December 1 - 7, 2008 25 By Davina Morris WHAT would you do if you moved into a new area, and your neighbour turned out to be a psycho police officer? This becomes the dilemma for newlyweds Chris and Lisa Mattson in new film, Lakeview Terrace. In short, the Mattsons (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) move into a quiet Californian cul-de-sac, but LAPD officer Abel Turner (Samuel L Jackson), disapproves of his new neighbours’ interracial marriage. A stern single father, Turner becomes increasingly hostile to his neighbours, and things go from bad to worse as the Mattsons decide to fight back. “There were a couple of things that drew me to this role,” says actress Kerry Washington, who has had roles in the films Ray and The Last King of Scotland. “Firstly, I felt like I had never seen this type of African American woman on screen before; this culturally inclusive woman, who, I guess represents the Obama generation of racial inclusiveness and open-mindedness. So that was exciting for me. “In addition, I was really drawn to another theme of the film, which is the misuse of power. What do you do when the person who’s supposed to keep you safe, is the person who’s causing you the most harm? How do you handle that?” Samuel L Jackson is certainly intriguing as the veteran Los Angeles police officer. In addition, there’s something about his cocky attitude in this film that’s quite sexy. (He’s old enough to be my father and so I am a tad embarrassed by that statement.) “It’s true,” Washington exclaims. (Phew! It’s not just me.) “That’s that typical bad guy thing. Sam Jackson does that so well in this film. And not only does he play a bad boy, he plays a charming bad boy. That’s very effective.” Sexy swagger aside, Turner launches an escalating series of pranks and insults against his neighbours. And as the film develops, it becomes clear that Turner’s motive is a bitter resentment at seeing a black woman married to a white man. You could say that this role for Washington is a case of art imitating life, as the actress was previously engaged to white actor, David Moscow. The pair split last year, after four years of being together. While Washington refrained from discussing the intimate details of their relationship, “out of respect for him,” she revealed that any partner she’s chosen has raised somebody’s eyebrows. “In my life, no matter who I’ve chosen to be with, not everyone has liked it,” she says. “Sometimes it’s literally been because the person’s profession wasn’t good enough. I don’t think any relationship I’ve been in has been immune from other people’s judgement.” And yet, Washington has a certain amount of understanding for Turner’s prejudice. “I think one of the things that’s so elegant about the film is that we have some insight into what motivates his behaviour. I think that’s important. Some people have these hang-ups and these sentiments because they’re coming from experiences that are much more intense than people of my generation can even comprehend. I think it’s important to remember that people’s behaviour is motivated by their own personal history. That’s not to excuse certain behaviour. But by knowing what motivates a person’s actions, it enables you to put people’s behaviour into context.” One wonders if Washington received any bad vibes from black guys, who assumed that she wasn’t ‘into’ black men. “No, I didn’t… Well if there was that, I didn’t notice it,” she laughs. “But what I did get when I became single again, was a lot of excitement from friends who were glad I was back on the market so they could try and fix me up with all sorts of people! That was hilarious. I should probably write a movie about that.” Currently single but “dating”, does Washington see marriage in her future? “Who knows? I thought it was! But I don’t know. Right now, I’m finding it really interesting to resist the impulse to be in a monogamous relationship. I just want to keep growing and learning more about myself.” ● Lakeview Terrace is in cinemas from December 5 through Sony Pictures IN CINEMAS FRIDAY www.secretlifeofbeesmovie.co.uk DON’T MISS THE MOVIE SENSATION THAT HAS U.S. AUDIENCES BUZZING! “Moving and memorable... performances all round.” MARK ADAMS, SUNDAY MIRROR film: Stateside star Not everything’s black and white Art imitates life as Kerry Washington plays a woman facing judgment over her interracial relationship Honest: Kerry Washington Tense: (l-r) Samuel L Jackson, Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington PALE PINK HITCHED HEM TOPSHOP £75 RED ONE SHOULDER WHISTLES £140 RUSTLE FRONT REISS £169