Amber Heard and I are both fast talkers, which means my interview with the actress seems to pass in the blink of a cat-eye-lined eye. What did I learn? She’s engaging and passionate, whether she’s discussing the art of filmmaking or representation for women in Hollywood. (The actress is now as well known for her crusade against domestic violence and misogyny as she is for her excellent acting.) Heard, who next stars in the superhero flick Aquaman, is also super-curious and asks me almost as many questions as I dish out. We spend a good five minutes discussing our recent lob haircuts; this is the shortest she’s ever gone, and she “freaked out” about it. FYI: It’s perfect.

ONLY THE BEGINNING “I moved out to L.A. at 17 with less than $100 in my pocket because I like telling stories [as an actor]. I knew no one, really. I’m here today because I’m very lucky—there are so many men and women who flood Hollywood with the same dreams and talent. Here’s the worst part: Out of all the films being made, only 30 percent of them have speaking roles for women.”

HEAR US ROAR “We can’t just rely on hashtags and marches. We’ve got to pick up the pens, we’ve got to pick up the cameras, we’ve got to pick up our scripts. We can’t expect our stories to be told adequately by people who haven’t lived them.”

CURRENT TV BINGEThe Handmaid’s Tale—I’ve loved that book forever.”

SUPERPOWERED “I knew I wanted to do Aquaman when they pitched me. I play Mera; she’s a warrior queen and bad­ass. I read the comic book, and in one scene she and Aquaman both save the day; one of the townspeople they saved says: ‘Who is that? Aquawoman?’ She turns around and says: ‘I have my own name. It’s Mera.’ And I was like ‘Yes!’”

FAVE FOOD “Chocolate and red wine.”

LIP OR EYE? “Red lips!” 

 

L’Oréal Paris Rouge Signature in I Am Worth It ($14), available at drug stores and mass-market retailers. 

 

This article first appeared in the February 2019 issue of ELLE Canada