Marketed as “jailbait rock” by their divisive manager – the members were all sixteen or younger when they were formed – 1970s all-girl rock band The Runaways would prove to be anything but a contrivance, making an indelible impact on the world of rock music.
But their success was short-lived.
Formed in 1975 by drummer Sandy West and rhythm guitarist Joan Jett, the band was discovered at an L.A. club by eccentric producer Kim Fowley, who then helped the budding starlets recruit the other bandmembers: bassist Micki Steele, guitarist Lita Ford and, last but not least, lead singer Cherie Currie. Part of the growing punk rock movement of the time, including Blondie, The Ramones and The Sex Pistols, The Runaways were signed to Mercury Records and released four critically-acclaimed albums, including hit songs like “Cherry Bomb” and “Queens of Noise.” They were the number 4 imported-music act in Japan at the time, behind only ABBA, Kiss and Led Zeppelin in terms of album sales and popularity, and singer/guitarist Joan Jett would describe their Japanese tour as “being like Beatlemania.”
They only lasted until 1979.
Now, the band is being given the biopic treatment courtesy of first time writer/director Floria Sigismondi, a veteran music video helmer responsible for videos of everyone from David Bowie to Marilyn Manson’s infamous “Beautiful People.” Based on lead singer Cherie Currie’s memoir “Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway,” The Runaways follows Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart), Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning) and co. as they rise from rebellious L.A. street urchins to the group that paved the way for future generation’s of all-girl rock bands. The film is executive produced by Joan Jett and features Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road”) as their crazed manager Kim Fowley.
“The Runaways” had its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, and marks the reunion of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” co-stars – and two of the most highly-touted young actresses in Hollywood – Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning.
MMM sat down with Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning to chat about their own transition from child stars to adult actresses in this risqué, R-rated coming of age film.
MANHATTAN MOVIE MAGAZINE: In many ways this is your first leap into adult roles—
DAKOTA FANNING: —Maybe more so for me than for [Kristen]. I’ve never really done this kind of film before and played this kind of character. I think a lot of people still think of me as being young and little. In this movie, I’m seen a little differently and I think that’s really neat—
KRISTEN STEWART: —Neat! Neat-o!
FANNING: [Laughs] —Cause I obviously want to do this for a long time and play different roles.
MMM: What was your favorite look from the movie? And did it make you feel more in-character putting on the rock ‘n roll treads?
FANNING: Putting on the corset and performing “Cherry Bomb” – I felt the most like Cherie when I was doing that. It’s the most iconic to her. I filmed that on the second-to-last day but I felt most like the character when I was doing that.
MMM: What was it like actually having to perform the songs?
FANNING: It was something I was a little bit nervous about. It’s something I was always self-conscious about. I was really excited to do it because I knew I couldn’t do it any other way, but I wanted to make sure I could do it well and do the songs justice since they’re so iconic and well-known. I was grateful that I was able to do it and that Cherie helped me in doing it.
STEWART: Luckily, I had Joan on-set every day. There’s a lot of photos and a little bit of footage on the Internet you can look at, so we really did need Joan and Cherie there so it wouldn’t be superficial. I would feel like a little doll walking around with black hair. I wouldn’t feel like I was actually playing Joan. I would feel like a caricature.
MMM: I spoke to Joan and she said that you two have this symbiotic relationship in so many ways.
STEWART: I think she thinks we’re incredibly similar because I just played her in a movie! [Laughs] It’s funny. When we see each other now, I’m pointing out the differences. I’m like, “See? I don’t normally do that!” Like… I don’t normally spit! We definitely have an energy. I feel like I can really understand her and I feel really comfortable with her, so I feel like she really understands me. So thank god!
MMM: You girls have a seemingly innate ability to emote very well and exhibit pain onscreen. How are you able to accomplish this?
STEWART: Well [Dakota] does this thing [deadpan]: “Pain.” [Laughs]
FANNING: [Laughs] She’s talking about “New Moon.” I don’t know if it’s always because I started out when I was younger and when I was acting it was pretending to be someone else and ‘playing’ in a way. I’ve kept that as I’ve gotten older, it’s just not something I try to think about a lot. I think if you think about it a lot you interfere. If you know a character so well and are really moved or inspired by them, you just know what to do. It’s a weird thing to try to explain. Your body just knows what to do and you’re the right person to play that character if you have that feeling.
STEWART: I feel the exact same way. It’s a weird thing because yeah, I guess you would think we would sit down and try to pick out the parts that would affect people, but then you wouldn’t only be manipulating yourself, you’d be manipulating your audience as well. You have to do a lot of thinking initially and then throw it all out.
MMM: How aware are you of your own public perceptions among your core audience and I’m curious to know how you think they’ll react to these decidedly edgier roles?
STEWART: I mean you’re just wondering… [Laughs] Sorry. I’m making fun of you.
MMM: I get that a lot, it’s OK.
STEWART: Me too! That’s my public perception, actually! [Laughs]
FANNING: I think people will think it’s a lot different for me. I hope people can… Maybe “accept” is the wrong word but I don’t know of another word.
STEWART: There are people who need to accept it from you though because there are some people who are like, “Oh, it’s so weird! Dakota’s so young!” And it’s like, Dakota’s the same age Cherie was, and there you go.
MMM: The film can be seen in some ways as a cautionary tale of kids who get into the arena and can’t handle the pressures of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll fame. And you both are young actors and you do seem to have been handling it. Is it just the timing that’s different or can some people handle it and some people can’t?
FANNING: Yeah. I mean just comparing and contrasting Joan and Cherie, Joan was able to move on from it and carry on with her career and Cherie wasn’t equipped to handle that lifestyle. She had to figure that out for herself and learn that the hard way. She had to make that sacrifice and choose between continuing to live and dying if she continued on that path. She had to choose to have a normal life. As hard as that was for her, I think she’s really happy about that decision.
MMM: But for yourselves, has it ever been tough to weather the storm?
STEWART: I think the ‘cautionary tale’ thing is something that only older people who’ve seen the movie say. It’s a success story on both sides. To see two people choose different paths – one of them being seemingly successful, and the other doing what she needed to do to make herself happy. She clearly knows herself very well and it was clearly a strong, bold thing to give up something you love. They needed to go through that otherwise they wouldn’t be who they were. It’s not a big cautionary tale like, “Oh, don’t do drugs and go crazy kids!” I really don’t feel it’s about that at all. If it is, that was the last thing I was thinking about.
MMM: Were there elements of your own rebellious teen years that you drew on for the roles? How did you get that angst and aggression out?
STEWART: I have a lot of aggression. It wasn’t hard to do!
FANNING: I don’t think I can compare anything I’ve gone through to anything Cherie’s went through—
STEWART: —“Mom! I want to go! Please!!” [Laughs]
FANNING: [Laughs] I don’t think anything in my life has been similar to the things she’s gone through.
MMM: You two have to put up with a lot of crap from the tabloids, etc. What keeps you both grounded?
STEWART: Gravity! [Laughs]
FANNING: I really have such a normal life when I’m not working and doing something like this. I go to school, have a family, go home. I don’t really do anything different. Obviously, this is such a huge part of who I am, but I think that just maintaining an average life outside of this is really important.
MMM: What types of roles do you think you’ll be tackling – or really want to tackle – in the next, say, five years?
FANNING: I don’t think I really know that yet. I think as you get older the things that you can do in films changes and there are some things you can no longer do.
STEWART: That’s a weird thing: not being able to do stuff anymore. I’ve played the teenage – I can’t be upset with my parents anymore. When I was younger I read stuff for teenagers and went, “Oh, I’m almost there! I can almost do stuff like that!” And then I found myself doing them and it was very exciting. That’s gone now! Well, not gone. I can still play younger, but it’s a weird realization.
MMM: What were the first bands you first fell in love with?
STEWART: If I go way, way back, the first band I was obsessed with was The Beach Boys. Kind of random.
MMM: So it wasn’t something embarrassing?
STEWART: Well, that’s kind of goofy! But no, that is pretty cool. My parents kind of raised me on Tom Petty and The Beatles. They’re really California, classic rock. They’re both from L.A.
MMM: Do you two have any rock ‘n roll aspirations?
FANNING: Not in real life!
STEWART: I really love music and I love playing guitar, but I’d have to change a lot in the next few years. If I’m ever releasing an album it’s going to be a very transformative few years!
MMM: You girls seem to have solid chemistry onscreen. What was it like when you first met?
FANNING: We met a few times really briefly…
STEWART: The first few times we met it was kind of weird! We were always going by each other and I was like, “Oh, it’s a really big deal – we’re meeting!” And she was kind of like, “Eh…” [Laughs]
FANNING: It was once at Comic-Con and then we were both in a short film together [“Cutlass,” 2007] but not in any scenes together. We shot “New Moon” before we did this.
STEWART: Yeah, it was nice that we knew each other before shooting this. We had a couple of days on the set of “New Moon.” But we did…
FANNING: We did though… it was weird. [Laughs]
MMM: Have you two learned anything about each other over the last couple of films you’ve done?
STEWART: Wouldn’t tell ya! [Laughs]
MMM: Do you know any real-life ‘runaways?’
STEWART: No. I just did this film “Welcome to the Rileys” and I need to focus some energy here. I really feel… I haven’t been moved like that in a really long time. I would love to do something with runaway kids. I know this film is called “The Runaways,” but… typically, like, prostitutes. I think that would really be great and I’d love to figure that out. I definitely have the means and position so… there’s no excuse.
MMM: Do you two have any female heroes you look up to?
STEWART: Joan.
FANNING: Yeah, Cherie for me. I know it sounds like that because we’re just here for the movie but it’s actually true!
THE RUNAWAYS opens on March 19th in select theaters and expands to wide release on April 9th.
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