A frank talk with Toni Collette, who is mentioned as future Australian superstar since her appearance in "Muriel's Wedding"

Cinema: Miss Collette, how are you?

Toni Collette: Marvellous! Tomorrow is my twenty-second birthday, I have already played in two movies and I am almost famous!

Cinema: Muriel is fat and unattractive, you are 21, willowy und looking terrific

Collette (giggling excited): Can I get that in black and white? For "Muriel's Wedding" I had to gain 44 pounds and get rid of it afterwards. That was terrible. Exercises are sooo boring.

Cinema: How does it feel to be real fat?

Collette: The thighs chafe when you walk, which isn't so pleasant. But my bosom was twice as big - which was much better. At parties, people looked at me as if they'd silently ask: Which mental illness made her get so fat?.

Cinema: In Australia you are regarded as a star. Do you like that?

Collette: I don't care much for glamour. In Cannes a french photographer tried to take erotic glamour pictures of me. He said: "Do the pussycat for me, baby", and I nearly died laughing. Then I asked: "Can I have a cup of milk?".

Cinema: What is your opinion of marriage?

Collette: None. Muriel thinks that marriage would turn her into a new, more precious woman and then she recognizes that this is rubbish. Unfortunately millions of women define theirselves by means of marriage and think that the wedding day would be the height of their life.

Cinema: ABBA's music means very much to Muriel. Do you like ABBA?

Collette: Of course! I grew up with ABBA. Australia is ABBA-Land. When I was a child I even had ABBA bed linen. Can you imagine that?

Cinema: Hardly. Nevertheless, many thanks for the interview.

Collette (sings): Thank you for the music ...

© Cinema 1995