Thora Birch: it's weird, weird world, and this child of Hollywood knows it. We promise she'll never bore you

From her early days of TV commercials and G-rated family fare to gangbusting turns in American Beauty [1999] and, more recently, Ghost World, Thora Birch has become the actor who epitomizes the angst and anxiety of the adolescent mind. Here she talks with Todd Solondz, the director who delves into subjects most filmmakers won't go near.

TODD SOLONDZ: Hey, Thora. How are you?

THORA BIRCH: Good. How are you?

TS: OK. It's been a long time. When I saw you last you were shooting--

TB: --Ghost World.

TS: Yes. And you did such beautiful work!

TB: Thank you.

TS: Do you still get pleasure from compliments, or is it a bit painful at this point?

TB: I don't get pleasure from watching my own work, but when other people are affected in a positive way by it, that to me is the highest compliment. It's my job to move people, so when that happens I am supremely happy.

TS: Well then, you must be a supremely happy person. [Birch laughs] So what's your next movie?

TB: There's nothing scheduled to come out immediately, but I've got two projects that I'm producing. And I also have an opportunity to do a play. That's something I've always wanted to try, so I am in the process of picking what I'm going to do next. It is either this sort of vaguely sellout studio thing or--

TS: --When you say "vaguely sellout," what does that mean?

TB: I don't know. What does it mean, Todd?

TS: I don't know. I'm asking you.

TB: Whatever choices I make, I'm going to be happy with. But people might look at them and say, "That's a sellout." I'm not really concerned with their opinion--when I commit to something, it's because I'm passionate about it.

TS: Ah, but you know people think all sorts of crazy things. You can't control or predict what others will think, so you're just preempting that criticism. You're anticipating someone will accuse you of selling out.

TB: Well, you want to be aware of it. I don't want to walk into something and be surprised by anything. Though some surprises can be lovely.

TS: You are obviously very talented and very smart, but you're also very young. You took up acting when you were really young, before you probably even knew what acting was. Are you glad you started so young?

TB: Now, looking back, yes.

TS: I assume that your parents must have been very supportive of the whole process.

TB: Not initially. They had heard a lot of horror stories about the industry, so they were skeptical. But over time, as my passion for what I was doing grew, their excitement for me did as well, and they've become sort of a crutch for me. I owe 95 percent of everything to their support.

TS: When you say "crutch," what do you mean exactly?

TB: Just a sort of mental crutch. A lot of people that I encounter have a person, or entity, that they lean on when times are tough, and my parents have been that for me so far. I'm really lucky. What's frustrating is that no one ever seems to believe me when I say that. [laughs]

TS: Why would people not believe you?

TB: Because kids can't wait to get away from their parents. Like with all my friends--adulthood kicks in, and they want to be adults.

TS: So would you say you've never experienced a phase of rebellion in regards to your family?

TB: Any rebellious act was probably much more subtle than something people would call rebellious.

TS: What'd be the most rebellious act?

TB: I wouldn't even know how to explain it.

TS: OK. Did you do home schooling or did you go to high school?

TB: I went to school in elementary and junior high, and a little bit of high school, but I home schooled for the tail end of it because the curriculum that I had set up through an independent study course was on a much higher level than our school system.

TS: So after ninth or 10th grade you dropped out of school and did home schooling?

TB: Somewhere in the middle. I forget. See, this is where my mom comes in handy, because she has the excellently sharp memory. She would know more than I would, actually.

TS: She knows more about your own high school background than you?

TB: Can you believe it?

TS: That is the most shocking thing I've heard you say. [Birch laughs] Would you say that your closest friends are from your professional experience or from your school experience?

TB: Probably from school. Mostly the kids my age that I maintain friendships with are not on the scene. Some of my friends have abandoned me because they've gone off and changed their lives dramatically.

TS: Are you sure that they abandoned you? Do you think it's possible that they think you've abandoned them?

TB: Abandonment sort of so I guess I wouldn't know how to answer that. You're very probing, Todd.

TS: Am I too probing?

TB: You're not too probing. Just very probing.

TS: Well, you know, they asked me to ask you questions....

TB: I always forget the whole concept of an interview is to be asked a question.

TS: Unfortunately I have to ask more questions if the interview is to continue. Do you not enjoy the publicity process?