Movies

The writer/star and director of “Heartland” on their Southern lesbian love story

Lesbian love in Oklahoma. City girl meets country girl. Family drama galore. Intrigued? Who could blame you?

We’ve told you about Heartland before. This time, the film’s star and co-writer, Velinda Godfrey, and director Maura Anderson, are going to fill you in on the flick. We recently spoke with the duo about the importance of setting the film in Oklahoma, losing your partner, familial and societal prejudice, and more.

Warning: Spoilers ahead

AfterEllen.com: Velinda, you co-wrote the script for this film. How did the idea for it come about, and why did you want to tell this story?

Velinda Godfrey: I wanted to tell a story that featured a lesbian lead character that wasn’t necessarily about being gay. And that was kind of all I knew at the time that I wanted to do. So in talking to Todd [Waring] and discussing where I’m from—I’m from Oklahoma—and discussing some of the people there and some of our own personal loss and how potentially it might be handled when there is prejudice without it being about being gay.

AE: Setting the film in Oklahoma, how important was that to you? We certainly don’t have an overabundance of queer stories set in the South.

VG: Sure. I know a lot of the character traits that are in Oklahoma are somewhat universal in the Midwest and in the South. But for me, it was specific to Oklahoma. We’re familiar with the people there being so kind and warm-hearted but sometimes limited in how accepting they are of any difference, or what they choose to kind of glaze over or deny. But still, it’s not malintention. And I’m sure that’s true anywhere, but I’m familiar with that, along with just how kind the people are and how beautiful the state is. There’s kind of this dual thing happening with where we are right now. Even in middle America so many of the people are so accepting, and some people are very limited still in how they perceive difference. And so I think we’re in an interesting time to explore that.

AE: Maura, how did you get involved as a producer and the film’s director?

Maura Anderson: I was hitting a time in my career where I was starting to go out and look for my own projects to produce because I had just been doing more like work for hire jobs. Velinda mentioned she had this script, and they had just gotten a draft to a point that they were sharing it. I read it and I just really connected with how specific the characters were and it just was this interesting world. And it was also a lot of really complex female characters, which you didn’t see, especially at that point. I feel like people are starting to make a push to do that, but it’s still kind of far and few between and it’s certainly not always done well. So I was just really excited by that and came on as a producer. And then it was sort of an evolution. We ultimately decided to shoot a teaser to try to go out and get financing. When that came around, I threw my name in the hat to direct that. We did that, and they didn’t hate me after, so we just moved forward.

AE: I want to talk about the death of Lauren’s girlfriend. Was that inspired by the history of queer people not having family support by the hospital beside, oftentimes neither for the patient nor their partner?

VG: It definitely was. It’s kind of a tool we use to show the world around her wasn’t telling her directly, “You’re not accepted here,” but in this subtle prejudice, she wouldn’t have the equal support that somebody who was perceived the same as a straight couple had through the hard times. And it had a profound effect on her character, even though she didn’t realize exactly the struggle she was facing by not being fully accepted and viewed as an equal relationship.

MA: That actually changed significantly in the script because in the very early versions we had versions where Lauren couldn’t actually go into the hospital room. While we were writing, all of the laws changed. And so when we actually filmed in Oklahoma we didn’t film the hospital scene. That was a later addition.

AE: Speaking to the characters, what is it Carrie sees in Lauren that attracts her and vice versa?

MA: Lauren is more free spirited, sort of does what she wants to do and doesn’t really follow the rules, and Carrie has always been a rule follower. She’s always known she’s gonna take over her family business, but she kind of had to battle with her dad to do what she wanted to do. All of her dreams and wishes have always been just squashed down by her environment. And Lauren’s are being squashed in a different way, just with intolerance and this built-in energy of denial surrounding her at all times. So I think there’s a sort of connection on that point, but I think ultimately Carrie is attracted by the realization that you can go do what you want with your life, and that’s okay. And even if you do piss people off in the process, in the end, it will be better.

VG: While Carrie’s not open with how she lives her life or making her own choices, she’s extremely open-hearted and communicates in a way that is very unfamiliar. She’s extremely open with Lauren and kind of pulls out this side that she feels like she has to hide from other people around her as she’s going through this loss. I think she also just gets caught up in having a great time too with Carrie. I think they just genuinely enjoy each other. They’re each people that are unfamiliar. I don’t think they’ve really met people like the other before, and so they just kind of find a new and unfamiliar fresh bond and have a great time together.

AE: I was wondering if you had given any thought to Carrie’s sexuality. Is she bisexual? Was this thing with Lauren a one-off? Or is it your belief that it just doesn’t matter?

VG: I definitely think that we overall have approached sexuality as a fluid thing. In the kind of binary definitions, I’m not sure we really ever agreed what Carrie takes away from this. I definitely think she’s opened up to the idea of other possibilities every way, including sexuality.

MA: We had a lot of conversations about it obviously, but also, in the end, everybody kind of set out to make this story where that wasn’t really the point. And it isn’t. It still remains not really the point.

I did have a conversation one time with Laura [Spencer] about it and I don’t recall exactly, but I don’t think she had really labeled it as anything either. It was sort of just like there was so much more wrapped into this experience for her.

AE: So when the two women finally make love, Lauren doesn’t let Carrie reciprocate. What was that about? Was she just not ready for that kind of intimacy?

VG: Yeah. I think being that intimate with somebody after having gone through a loss brought up all kinds of emotion and she couldn’t be that vulnerable. I do think in that moment, because she had to be so vulnerable, a lot of emotion comes up, and it no longer becomes about the sex for her. Maybe there’s guilt. I think it’s a very complicated area to be in.

AE: Let’s talk about that guilt a little bit. Lauren loves her brother, and it’s clear he’s loving towards her as well. Velinda, as the film’s co-writer and the actor who interpreted this character, how did Lauren justify her relationship with her brother’s girlfriend before they got found out?

VG: Once she kind of realizes she’s in trouble, the actual affair happens so quickly that I don’t think she necessarily thought about it much before it’s already too late to turn back. And at that point, there is just a great amount of confusion and guilt. But I certainly don’t think this is something that she has set out to do.

AE: I don’t know if I’d accept that as an excuse if it was my sister.

MA: Justin is sort of being the audience’s reaction a little bit. Like he’s just like, “Are you kidding me? Like what are you talking about?” I feel like we do address that a little bit.

AE: I think it might surprise people, just because we’re often used to seeing things tied up in a nice bow, to learn that Lauren’s mom, Crystal, never really comes around to accepting her daughter’s sexuality. Why did you choose to go that route?

MA: I think it’s just more real. A person doesn’t suddenly change overnight. Crystal’s been this way for 50-60 years. And honestly, I feel if anything, this whole situation would sort of back her beliefs a little bit more in a way. I think she would come out of this more conflicted. That is like a little bit of a contrived movie thing for people to just suddenly be like, “Oh yeah, I’m just going to throw my belief system I’ve had for 50 years out the window because this one thing happened.” That doesn’t really happen in life all that often.

VG: [Lauren] grows through this. She’s not having to wait around necessarily for her mom to change. Her own perspective of her mom changes and her expectations change amidst her own growth and realization of where her family and the support actually does lie in her life.

AE: Finally, I wanted to ask if you two have plans to work on projects with LGBT themes in the future.

VG: We just want to see more dynamic women, more dynamic LGBT characters, more diversity, period, and we keep that in mind as we’re writing everything. So yeah, as we work together, you can definitely expect to see those characters.

Heartland plays in Toronto at the Inside Out LGBT Film Festival on June 2. Visit the movie’s website for a list of other screenings.

Lesbian Apparel and Accessories Gay All Day sweatshirt -- AE exclusive

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button