The acclaimed Spanish filmmaker also reflects on reuniting with Antonio Banderas for his semi-autobiographical new drama.
Pedro Almodovars buoyant shock of white hair is as iconic as his long career.
And in person that shock is even more glorious.
Credit: Manolo Pavón/Sony Pictures Classics
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Pain and Gloryfits into this unplanned trilogy withBad EducationandLaw of Desire.
Thats not something I really like.
What he found is a story that should be told.
This is what he needed.
And that saves him.
What was it like working with Antonio Banderas again?
Did that affect his performance?It has been a wonderful experience.
It was something completely opposite of what we worked on before.
But he understood it immediately, from the very beginning.
He understood that nothing that he had done with me before was going to work for this particular character.
I feel that this is the best performance of Antonios.
But the return I have not had.
[Laughs] So I had to write it so you can live it.
Theres no romantic interchange between them.
They understood it very well.
Its just something very simple that he does.
I did not tell [Sbaraglia] to touch Antonio, but he did that himself.
Youve been a pioneer putting queer lives and the queer experience in cinema.
And this is what you then see reflected in my films.
What I of course was aware of is the way that society perhaps had a problem with these people.
And not from the lens of activism, but from the position of being true to life.
It was a very important film of my childhood.
And I lovedWarren Beattyin the movie, nobody could be more sexy.
But I felt completely hooked on Barbara Lodens character, the sister [of Beattys character].
I thought, If I get out from this place, I will behave like her.
I want to be fing everyone, drinking all the time, and driving cars.
I was thinking when I get older I would be like her.
[Laughs] The opposite of good manners!
I became a big, big fan of all three of them.
I think it was an incredible debut.
It was a pity that it didnt release, and it was very unfair.
So [after that film] I was a big fan of these actresses.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
