Madonna had a quick phone call with Gus van Sant. The result was a public conversation about gay men, the Aids crisis and, of course, Madonna. Now it's online. Here are the most important passages.
"Hey, Madonna!" - "Gus, is that you?". A moving start to an interview. Or well, perhaps more the beginning of a normal phone call. But what director Gus van Sant and our pop icon had to say to each other afterwards was so interesting that the conversation made it into the well-known US magazine "Interview". If that wasn't behind it from the start ...
However, the interview can now be read in full online. We'll summarise the main points: "By the way, your film 'Milk' was brilliant. I cried and cried," the 51-year-old singer belly-laughs at the 57-year-old filmmaker. The 2008 biopic of gay politician Harvey Milk earned him his second Oscar nomination. Madonna's ex-husband Sean Penn then received the trophy in the "Best Actor in a Leading Role" category. Madonna and van Sant agree: Penn was "fantastic" as Harvey Milk.
However, the pop diva only reveals the real reason for her tearful outburst while watching "Milk" when asked. The film was a little personal journey through time for her. Not only had she often spent time in San Francisco's gay neighbourhood on Castro Street when she was younger. She also reminisced about her time in New York. Of her encounters with Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. All men who have since died. She also remembers her personal relationship with her ballet teacher Christopher Flynn, the first gay man in her life. "He was the first person who gave me self-confidence, who told me that I was beautiful and that I had something to offer the world." He also died as a result of Aids, Madonna recalls. And goes on to talk about her memories of the beginning of the Aids crisis: "Suddenly all these beautiful people died around me, people I liked so much."
Fortunately, the interview has a cheerful ending after this sentimental twist. Among other things, the entertainer chats about working on her latest film "Filth and Wisdom". As is always the case when the artist tries her hand at the film genre, whether as an actress or producer, the reviews were rather negative. Gus van Sant kindly remains silent in this interview.
(cs)
