Marisa Tomei

Anger Management

Interviewed by Alana Lee

Marisa Tomei's big break came in 1993 when she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "My Cousin Vinny". Since then she's starred in a variety of films, including "The Guru" and dark drama "In the Bedroom" - for which she received her second Best Supporting Actress nomination. In "Anger Management" she plays Adam Sandler's long suffering girlfriend, Linda.

The draw of being in this movie had to have working with Adam and Jack together...

Yes. Yes! I just think the two of them is such an outrageous idea. To put these two guys together with their very different careers and see what happens? What can you say? It's outrageous!

Tell us about Linda. She's kind of the foil in a lot of ways for what goes on, isn't she?

It was kind of frustrating to be the 'straight person'. I keep saying it was a challenge to be so normal, it was a challenge to be so sweet. But it wasn't a challenge to be in love with Adam and to play his girlfriend. That came really easily. I really adore and respect him. He's so funny. My character in this movie is more mature than other girlfriends he's had in other movies, so I didn't want to be this kind of mother figure. I tried to fight against that.

Did you get to do improvise any scenes?

Yes, but every time I came up with a joke, Adam stole it! He just hogged all the funny lines. I was the star of the movie when this started out. He just took all my lines!

How do you balance out your roles and decide whether to pick a drama like "In the Bedroom", or a comedy like "Anger Management"?

A little bit of this, a little bit of that. You know, it depends what comes along at what time. I can't say that I have the luxury of having it planned out. It's just what comes along, and who's going to be in it.