This morning's Variety brings official news about a project I've been hearing about for almost a year: The Girlfriend Experience, a digital pic to be directed by Stephen Soderbergh from a script by my buds Brian Koppelman and David Levien. The film will explore a relatively recent twist in the world's oldest profession, wherein the encounter sometimes referred to as a "trick" provides not merely sex, but a simulacurum of a perfect romantic relationship.
Now some have argued that this very idea is inimical to the whole client/prostitute thingie, that the whole point of such a transaction is to achieve the wham-bam or happy ending with as little fuss as possible; on the other hand...
But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Michael Fleming's report notes, "Rather than go for star power, Soderbergh may set an adult film actress to play the lead role." No names have gone public yet, but among those I understand are on a wish list is an adult starlet who recently cited Catherine Breillat as a hero of hers. (They're starting to make 'em different these days—one of this starlet's contemporaries likes to drop Descartes during interviews.) If that works out, the set of Girlfriend Experience ought to be one of the more interesting ones of the fall, and the never-ending-saga of the porn-to-mainstream performer will have an intriguing new chapter...
But does Marilyn Chambers' turn in "Rabid" have anything to worry about? Somehow, I don't think it does.
Posted by: bill | April 29, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Yeah porn rulls.
Posted by: Pstrong | April 29, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Is the increasingly visible (yet hardly mainstream) Sasha Grey the Breillat fan? Wouldn't surprise me; I know she loves Godard, at least.
Posted by: Bill C | April 29, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Well, that WOULD follow, Bill C, but as Eleanor Bron says in "Help," "More I cannot say..."
Posted by: Glenn Kenny | April 29, 2008 at 11:08 AM
That could be a fascinating story. I know such services exist in the non-prostitution realm (i.e. www.imaginarygirlfriends.com, no, seriously), and I think they're a pretty interesting reflection of loneliness.
Posted by: Dan | April 29, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Emma Redd is the only porn actress who can pull off a role like this. Sasha Grey is too goth. I couldn't imagine her tricking any guy into a suspension of belief. She looks and acts like a porn star, and she's a little too mean and angry. I'm telling you, Emma Redd is the one. She's funny, looks like she just stepped off of a Nebraskan farm, and sexier than a skyscraper on fire. Or, if Soderberg wants to play it safe, he can just cast Megan Fox. I mean, isn't Megan Fox just a porn actress who got lucky? Another mainstream actress who kind of looks and acts like a porn star is Taryn Manning. But I suppose the whole point of this is you need a porn actress because there's going to be actual hardcore sex in the movie, right? And if not, then why cast a porn star. If I was Soderberg I would cast Emma Redd, or Lexi Belle.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 29, 2008 at 12:53 PM
There is a porn star named Bree Olsen, and she had a small role on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, and I thought she was pretty good. She looks like she could be someone's girlfriend. I don't like Sasha Grey. She thinks she's too good for porn, and she's got dead eyes. Bree Olsen is super cute like a junebug. And oh my God is she a dirty girl. In a good way. Dirty, dirty, dirty. Porn stars are the best.
Posted by: Ed | April 29, 2008 at 12:57 PM
I like Sasha Grey as a movie buddy...but she seems in slo-mo in any interview she's ever given. And in the 2 music videos she's in. Look her up on youtube and watch her little self-help vids. Then, when you wake up from your nap after 2 mins of stoner sounding jibber-jabber you'll....zzzzz. See!
And since we're letting our perv flags fly...the term for "the encounter sometimes referred to as a "trick" provides not merely sex, but a simulacurum of a perfect romantic relationship" is a "GFE."
Posted by: don lewis | April 29, 2008 at 01:06 PM
I find it oddly compelling that of the hundreds of beautiful young girls who make their living in the adult film industry, the one who has the best chance to break into the mainstream is also a perfect example of everything that is wrong with the adult film industry. Sasha Grey is a garden variety "girl with problems," and she's brought all of those problems to her performances. She reminds me of Tracey Lords in that is filled with hate for what she does and that comes across in every thing she does. There are so many other girls who are deserving of the stardom that Sasha seems so intent on getting at any costs, girls who are sweet and smart and funny and quirky, not to mention ten times sexier than Sasha Grey. I hope Soderberg takes a pass on Sasha, because she is doomed whether she "makes it" or not. The girl is simply the repository of bad energy, and I know that she's had a tough life, but so have a lot of girls I know. There was a girl in the biz a few months ago named Risi Simms, and if Soderberg and his people wanted to do a little research, they could track her down and meet her and maybe give her a screen test. Risi was the coolest girl ever in the biz, maybe too cool, and too pretty, which is why she ditched it before she got in too deep. Just a suggestion. But Hollywood would do itself a favor by staying away from Sasha Grey. She's bad news. Not to mention boring.
Posted by: Mr. Pete | April 29, 2008 at 03:01 PM
I'm not sure if (Sasha Grey) can successfully makes the leap to mainstream, but it wouldn't surprise me if she could work in the art-film world as a non-porn actress, if only because of the ever-blurring lines between porn and non-porn worlds, the increasing sexual frankness and physicality of art films, and her clearly artistic bent. [SG is certainly a Breillat fan, btw, but she might not be the only porn actress who is]. Whether the actress in question is SG or not, the biggest question is her acting ability - which may or may not be relevant depending on the context in which she's used (c.f.: Rocco Siffredi). I can't speak to whether Grey could offer a successful "GFE," but her youtube videos seem relatively normal-girl to me (sexually frank, certainly, but not pornographically hyperreal). I'm convinced that if any intelligent porn performer [like, for example, SG] had 10% of the sexual energy projected by Asia Argento, then she could be an art-film star if she wanted to.
Posted by: Dave | April 29, 2008 at 03:21 PM
I'd also like to add...that aside from some clever name dropping, there's really no proof Ms. Grey has SEEN these films she proclaims to have seen. It's all a part of the act, folks. Or...is it?
Posted by: don lewis | April 29, 2008 at 10:51 PM
Don, that's a good point - maybe she'd offer a good GFE after all.
(Though, SG's namedropping goes pretty deep in a number of areas, and I think most of her references would go over the head of all but the nerdiest/most educated of her audience. I don't think mentioning Breillat, Teshigara, Hellman, or The Durruti Column and Current 93 is likely to turn on all that many fanboys, so I just assume it's genuine. Or, she's aiming at a really small target audience: basically, people who comment on Glenn Kenny's blog)
Posted by: Dave | April 30, 2008 at 02:34 AM
That's a fascinating theory, Dave.
Gee, lotta hostility toward the Grey here. I'd ask "What'd she ever do to you," but then again, no. I do wonder if the Mr. Pete commenting here is in fact what one would call THE Mr. Pete...
Posted by: Glenn Kenny | April 30, 2008 at 09:41 AM
I'm so encouraged by a porn star being able to talk about descartes. Even if it's completely out of place or just plain wrong. It means that somehow thought and study might be being encouraged. Soon people will be dropping Linda Williams name around and the porn industry might take a more feminist turn? Here's to hoping.
Posted by: Whitney | April 30, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Sasha didn't do anything to me, Glenn. It's just that she so obviously doesn't want to be in the biz, that's all. She'd rather date has-been rockstars and party with wannabees than stay in the family and cultivate relationships. Not to mention, like I said, that she is completely mediocre at what she does for a living. I mean, she gets the superstar treatment, but she's not. I've even heard from some people that she reminds them of Savannah. The true superstar of the biz right now isn't Sasha, it's Jenny Hendrix. You ask any of the male talent who they want to work with the most and they'll all tell you Jenny. A couple of years ago it would've been Julia Bond, who, I don't need to remind you, had the greatest ass of all time until Jenny arrived. Sasha is all hype. Jenny is a dream. Trust me. Jenny is the kind of girl you want to date, the kind of girl to get jealous over. I could totally see her cast in mainstream movie. She is cute and sweet and easy to talk to and she's a good listener and, on top of all that, well, you know, all I can say is that right now she is the best in the biz, if you catch my drift.
Posted by: Mr. Pete | April 30, 2008 at 01:56 PM
THAT, was creepy. Sorry, had to say it.
And we all know Jenna Haze is the biggest star around.
Posted by: don lewis | May 04, 2008 at 12:40 AM
This is a great post . Keep it going.
Posted by: pstrong | May 09, 2008 at 02:45 AM
Wow, what is with this attack on Sasha? Some of the things you've said, especially you Mr.Pete, are very much unfounded. Sasha has repeatedly stated that she is a f**k junkie and into all kinds of perverse sex, both on camera and in private. She says that porn allows her to explore her sexual boundaries in a way that she never could before. Does that sound like someone who hates being in the adult industry? You also say that she'd rather date has-been rock stars etc. She is dating and has been dating the same guy since she entered the business, so obviously she's in a steady relationship with someone she knew way before she was the least bit famous. If she wanted to be out there dating Mick Jagger or whoever, she would be. Also, HOW can you say that she is mediocre at what she does. I'm a (so I thought) completely heterosexual nineteen year-old girl, but ever since I have seen Sasha perform, I have realized that I do find girls attractive and have even become more interested in sex in general. The honesty, rumination, and voracity with which she approaches her work is really very inspiring and sexually liberating. She is anything but mediocre at what she does, and anyone that does think otherwise either just has different tastes or does not approach any of her scenes with half as much thought as she does. ...and another thing, as I see it, Sasha is not the typical "girl with problems" that you speak of. She never brings up her relationship or lack thereof with her father unless asked and other than that and growing up in a not-so-great neighborhood in Sacramento, she really hasn't lead an extremely rough life. She is also one of the few in the porn industry that doesn't turn to drugs or frivolous spending to relieve frustrations. She specifically talks about how much she loathes this very behavior and the reputation it gives porn.
As for her relevance to this specific role, which today has already been proven by Soderbergh selecting her, I think she is ideal. If without even being in the GFE role yet, she has made ME want to date a girl just like her, I'd say she can handle this character very well. She is obviously not a seasoned non-porn actress, but I believe under Soderbergh's direction she will be capable of great things. If you ask me, all she has to do is play herself and she will have this role down pat.
p.s. when i read, "I hope Soderberg takes a pass on Sasha", I definitely read that 3rd to last word as "piss". Just wanted to put that out there, considering who we're talking about.
Posted by: fjunkiejunkie | October 15, 2008 at 01:30 AM
Wow, what is with this attack on Sasha? Some of the things you've said, especially you Mr.Pete, are very much unfounded. Sasha has repeatedly stated that she is a f**k junkie and into all kinds of perverse sex, both on camera and in private. She says that porn allows her to explore her sexual boundaries in a way that she never could before. Does that sound like someone who hates being in the adult industry? You also say that she'd rather date has-been rock stars etc. She is dating and has been dating the same guy since she entered the business, so obviously she's in a steady relationship with someone she knew way before she was the least bit famous. If she wanted to be out there dating Mick Jagger or whoever, she would be. Also, HOW can you say that she is mediocre at what she does. I'm a (so I thought) completely heterosexual nineteen year-old girl, but ever since I have seen Sasha perform, I have realized that I do find girls attractive and have even become more interested in sex in general. The honesty, rumination, and voracity with which she approaches her work is really very inspiring and sexually liberating. She is anything but mediocre at what she does, and anyone that does think otherwise either just has different tastes or does not approach any of her scenes with half as much thought as she does. ...and another thing, as I see it, Sasha is not the typical "girl with problems" that you speak of. She never brings up her relationship or lack thereof with her father unless asked and other than that and growing up in a not-so-great neighborhood in Sacramento, she really hasn't lead an extremely rough life. She is also one of the few in the porn industry that doesn't turn to drugs or frivolous spending to relieve frustrations. She specifically talks about how much she loathes this very behavior and the reputation it gives porn.
As for her relevance to this specific role, which today has already been proven by Soderbergh selecting her, I think she is ideal. If without even being in the GFE role yet, she has made ME want to date a girl just like her, I'd say she can handle this character very well. She is obviously not a seasoned non-porn actress, but I believe under Soderbergh's direction she will be capable of great things. If you ask me, all she has to do is play herself and she will have this role down pat.
p.s. when i read, "I hope Soderberg takes a pass on Sasha", I definitely read that 3rd to last word as "piss". Just wanted to put that out there, considering who we're talking about.
Posted by: fjunkiejunkie | October 15, 2008 at 01:32 AM
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