Author: Delenne Phan
Nominator: Katie Conger
Course: LING 1000 Language in U.S. Society, Fall 2021
LURA 2022
Interviews are for the public/fans to get to the interviewee. They give the public insight into who the celebrity is. This is based on the information that comes out of the celebritiesâ mouth, which corresponds to the presentation of self. It depends on how they present themselves and what kind of image they want to portray. The answers are only half as important in an interview though, the other half are questions being asked. Questions are often overlooked because the person asking the questions isnât the one in the spotlight. Little does the audience know, the questions set the interview agenda. Without certain questions, there wonât be certain answers. With uncomfortable topics, questions can embody presuppositions, meaning that they are built upon assumptions. Additionally, questions may have incorporated preferences, allowing the interviewer to âpushâ towards an answer they want. These questions come with strategic answers, most of the time celebrities dodge uncomfortable questions in such a way that the audiences don't even notice. They can set another agenda or even turn the question right back at the interviewer. The perfect example of such interviews is from interviewer Jerry Penacoli and interviewees Anne Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson respectively.
In the interview for âThe Dark Knight Risesâ, between Jerry Penacoli and Anne Hathaway, the interviewer focused on her physique while playing Catwoman.Ìę
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The interviewer, Jerry Penacoli, was asking questions about Hathaway's body and this was how she answered:
Penacoli: âYouâre always in great shape, but you had to make sure you were in perfect shape for this one, didnât you?â
Hathaway: âEh, it wasnât about being in perfect shape it was being able to do the stunts and the fighting perfectlyâ
Penacoli: (Went on to focus on her form by talking about her leather suit)
Hathaway: âIt wasnât very form fitting. I mean itâs not a pair of sweatpants, I wouldnât describe it as that kind of comfortableâ
Penacoli: (Continues to ask about her body asking her to share her âfeline fitnessâ)
Hathaway: âItâs all the boring stuff that no one ever wants to do. Itâs just watching what you eat and getting yourself to the gym.â
Hathaway: âAre you trying to lose weight? Whatâs the deal man, you look great! No no we have to talk about this. What do you want? Are you trying to fit into a catsuit?â (2018).
At first, Hathaway was certainly trying to respond kindly to the odd questions, but when she got uncomfortable, she switched the questions right back at Penacoli. The way she did it, wasnât aggressive, it was more in a humorous way like âwhy are you asking all these questions, are you trying to fit into a catsuit yourself?â This made a lot of people laugh but was also a very effective technique used to stop the questioning and resist the agenda. Analyzing the questions, Penacoli did not get the answer he wanted so he pushed Hathaway with bolder questions. He started out soft, by asking about the catsuit, then jumped and asked about the feline fitness. Hathaway answered his questions because she didnât want the interview to be awkward, but he took it as a âgoâ sign to ask bolder questions.Ìę
The second Penacoli interview was with âThe Avengersâ stars Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner.
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ÌęThis interview showed resistance from Scarlett Johansson, since Penacoli seemed to have gone too far. Penacoli, in this interview, asked if Scarlett (Black Widow) was wearing any undergarments under her suit when acting for âThe Avengersâ, and that got a powerful resistance from her:
Penacoli: âWere you able to wear undergarments?â
Johansson: âYouâre like the fifth person thatâs asked me today. What is going on?â
Johansson: âSince when did people start asking each other in interviews about their underwear?â
Penacoli: âBecause it is so skintightâŠ.â
Johansson: âIâll leave it up to your imagination. Whatever you feel like I should be or should not be wearing under that costumeâ ( 2018).
Johansson was shocked at the questions. Penacoli focused on her undergarments, instead of focusing on her work. Her response from the start showed that the questions were offensive. Even though Penacoli saw this, he stuck with the questions knowing they were inappropriate and offensive. He pushed for the answer he wanted just like in Hathawayâs interview, but in Johanssonâs case, she showed more resistance in a much more aggressive way. By asking if she was wearing undergarments under her costume, Penacoli showed presumption when he assumed that she didnât wear any under her suit.Ìę
These types of questions seem to show up a lot with female actresses. Questions ranging from their clothes, their makeup, their physique, their beauty, etc. These questions are rarely found in interviews with interviewees who are male. The interview with Scarlett Johansson and Jeremey Renner proves this. The interview was with both Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner, but Jeremey did not get asked about his undergarments, he got asked about his work and his injury on set.
Header image credit:Ìę
Handy, B. The Dark Knight Rises Review: Anne Hathaway is the best catwoman ever. (accessed Feb 17, 2022).Ìę
JOE_co_uk. Here's Anne Hathaway in her skin-tight 'The dark knight rises' Catwoman costume. you're welcome. (accessed Feb 17, 2022).
Orange, B. A. Scarlett Johansson's pregnancy could impact 'Avengers' sequel. (accessed Feb 17, 2022).Ìę
Swift, N. Stars Who Fired Back At Their Interviewer On Live TV. (accessed Feb 24, 2022).
Delenne Phan
Delenne Phan is a fourth year student majoring in Chemistry with a minor in Biochemistry. She is in hopes of becoming a medical student and later on having a medical profession. When sheâs not studying, she loves to watch movies and TV shows to destress, and thatâs how she found interest in superhero movies.