The Fan Interview
Thora sends many thanks to all of you who responded to our recent "Fan Interview". Your questions were meaningful, thought provoking, and showed a great deal of originality. There were tons of questions and Thora will be sending more replies in the future as time permits, but as for now, she offers this first set of responses.
1. Fans: What type of film would you like to direct?
- Thora: Although I'd like to think that as a filmmaker, I would try any genre of film, but I know that ultimately, my tastes would lean towards something character driven, intimate, and verging on the political, or social issue related.
2. Fans: How many hours make up a typical shooting day on a movie set?
- Thora: Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a typical day in the motion picture industry, let alone on an actual film set, but the hours are pretty much 12-14 hour days.
3. Fans: What profession would you have liked to pursue if you weren't an actor?
4. Fans: "American Beauty" touched every human emotion from laughter to tears. How did it affect you when you watched it?
- Thora: The first time I saw "American Beauty" I was pretty blown away. I felt as though I had been on an emotional roller coaster and would be left shaking from it for days. Maybe I got too involved with the "process" on that film.
5. Fans: You have worked so well with different types of animals. Do you have any pets of your own?
- Thora: On my family's estate, we have dogs, chickens, a hawk, a white owl, a dove and some pigeons. Plus there are a lot of crows and other wild birds around because they nest in our trees.
6. Fans: What does Thora Birch "the person" think of Thora Birch "the actor"?
- Thora: That is too close. I have no objectivity.
7. Fans: What cities other than Hollywood would you like to shoot a movie in?
- Thora: New York, Rome, San Francisco, the south of France, etc., etc., London again. I have been fortunate to see many wonderful places on this planet and I would love to work in them all.
8. Fans: When you are not acting, what do you like to do for fun?
- Thora: I love to spend time on my ranch, read, watch movies, swim, dance, and roller blade. When I was younger, I loved to jump on the trampoline.
9. Fans: Is a good solid performance it's own reward, or does being nominated for an award make that performance more special to you?
- Thora: To me, the most rewarding thing about acting is the experience of creating a character and taking what I perceive to be the writer and director's vision of that character, and expanding on it.
10. Fans: Who would you have been in a previous life?
11. Fans: What advice would you offer to those fans who have aspirations of becoming an actor?
- Thora: Think it through. Ask yourself if there is anything else you could see yourself doing. If it's no, then never give up!
12. Fans: What were your favorite school subjects?
- Thora: Literature, History and Art.
13. Fans: I can envision many of your younger characters all grown up now. Are there any of your movies that you would like to film a sequel to?
- Thora: It's kind of hard to envision sequels to some of my films, but I've secretly always wondered what ever became of Billie Pike from "Paradise".
14. Fans: If you were given the chance to do something that you've always dreamed of doing, but never had the chance or time to do before, what would it be?
- Thora: I've always wanted to go "on assignment" in a journalistic capacity (under a pseudonym of course).
15. Fans: What movie did you have the most fun making?
- Thora: "Hocus Pocus". Because of the age I was (10), I was probably the only person who genuinely appreciated the sets, costumes and overall look of the film.
16. Fans: If you wrote your own autobiography, what would be the title of it?
17. Fans: Which of your characters is your favorite to date?
18. Fans: Do you ever watch your own movies, and if so, which is your favorite?
- Thora: Sometimes around Halloween I might throw on "Hocus Pocus" and watch it with my brother.
19. Fans: What improvements or innovations would you like to see take place in today's movie industry?
- Thora: I would love to be around during the disempowerment of the "high concept" film.
20. Fans: If you could, what would you like to do to help aspiring talents who are seeking careers in the movie industry?
21. Fans: Would you like to perform in live theater, such as a Broadway play?
- Thora: Yes. I have always been intrigued by the idea of performing in a theater environment.
22. Fans: What do you like to do when you want to get away from it all?
- Thora: Put on whatever CD is my favorite at the moment and just sort of tune out.
23. Fans: Do you have close friends who support your acting career?
- Thora: The closest friends I have are the ones I've had the longest, and they frankly are quite bored with my "career" by now because they are all trying to start their own at this point.
24. Fans: How did you manage to maintain such good school grades and handle an acting career at the same time?
- Thora: During elementary and junior high schools, I attended public school when I wasn't working and there was always a tutor on the set when I was, and I just sort of actually enjoyed school work then, so it was easy to maintain good grades. During high school, my curriculum was set up through an independent study course program, where I was able to actually teach myself with the help from certified, corresponding tutors.
25. Fans: Does your brother Bolt have any aspirations of becoming an actor?
- Thora: Yes. He has many aspirations. If you were to ask him right now, he'd say that he already is an actor.
26. Fans: What types of music do you like?
- Thora: I actually really like all kinds of music from Hip Hop to Blue Grass.
27. Fans: What is one of your favorite scenes in a movie?
- Thora: There are so many. One of my favorite scenes is between Kurt Russell and Billy Bob Thornton in "Tombstone", but I could go on and on with that one.
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