.
Did you get to chat?
How was the experience of seeing her perform?
BARBARO:It was incredible.
It was a beautiful concert.
I think the audience felt very held and seen.
I got very emotional when she walked out on stage and was dancing.
Its just wild to be in the same room with her.
And then yeah, then I got to meet her after, backstage.
And we just had a lovely brief chat.
She was like, When do you really land?
And she was just really thoughtful and wonderful.
Also, by the way, her singing voice is still absolutely beautiful.
She sang Diamonds and Rust.
She just completely blew me away.
Im so grateful that in my lifetime I can say that Ive heard Joan sing live.
Getting to meet her was incredible, but to have also seen that was just life-changing, mind-blowing.
I cant think of the proper words.
DEADLINE: Life-changing and mind-blowing covers it.
And she had already told the Marin Independent Journal that she loved your performance.
What did that mean to you when you heard that?
She said you got her gestures down perfect.
Thats got to feel amazing.
That was wonderful to read.
She had shared that in a way with me prior to that…
So yeah, when she shared that, I felt just very honored.
What sing did you sing?
BARBARO:Well, there was a scene that included…
It was kind of a three-parter.
That was a scene.
And then it was like, choose your own song.
And that was for two reasons: One, I really loved the song.
DEADLINE: Could you play at all?
BARBARO:No I was just singing.
I knew someone who knew a guitarist, and so I had a recording to accompany me.
But no, I didnt play guitar.
And now I can actually play the song, which is just kind of crazy to me.
DEADLINE: I wanted to ask you about Jim, actually.
Well, its funny.
He has such a booming voice and strong opinions.
He can also be quite terrifying.
But those are intense sets.
And as an actor, I really needed that.
Im a person who tends to feel like I need permission to do anything, to have a voice.
I get really shy about it.
And hes like, Justdo.
And I appreciated that so much…
He would catch me at doing that before I even recognized it myself.
And the way he advocates for actors and the way he values…
DEADLINE: I found this story of Joan so inspiring because she just has this mettle.
She does suffer fools.
And I wonder if she had a lingering effect on you just as a woman.
Did she leave you with anything?
Was she inspiring to you personally?
BARBARO:Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, I think Im a bit like that.
And Id have to say back to him, Dont take no sh-t from nobody.
So I think thats kind of in me.
And I think thats something that we had in common.
And I apply this to all art.
I was trying to be perfect.
And the more you have a go at perfect something, the less interesting it gets.
And Ive seen that in my own art a lot.
You sort of squeeze the life out of it.
DEADLINE: Tell me about working with Timothee.
BARBARO:There were a couple moments.
And we had incredible background artists who were contributing.
And so that was a really cool kickoff for us.
Its such a charged moment between the two of them.
And again, we didnt have to talk about any of it.
We really didnt talk about any of these scenes together.
Honestly, the less we talked about the scenes, the better they went.
And yeah, we got a few takes.
DEADLINE: You had to wear fake teeth too.
How was that decided on and how did you work with it?
Was it difficult or did it add something for you?
BARBARO:Oh, it added so much for me.
Some of his major claims to fame are Charlize Therons teeth inMonsterand Will Smiths teeth inKing Richard.
Amongst many other sets of teeth.
And he is brilliant.
Hes meticulous and such a talented artist.
And it gives you a sense of… Just more of a sense of time travel.
And he saw my fitting photos and he just was like, I think she needs teeth.
Its just a transformation and you dont quite know why.
And yeah, Art just did a beautiful, beautiful job with those teeth.
He needs his own corner at the Academy Museum.
DEADLINE: You were shooting the TV showFUBARoverlapping partly withA Complete Unknown.
I hear you ended up playing guitar for Arnold Schwarzenegger on set.
What did you sing and did he join in?
BARBARO:[Laughs] What was really fun was like everyone would sort of grab the guitar.
A lot of people will know a song.
So, Fortune Feimster was singing Dixie Chicks.
And I taught another actor, Travis Van Winkle, how to Travis pick.
And he knew how to play a version of Blowin in the Wind.
And Arnold saw that and came over, and he was such a proud dad.
Everyone on that set was so supportive.
It felt like a proud family positioning me to make this film.
