10 Questions for Susan Sarandon

By Carolyn Sayre

Famous for both her acting and her political activism, this Oscar winner's latest drama, Bernard and Doris, airs Feb. 9 on HBO. Susan Sarandon will now take your questions

Do you enjoy your recent roles as much as your older ones? --Pierre-Henri Gayte, Buc, France I'm kind of turning into Gene Hackman, doing a lot of these juicy, supporting parts. But I don't mind. My ego isn't bruised by not playing the lead. It's nice not to carry an entire film. I'm a little bit lazy--I suffer from inertia.

I was deeply moved by your performance in Dead Man Walking. How do you feel about the use of capital punishment? --Yao Fei, Nanjing, China I am viscerally against it. I think it is done capriciously and arbitrarily, depending on color and income. I don't believe it is the government's place to kill citizens under any circumstance--especially when it is done badly.

How do you feel about President Bush throwing his weight around in the Middle East? --Roham Rashtchy West Palm Beach, Fla. It has been a disaster. There is a huge disconnect between the real war and the politicized war. I wish that our representatives had more experience with the real war. If any of the men who were eager to get into this war had actually been in one, they would have found a way out.

How would you feel if a woman became President? --Melvin Haas, Walla Walla, Wash. There's absolutely no reason why a woman shouldn't be in that office, but I am not sure about this woman. It's insulting to assume that because you're a woman or a person of color, you would automatically back any woman or person of color. It's a little more complicated.

Have your political views ever prevented you from landing a role you really wanted? --Robert Coupee, Poole, England I don't know how you would know. People probably think of me as Debbie Downer--I have become kind of a joke in terms of activism for some people. But it is like worrying if your slip is showing when you're fleeing a burning building. You have to prioritize.

You are seen as somewhat controversial. What's the balance between being confidently assertive and overly aggressive? --L.J. Evermann, Lincoln, Neb. It's not part of my conditioning as a woman and as a Catholic-school girl to ever be disruptive. The only thing that gives me the courage to do things--because I'm a shy person--is the idea of living with myself afterward. At the 1993 Academy Awards, when we talked about the Haitian refugees being held in Guantanamo, I could barely breathe.

Is the writers' strike affecting you? Do you think talk-show hosts should go back to work? --Bob Marcus, Ruskin, Fla. It's affecting everybody, but it is important that the actors support the writers. You can't take away residuals. I'm not happy about the [talk-show hosts] going back when they haven't made a deal, but it is complicated; you don't want to put everybody out of work.

Did you ever imagine that The Rocky Horror Picture Show would become a phenomenon? --Pete Lund, Minneapolis Nobody thought that. I did it just to have fun, which is why I do most things I do. I was terrified to sing, and I thought it would help me get over that.

You recently played the wicked queen in Enchanted. What's more fun: playing a good guy or a bad guy? --Jim O'Kane, Blackstone, Mass. It is always more fun to be bad. All the mean things that you would love to say, you suddenly have license to do. Hook is much more interesting than Peter Pan.

You and Tim Robbins are two of Hollywood's most talented actors. What is a typical dinner conversation like in the Robbins-Sarandon household? --Ana Aponte, San Juan, P.R. It's mostly catching up with the kids. When we have friends over, the kids always bet on how long it will take before we turn to politics. We always forget, and then they say, "That was fast--only one minute and two seconds."

You often play the role of a mother in films. Which of your mom roles best reflects how you parent in real life? --Andrea Cooper, Hartford, Conn. There is a little bit of me in a lot of them. I had a lot to do with the creation of the mom in Stepmom. Some of the mistakes that she made, I have made. A lot of the details in Stepmom were things that came out of my relationship with my children. When I did Anywhere But Here, for instance, it was a nice way to practice learning to let go of my daughter. It is great to be able to make your mistakes on film--it is a lucky lifestyle.

Why do you support John Edwards? --Marie Seaton, Washington, D.C. He is the most authentic character. I think it is a really good idea to see who has donated to campaigns. Edwards is the only candidate that hasn't taken money from lobbyists. He really is who he says he is. When there has been a crisis, he has been out there very clear and strong. I think he will fight [for the American people]. He is a fighter.

Who's your favorite co-star? --J.A. Flores, Manila, Philippines Oh wow. That is a little bit like Sophie's Choice, isn't it? Certainly, Ralph Fiennes [who plays Bernard in her new movie]. Natalie Portman. Sean Penn. When you are working with someone that good they take you to another place. I also had a great time with Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins on Bull Durham, as you could probably tell [Laughs.].