Grace Jones
Prevue magazine December 1984
interview
Gallery of Stars
Καλλονές
Κινηματογραφικά
Grace Jones
(Star Interview by Steranko)
Grace Jones has moved from modeling to music to movies like a theatrical thunderbolt in a media mega-storm. The multifaceted star was born in Spanishtown, Jamaica, the third of seven children. Her clergyman father traces his roots back to Nigeria, while her maternal great-grandmother was half Scotch. A touch of Chinese blood, she says, may account for the almond-shaped eyes and high cheekbones.
At age twelve, she moved to Syracuse, New York, and subsequently enrolled at Syracuse University as a Spanish major. During that time, she discovered theatre, and left school to pursue the art. Moving to New York City, she made ends meet by working at the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency, and eventually migrated to Paris, where she became one of France’s top models, with covers of Elle, Vogue and Stern to her credit.
At the insistence of a friend, the 5’8”, 120-pound mademoiselle entered the recording studio and landed a contract. Soon afterward, she signed with Island Records, cut I Need a Man in 1977, and went on to make five albums, which include 1981's number one Black record, Pull Up To The Bumper.
During that period, she became the high priestess of “disco theatre,” with a remarkable show featuring motorcycles and live tigers. Her relationship with French art director Jean-Paul Goude shaped many of the visual elements in her act, produced a unique photo book titled Jungle Fever, and their delightful four-year-old son, Polo.
While film appearances include her live performance in A One Man Show and the ear-biting Honda commercials with Adam Ant, Jones made her feature film debut as Zula, the warrior woman in Conan the Destroyer.
She will be seen next as a villainess in the upcoming James Bond thriller, From A View to a Kill.
(απόδοση στα Ελληνικά):
Η Grace Jones πέρασε από το μόντελινγκ στη μουσική και τον κινηματογράφο σαν μια θεατρική αστραπή σε μια μιντιακή καταιγίδα. Η πολυδιάστατη σταρ γεννήθηκε στην Spanishtown, Τζαμάικα, η τρίτη από επτά παιδιά. Ο πατέρας της, ιερέας, καταγωγής από τη Νιγηρία, ενώ η προγιαγιά της από τη μητέρα της ήταν μισή Σκωτσέζα. Ένα μικρό ποσοστό Κινέζικου αίματος, λέει η ίδια, μπορεί να εξηγεί τα αμυγδαλωτά μάτια και τα ψηλά ζυγωματικά της.
Σε ηλικία δώδεκα ετών, μετακόμισε στο Syracuse, Νέα Υόρκη, και αργότερα γράφτηκε στο Syracuse University για να σπουδάσει Ισπανικά. Εκείνη την περίοδο, ανακάλυψε το θέατρο και άφησε το σχολείο για να ακολουθήσει την τέχνη.
Μετακόμισε στη Νέα Υόρκη, όπου τα βγάζει πέρα δουλεύοντας στο πρακτορείο μοντέλων Wilhelmina, και τελικά μετανάστευσε στο Παρίσι, όπου έγινε ένα από τα κορυφαία μοντέλα της Γαλλίας, με εξώφυλλα σε περιοδικά όπως τα Elle, Vogue και Stern.
Κατόπιν επιμονής μιας φίλης, η 1,73 μ. ύψους και 54 κιλών νεαρή μπήκε στο στούντιο ηχογράφησης και υπέγραψε συμβόλαιο. Λίγο αργότερα, υπέγραψε με την Island Records, ηχογράφησε το "I Need a Man" το 1977 και προχώρησε να κυκλοφορήσει πέντε άλμπουμ, που περιλαμβάνουν το άλμπουμ του 1981 "Pull Up To The Bumper", το οποίο έφτασε στο νούμερο 1 στη λίστα των Black δίσκων (δίσκων μαύρης μουσικής).
Κατά την περίοδο αυτή, έγινε η αρχιέρεια του «disco theatre», με μια εντυπωσιακή παράσταση που περιλάμβανε μοτοσικλέτες και ζωντανές τίγρεις. Η σχέση της με τον Γάλλο σκηνοθέτη Jean-Paul Goude διαμόρφωσε πολλά από τα οπτικά στοιχεία της παράστασής της, ενώ μαζί δημιούργησαν το μοναδικό φωτογραφικό (άλμπουμ) βιβλίο με τίτλο "Jungle Fever" και απέκτησαν τον υπέροχο τετράχρονο γιο τους, Polo.
Ενώ οι κινηματογραφικές της εμφανίσεις περιλαμβάνουν την ζωντανή της παράσταση στο "A One Man Show" και τις διαφημίσεις της Honda με τον Adam Ant, η Jones έκανε το κινηματογραφικό της ντεμπούτο στον ρόλο της Zula, της πολεμίστριας στο "Conan the Destroyer".
Θα τη δούμε στην επερχόμενη ταινία James Bond, "From A View to a Kill", όπου θα υποδυθεί την κακιά.
Η συνέντευξη:
PREVUE (magazine) spoke with the actress in her elegant West Village, New York apartment. She was energetic, candid, vivacious — and punctuated the conversation with laughter to reveal the woman behind the image.
PREVUE: Your character Zula is a fierce, dominant female, similar to your performing persona. Could you have been a warrior woman 10,000 years ago?
JONES: Definitely! I really feel like I've been on Earth before, and that I have the power to expand my abilities because of it. Something in me takes over, but I know how to control it. And when I do, my whole body tingles!
PREVUE: That sounds like good, old-fashioned sexual energy.
JONES: That's one of the things I bring out in people. I make them feel their primal drive—raw sexuality!
PREVUE: So some Zula is in Grace Jones!
JONES: More than you know! She’s a survivor, a warrior who only knows fighting. Zula is a mercenary who gets paid for dangerous combat and risking her life.
PREVUE: How did you prepare for the role?
JONES: I've lifted weights for a long time, and I rode horses. I've always been athletic. Learning to fight with the staff made me develop certain other areas in my shoulders that I didn’t use before. The weapon was heavy, and I carried it all the time. On the set, I worked out with Arnold every day. He was surprised that I'd pumped iron for a year. Although he was aware of me, I don't think he’d seen any pictures of my body. He was surprised that I worked out as much as I did.
PREVUE: What else surprised Arnold?
JONES: My acting surprised him a lot. I think if he’d have known I was going to be that good, he would have tried harder.
PREVUE: Is it a good idea to upstage Arnold Schwarzenegger?
JONES: My whole attitude was to take over the picture.
PREVUE: Like Zula during a raid?
JONES: Yeah, but Zula doesn’t have any sense of competition.
PREVUE: Did you take over?
JONES: I hope I did; otherwise, I failed.
PREVUE: How was your first meeting with Arnold?
JONES: Great! I was thinking about how I'd react the first time Zula would meet him! I concentrated more on remembering what my initial feeling was: is he nice? easy to talk to? my impression of him physically.
PREVUE: What surprised you most about him?
JONES: His sense of humor. Mine probably surprised him, too. He thought he'd be really brash, and shock me. But, I'd shock him right back! It was fun playing that game.
PREVUE: That must have kept reaction between both of you alive during filming.
JONES: You bet! I stayed in my room a lot off camera so I could concentrate on putting more into the role. That got to him. Arnold thought I didn't want to socialize with him — that I was being a snob. It was solely because I needed to be by myself rather than going to lunch, for example, with everyone in the canteen. I had no time to study unless I took my food and holed up in my dressing room.
PREVUE: Your role obviously required some stunt work. Did you have a double?
JONES: At first, they couldn’t find a female match for me, so I had a male double. That was a trip because he chewed tobacco, and spit about one inch from your toe — all the time! This guy was so primitive, it was ridiculous!
PREVUE: One would have to be primal to wear Zula’s costume.
JONES: Unfortunately, he wasn’t primal enough. Halfway through filming, there was a stunt where Wilt Chamberlain and Zula collide on horseback, and the damn horse fell on my double’s leg. He disappeared after that. There were no more doubles to be found, so I ended up doing the rest of my stunts myself! But, I never fell off a horse, even though some of the experts bit the dust. One horse kept throwing everybody. He was just doing it for fun, but I made it a point to stay away from him.
PREVUE: Didn't your legs and thighs hurt from all that riding?
JONES: At first, I got very bruised and chafed because I didn’t have any protection — I was barelegged. The saddle rubbed me raw, really sore. But, I guess a warrior woman should expect such things.
PREVUE: What's your attitude about dangerous stunt work?
JONES: Ooh! I love it! I would have done even more if they'd let me!
PREVUE: Were you ever afraid?
JONES: Well, a little. But, once I decided to do it, I went through it with the philosophy that whatever happens, happens. I love trying dangerous things for the first time. Sure, it’s a rush, especially if it's successful.
PREVUE: Were you ever in serious danger?
JONES: Oh yes, especially when we climbed a rope down a very deep waterfall. If something had gone wrong, that would have been the end of Zula and me. The waterfall itself was more than 80 feet high. We only had to climb halfway down, then the doubles took over. You see, it was hazardous because I didn’t have a safety harness — my costume was too small — so I just went hand-over-hand. That was the most frightening stunt.
I also did some pole vaulting, which wasn't that difficult because I already knew how. I used my staff — it served many different purposes in the story.
PREVUE: Did you get injured?
JONES: I got hurt all the damn time! I whacked out two vertebrae in my neck, and couldn't even look over my left shoulder for a while. I had more bandages than King Tut's mummy because I was barefooted during the whole picture. I had lots of cuts.
PREVUE: Were any others hurt on the shoot during stunts?
JONES: Arnold had one serious accident. He jumped from a high balcony, and knocked his neck out of joint. He doesn't like to discuss it because he’s supposed to be unbreakable; he prefers not to talk about his injuries.
PREVUE: Being a hero is never easy. Did Conan the Destroyer fulfill any Grace Jones fantasies?
JONES: My opening sequence, where I battle a group of men to a standstill—by myself! I loved it! I could have taken on the whole cast that day, that’s how high I was.
In another scene, I joust Wilt right off a horse. That was easy, because my staff's very long, and I came at him with everything I had. Then, I broke into a laugh — I don't know if they'll keep it or not —like the Wicked Witch of the West. God, it was wonderful!
PREVUE: It's not everybody who gets unseated by Grace Jones.
JONES: In the beginning, Wilt hated being knocked off a horse, or being bested in any way. He didn't look at it as acting; he just thought of his friends watching him be humiliated!
PREVUE: And the more he hated it, the more you loved it?
JONES: Well, I guess I have this thing for men — a love/hate relationship!
PREVUE: Was filming in Mexico also a love/hate relationship?
JONES: Only as long as I was on location. I couldn't stand Mexico City, where we did the last six weeks of studio shooting. The city was just too dirty, no clean air. My skin started breaking out, but I toured Mexico before, and was aware of all the problems. I got an apartment with a cook, and made sure she put disinfectant stuff in the food.
That reminds me of a bet I had with Arnold. When I got there, I said, “I bet you I won't get sick.” And he said, “I bet you will.” Then, everyone got sick but me. He still owes me $100!
PREVUE: Who went to Mexico with you?
JONES: My mother and my son, who had a ball! Such an imagination! I gave him my sword every day to play with.
PREVUE: Did all your weaponry ever take on a real-life toll?
JONES: I clobbered myself with the staff during one fight scene — that was quite embarrassing.
PREVUE: So, how tough does it really get for a barbarian woman?
JONES: In one sequence, I had to throw the staff from the balcony to stop the villain who was just about to kill the virgin princess. I thought I'd never get it, because I had to hurl the staff over the balcony and hit a certain mark — like a javelin thrower!
The target was at least 30 feet away, and it took —oh God!— about 15 throws to hit it. My arm almost fell off! The director kept telling me, “Hold it this way!”, then, “Hold it that way!” Finally they said, “Forget it,” and I yelled “Just one more time!” Then, I did it!
PREVUE: Did you ever get the giggles during a scene?
JONES: Once, very badly! In a most important scene, we arrive at this place housing the jewel we're supposed to get, and we're surrounded by an army of warriors dressed all in black. The wizard on their side is played by a fantastic British actor, and he delivers this incredible monologue. I'm standing there very fierce, giving him a look that says, “Hey! You don't know who you're messing with!” Suddenly, this Spanish stand-in delivers his line, which will later be dubbed in English. He says, very fast, with a funny accent and a very comical Jerry Lewis look on his face, “Geev us de gurl or we weel takk hur!”
Right after this fabulous, beautifully-done monologue, an extra blurts out this line! And I just cracked up! I couldn't stop laughing. I tried everything. The whole scene was so dramatic and important! I could have died!
PREVUE: Did you have any input with your costume?
JONES: Yes. The designers came to New York prior to filming, and showed me the costume sketches. They wanted Zula to resemble a male warrior, and to cover my eyes with a bright yellow strip of make-up all the way across my face. But, I rejected that. Usually men have that kind of painting. The women do scarification, but that kind of make-up would take too much time to apply every day.
Also, they fashioned my costumes on a dummy, and I don't have a dummy’s body! My legs are extremely long, and I look short-waisted when a belt is put around my middle. So, I took a belt in of my Own, and had the wardrobe crew copy the same line, so the belt drops almost in front of my vagina. It sits on my hips and mounts up in the back, so it lifts the ass area. Once we did that, we were set except for the proportions, which had to be altered.
PREVUE: How did you feel when you first put on your costume?
JONES: Naked! I'm very critical about my body — if my ass is looking tight enough, what's changed since I was 15. After a while, though, when I got in costume and picked up the staff, it was me. The staff is what I fight with — it’s my life, an extension of my character.
PREVUE: Was it your decision to keep your hair the same way?
JONES: They wanted it the same way, and it's easy to manage. It took an hour off my dressing time, because whenever I woke up, my hair was already done! It was wonderful.
PREVUE: How long will you keep the flattop look?
JONES: If it changes, it will be gradual. I've had it this way about four years now.
PREVUE: How did it develop?
JONES: It evolved. My face is angular, and I always had my hair cropped very short, but rounded, with a little part — always pretty boyish. I could change the look by shaving my forehead in a different angle — square or round. So, from a doodle Jean-Paul (Goude) did, we came up with this look. It was a very strong angle that accented my features even more, made them harder. It seems to be quite memorable.
PREVUE: I doubt if anyone who meets you is soon likely to forget it. Do you ever go out without looking your best?
JONES: It depends where I am. When I'm in Paris, the whole society makes me feel all right. I always go there for fashion inspiration, because it makes me take time to do something with myself, to try different things. When I'm here, I don't do it as much. I think I can look good with no make-up, in a man’s suit or a jacket. If I don’t feel like putting make-up on, I just throw on a hat, a tailored suit and feel fine.
PREVUE: So there are times you dress for others instead of Grace Jones?
JONES: Well, I'm against putting a designer outfit on the way they say to wear it. A lot of people do that, but they don’t have to! I get designer clothes and mix them all up. I wear a top that doesn’t seem to go with the skirt or the shoes. I always create a certain look that’s not part of the outfit. That makes it me!
Sometimes I wear tights underneath a skirt because they make my legs look bigger. My calves, from my knees to my ankles, are my weak point. They have no shape whatsoever; they look like matchsticks.
I've been building them up, so they're much better. Now, I have a little curve there. I don't have a high arch, and I can’t change that unless I break my foot — and I wouldn't do that!
PREVUE: Isn't it unfortunate that most women —and men— wear ready-made clothes just the way they've seen in magazine ads? They don't give clothes their personality, they buy clothes to get personality — often paying $50 or $100 more than the garment is worth to have that “name brand” image. It's an unnecessary erosion of individualism that’s accepted too easily. Is that what fashion is all about?
JONES: It shouldn't be! A lot of clothes don't have any personality, so the buyers still end up with nothing! I saw a collection the other day that everyone was praising by saying, “This line of clothing makes you say, ‘Don’t look at me.’” I would never, ever want an outfit that says, “Don’t look at me!” Can you imagine? And this was Calvin Klein! I thought, “Oh, my God! How boring!”
You can always take dull outfits and jazz them up, give them personality if you take the time. And that’s the thing about Paris — there everyone takes the time.
PREVUE: It takes strong vision and real personality to ignore trends that are “In” and just be oneself.
JONES: Of course. We've always been taught to do what the next guy is doing.
PREVUE: Do you think American women have fashion nerve compared to Europeans? Or are they too brainwashed?
JONES: They take it too much to the extreme. If you wake up one day and don't feel like dressing up, you should be able not to, and not have people whispering about you in the street.
PREVUE: Do you care if people whisper?
JONES: No, they whisper all the time about me! No one has the guts to say anything about me out loud. I love it!
PREVUE: Speaking of love, how important is it to you?
JONES: Very.
PREVUE: Are you in love now?
JONES: Yes, but I have too much love. I don’t think I could ever not be in love. I’ve been lucky; I’ve been hurt before, but that doesn’t prevent me from being in love. Still, there’s part of me that refuses to be conquered or caged. I hold back too, so the other person can also give. You can give your all, you just don’t give it all the time!
PREVUE: You make it sound a bit like acting, but I suppose that’s one way to make it work. Incidentally, are there enough good roles available to women?
JONES: We have to create our own. That’s really what it boils down to, but, there aren't that many actresses inspiring writers to write good roles.
PREVUE: Since there aren't that many strong female roles — although more are cropping up on TV — how do you expect to find parts for a tall, black woman?
JONES: I’m not really worried about it, because I feel when the right role is written for me, it will have nothing to do with my color. Someone will say, “Grace Jones will be good for this part.” If they don’t come, then I'll form my own production company. But, I think my upcoming roles after the next few films will be better because I'll have an established precedent. There is a big gap to be filled, and I think that I'll have no problem filling it.
PREVUE: Did you do any research for Conan the Destroyer?
JONES: Some, and found Zula was a male in the comic strips, and in the novels, too. The character became a friend to Conan, and accompanied him on many adventures. I think the producers wanted someone Black to play Zula, and I was at the right place at the right time. Then, my one-man-show video convinced them I had something they wanted.
PREVUE: What was that “something”?
JONES: A strong, tough presence. When I play that role, I look like I could kill!
PREVUE: Let's not overlook raw sexuality.
JONES: That whole primal thing again, a certain basic animalism.
PREVUE: What did you bring to the character that was not in the script?
JONES: Movement, power, a certain concentration. I took my work very seriously. My relationship with other characters, particularly with Conan, was very special. Some viewers will think we fall in love because I read things into the lines that weren't there, as far as my emotions for Conan. Raw sexuality again. I made it sexy, but not sweet and feminine.
PREVUE: Were you really acting or only playing Grace Jones?
JONES: A bit of both. I could have played Zula without thinking about it. The physical presence is there — I can just look mean on the surface. Instead, when I kill, I look like I can’t wait to do it — and that I get off on doing it.
PREVUE: That's part of your stage persona.
JONES: Definitely. All I have to do is stare and move a hand, and the whole front row clears out! I know I have it, and how to direct it to the extreme.
PREVUE: Doesn't that get in your way when you're dealing with people?
JONES: When I’m dealing with business-men, that’s how I want them to feel! It’s funny — when I have personal contact with people, it only takes a couple of seconds to burst that threatening illusion.
PREVUE: You're a pussycat at heart?
JONES: Maybe one with six-inch claws! But, sure, my friends know me as being really sweet, so, if I ever do something mean, they're in shock. Those who see only the sinister side of me are in shock when I act civil. It’s great!
PREVUE: How do men usually react when first meeting you?
JONES: Like I’m some kind of strange creature — an animal.
PREVUE: In a certain way, you are a strange creature.
JONES: I’m a very physical person, and I don't think I could ever hide it. I’m aggressively physical. Obviously, if I’m pumping iron and working out, my body looks good, and I carry it a certain way because I know it’s special. I know that I'm feeling good, and that sense creates an illusion. The more I love myself, the more people gravitate towards me.
PREVUE: It's said that ferocity doesn’t come from stature or appearance, but from the eyes. Do you have techniques to dominate the company you're in, to take over the conversation, for example?
JONES: It’s all very subtle, very laid back, not forced or pushy.
PREVUE: Silence speaks louder than words?
JONES: Of course. Silence brings out the animal in people. I create that space for them by being silent and almost immobile — and I always get a response.
PREVUE: You once said that you are not soft and round, but skinny and tough.
JONES: I’m built like a horse — lean!
PREVUE: Is that the core of your sensuality?
JONES: I think it’s genetic, really.
PREVUE: Are you really as sexy as you look?
JONES: Ah, well, you'll have to try me to find out!
PREVUE: That's the best offer I’ve had all day. Seriously, what is your best feature?
JONES: My mouth. It’s half my face!
PREVUE: I thought you’d say your cheekbones.
JONES: Some people think they are misshapen because their angle is so strong, but my whole family has bigger cheekbones than I do—all six of them.
PREVUE: Cheekbones can't be expressive, but a mouth can.
JONES: That's true. I think my mouth definitely stands out. That’s me — young, beautiful, striking, powerful and good cheekbones.
PREVUE: What's your basic beauty secret?
JONES: It’s important to sleep a lot — that makes me really beautiful. Sleep enables you to release a lot of frustration that weighs you down. It's like cleansing one’s soul. I like nine-ten hours a night.
PREVUE: How do you relax when you’re not performing?
JONES: Exercise, working out or by crying.
PREVUE: Do you believe in fighting in a love relationship?
JONES: Yes. How can you grow if you don’t fight? It's awfully boring to always agree on everything.
PREVUE: What kind of fighting do you do?
JONES: With words. I’m very bad. I hit below the belt!
PREVUE: You seem to have lived the life of a rebel. But, as a minister's daughter, how does your family react to your life and your career?
JONES: They’ve been well-educated on it. We're very good friends, and we're all adults.
I've never talked very deeply with my father about things, but he is excited by my work and travels. He’s very open-minded. I’ve a closer relationship with my mother, though. She’s very proud of me. There are things she would have preferred for me from a religious point of view, but she’s accepted me as I am.
PREVUE: Did your religious childhood and parental influences set you in a deliberately different direction?
JONES: Well, for much of my life, I was forced to be different. A certain dress code and a certain mode of speech were emphasized in my religion. Coming from a foreign country didn't help. I was placed in a completely different atmosphere where my accent, my behavior, everything stood out. I was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
PREVUE: Was there a particular moment when you said, “I've had enough. I’m not going to be the person they want me to be”?
JONES: Yes, of course. I was 17 when I decided to find out who I really was, not what Mommy or Daddy or religion or anything else said I was.
PREVUE: Was your early life painful?
JONES: No. A lot of my pain happened when I was young, but I don’t even really remember it. Still, I know what loneliness feels like, probably a bit more than some people. And being mistreated. I have had a certain amount of pain, but I believe I also have a lucky star.
PREVUE: Are you a very emotional woman?
JONES: Yeah, I'm pretty moody and I cry a lot, throw fits and say things out of anger that I don’t mean. Only sometimes the truth is worse than a lie.
PREVUE: That's the antithesis of the cool and dangerous Grace Jones. Do the two of them live together?
JONES: Certainly. That's what makes it so difficult for whoever’s living with me!
PREVUE: How do you handle fear?
JONES: I try to face it, to imagine what the real thing would be like.
PREVUE: What's your greatest fear?
JONES: Being locked up, being caged.
PREVUE: Then why was there a photo of you in a cage on the cover of the book Jungle Fever?
JONES: Well, that’s me in a cage, but it doesn’t represent being locked up.
PREVUE: That's a peculiar idea. Anyone who looks in your eyes must know this woman cannot be caged.
JONES: That's their challenge, one I face all the time. People are always trying to cage me.
PREVUE: Should Grace Jones ever be caged?
JONES: No! No one should be, unless it's of their own will.
PREVUE: Do you like to play that game?
JONES: Only as long as I can get out! I don’t mind playing, as long as I ultimately have my freedom.
Prevue magazine, Volume 2, Number 17, November-December 1984, pp. 22-27, 61.
Grace Jones as Zula
H ύλη περιεχομένων του τεύχους
ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΓΡΑΦΟΣ
[ ανάρτηση 2 Οκτωβρίου 2025 :
Grace Jones
Prevue magazine December 1984
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Gallery of Stars
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