Among these familiar faces is the always entertaining Anna Faris, the talent behind roles like the lovable stoner in “Smiley Face” and of course Cindy Campbell from the “Scary Movie” franchise. Faris took some time to sit down with the CU Independent to discuss her new film and the uncontrollable madness of Baron Cohen.

What’s working with Sacha Baron Cohen like?

Anna Faris: He’s like a crazy genius. He’s sort of – he’s very intellectual. He’s very thoughtful. You know, he stays in character throughout like the whole movie. And he has reveled in making people uncomfortable. But the other side of him is he’s also really, really sweet. And he’s kind of a gentleman and a total family man. So he’s – even a juxtaposition, I suppose.

So you worked with the Curb [Your Enthusiasm] writers and Sacha Baron Cohen. Would you say that the set was kind of a loose and sort of a lot of improv? Or was it really tight and to the script?

AF: No, it was very, very loose. It took a little bit of a learning curve for me. It was unlike pretty much any filming process I had ever gone through before. And you really didn’t know where the scene was going to go. We had a script and we would do the scripted version a couple of times. And then, the writers and Sacha would collaborate. And then, next thing you know, you would be headed in a completely different direction. So it forced you to really stay on your toes, which was hard, but also, sort of an exciting challenge for an actor. I mean, in a scene like where he was sort of supposed to be charmed by me, he would suddenly be threatening to kill me, or like calling me like a lesbian hobbit, or you know, grabbing me on the back of my head.

Was that just for fun or is that part of the movie?

AF: Well, a lot of it became part of the movie, but … it was just sort of as an actor you’re like, all right, got to be game. You know, it was improv. It was like improv class in a sense that you just sort of roll with the punches, literally.

What’s your favorite part of doing comedy?

AF: I think that it has made me be able to laugh at myself and a lot easier. I think I used to take myself very seriously. And there’s the reward, too, of when you sneak into a theater, which I rarely do… But on those rare occasions that you hear other people laughing at your movie, it feels amazing. It’s amazing to give people joy and to be a part of a hugely challenging process as well.

What do you usually look for when you’re looking for a film role? Do you foresee doing any darker films like “May” or “Observer Report” in the future?

AF: Yes, I would love to. I look for just interesting characters. And with this movie in particular, I was really excited to work with Sacha. I knew that that would be sort of, for me, really thrilling, because I’d been such a huge fan of his for so long. And then, as far as sort of the darker movies, I love making those. And I feel just so fortunate that I’ve been able to view some of those sort of odd independent movies playing really interesting darker characters, and then getting to play the very dark character of Cindy Campbell [from "Scary Movie"]. (Laughs) Just kidding.

What is the strangest thing a role required you to do?

AF: Oh. Wow, man, so many. For “The Dictator,” I had to grow out my armpit hair, which was a new experience for me. And I was very naïve about it. They asked me if I would do it, because they said they could glue some hair on me. And I was like, “No, no, no, I’ll totally do it. I don’t care.” And sort of thinking that maybe it would grow in kind of thin and wispy and maybe even kind of cute. And that was not the case… It was dark and thick. And it defined my whole summer. I was like no tank tops, no swimsuits, couldn’t hail a cab. At a party, I would always, if I’d had a drink or two, lift my shirt and show off my arm pit hair. And it made people gag. It was amazing. So that’s the first thing I can think of, I guess.

How does your character in “The Dictator” differ from past characters that you’ve played?

AF: She’s got a great heart, and I’ve played a lot of characters that have great intentions and are kind people. And she’s definitely like that. She’s smarter. And she’s naïve. She’s sort of passionately naïve, I guess. She very much sort of stuck in her [niche], you know, she majored in Fem Lit at Amherst. She’s very idealistic, I think, to a fault. So it’s easy for people to take advantage of her. But I think that she definitely had some qualities that some of my other characters have had in the past, you know, that naiveté that I tend to play a lot of. And I’m starting to think that I’m just really naïve in real life.

Do you have any upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

AF: Yes, well, I’m leaving on Saturday for London to do a romantic comedy with Rose Byrne and Simon Baker. And I just adore them both… So that should be a fun spring. And then, I’m hoping for a margarita and pool-filled life.

cuindependent.com

I saw The Dictator last night. It was a lot of fun.
How was that screening? I keep hearing sort of …

What did you hear?
Oh, just that different journalists were like, “It was crazy, it was crazy … ”

Oh, I mean it’s the 42nd Street theater. People were into it, though.
Oh, good.

I didn’t think it was that crazy. What are you filming in London?
It’s a movie called I Give It a Year. It’s a SudioCanal movie with Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall and Simon Baker. It’s a rom-com.

What’s your character?
I play a character who’s a very real girl. She’s kind of like me, if I’m a real girl. I don’t know. She’s very insecure and she’s American. She works for a nonprofit; she’s been gone in Africa for a long time and she kind of comes back into a married man’s life.

Is it more serious than other rom-coms that you’ve done?
Yeah, yeah.

So it’s more of a rom-dram?
[Laughs.] Ha-ha! Rom-dram!

I thought that the role in The Dictator was a bit of a departure from your usual bubbly blonde character. Was that what drew you to the role?
Yeah, I mean, I guess. I was really just excited to work with Sacha. I was sort of ready to play any role that they wanted me to. But yeah, I loved sort of playing a character that’s not vain, and clearly not too concerned with the aesthetic end. And I think part of the comedy is that his character has never met or known a girl like that. For me, it was awesome. It was great.

Did he write it with you in mind?
I don’t think so, no. They asked me to come in to, like, meet him for this top secret project. I was like, “Okay … ” So they didn’t give me, like, the script, or the sides or anything. So we went in and we did some improv scenes and then, like, a couple of months passed and I was like, “Oh, I wonder what happened with that.” And then they offered the role to me but yeah, I was just thrilled.

What were the scenes that you improvised?
They were nothing really based in the movie except for a scene where I find out that he is the general, or he’s the dictator. So they would give us a scenario, like, okay, you’re falling in love with this guy, and then you just found out that’s he’s actually a horrible dictator. So, go.

I have to ask, was the armpit hair fake?
No. It was mine. It was all mine. It’s the first time I haven’t worn extensions. [Laughs.]

Are you at all political like that character?
Yeah, a little bit. I mean, I grew up in Seattle; I went to the University of Washington. I think there was a time in my life where I felt like maybe I identified with that gal a little bit. I used to sort of consider myself a feminist, an environmentalist; and I still have some of that in me, but I’ve done so many offensive comedies I’m now worn down to a little nub of … nub of an activist. But I think I love those elements of her.

In the great New Yorker profile of you last year, your agent said he’s wary when people try to go outside the box with you, when they want you to play a cop, or a spy, and that really annoys you. Is that something that still bothers you? Do you still want to do things that are even more far afield than the comedies that you’re known for?
Yeah. I don’t think anybody really wants to know their limits. I think I’d like to think I play all kinds of roles. I don’t know if I can or not, but I like to explore that idea. But I do feel really lucky because I feel like compared to a lot of actors, I have been able to play — I mean, it’s all sort of mostly in the comedy world — but a lot of different types of people; some insane people, some really awful people, mostly all really dumb people. So yeah, I feel pretty fortunate in that. And I think that though, the big thing with that in Hollywood with sort of breaking that idea is time. It just takes time to build up a repertoire with roles.

Is there anything that you’d especially like to do?
Well, there’s characters on my mind that I want to play, that I want to create and develop. I like the idea of sort of playing quieter roles, which would be refreshing for a minute. It is exhausting being really loud and obnoxious.

I’ll bet. Are you developing any characters right now?
Yeah, there’s something that I’m sort of working on, but I feel like it’s too early to talk about.

Anything mid-stage that you could talk about?
Bill Hader and I have a project together where we play twins, both incredibly depressed, and it’s actually really serious. It’s already written. It’s called The Skeleton Twins. We’re just hoping that financing will come along soon, but it’s a great project. We’re both excited about going down that path. I think all actors, maybe everybody in general has a desire maybe to surprise people. So I think that idea is exciting.

Your movie from last year, What’s Your Number? was set up in the media as something of a litmus test for a woman-led comedy. How did you feel about the movie’s reception?
Well, I think it’s always a little sad when something you’ve worked on and loved isn’t loved the way you love it. But I guess you just sort of move forward. I love that movie, but I think it’s like my 32nd movie maybe, so it’s kind of like at some point you just have to distance yourself a little bit from the economic sort of part of this industry. You have to, you’re forced to.

Were you heartened by the success of Bridesmaids? Has that actually made it easier to get movies about flawed female characters made? Has it felt like there’s been a shift since last year?
I think so. I mean, I think it’s still scary for Hollywood to sort of commit money to a messy woman. And to a lesser extent, but to some degree, a messy guy as well. But yeah, I do think it’s shifted the conversation because it used to be the conversation when I was pitching movies was always like, “Well, what’s it rated?” And if we said R it was like, “Well, no, it’s got to be PG-13.” Or, either that or the conversation was like, “How do we make this girl likable?” So then you’re forced with the burden of like, winning. You know, the whole cliché is like you want the women in the audience to want you to be their best friend, and the men in the audience to fall in love with you. That’s a whole hell of a lot to be saddled with, and it’s very limiting. So, I’d like to think that that conversation’s shifting.

Are you seeing any evidence?
No, I’m not seeing any evidence. [Laughs.] No.

Would you make another Scary Movie movie?
I would, but I think that they’re going to, from what I hear, they’re going to revamp it or call it something —

A reboot?
Reboot. I think that’s the plan. I’m not positive, though. But I have a very, very fond place in my heart for Cindy Campbell.

I know that was your big break. Do you feel like your career has been calculated? Or just a series of breaks? Do you have a master plan?
I think the master plan is just to have a really good time for as long as I can. Yeah, I mean, I always like to take roles that are really interesting to me, and fun, and I’m really grateful. I never anticipated ending up in the comedy world, but …

Where did you think you’d end up?
I thought I would end up at Starbucks, working the machines. But when I was growing up and I was acting, it was always very dramatic stuff. And I didn’t really have a sense of humor. I was a very, very serious kid. So then to sort of end up in the comedy world was really very odd and I was very insecure for a long time, like, “I have no idea why I’m here.” But I feel really, really lucky that that’s been sort of the journey, and I think the master plan is just to do things that I love and work with great people.

Do you think you have a sense of humor now?
Yeah, I think I’m pretty good at laughing at myself.

Your husband started out doing comedies like you, and it seems like he’s recently been able to cross over into more serious stuff like Moneyball, and I know he’s in the upcoming Kathryn Bigelow movie. Do you think it’s easier for him to cross over in that way because of his gender, or do you think every career is different in its path?
I think that it’s sort of every opportunity and everything is incredibly different. I mean, I think that he probably … actually, I don’t know. I don’t want to speak for him, so I don’t know. Yeah, but I mean as far as my goal, I would love to be able to do something dramatic here and there, but I hope that my career is mainly focused on comedy, for as long as I can. So, I haven’t really been incredibly active in pursuing really dramatic stuff.

There’s a really funny moment in that New Yorker profile where you had a list of actresses you compete with for roles, that you hope get pregnant. You talked about wanting to start a family. Is that still something where the timing seems complicated, or is it something that you’re trying to figure out?
It’s something that we really want to do. And we’ll figure out the time. I mean, we’re both in our thirties now, and I think that our priorities are kind of shifting. I think it would be great to start a family. It’d be great to have maybe a place up in Washington State that we could sort of retreat to. We have a fantasy of starting a weird little theater company on an island in Washington State. It would be incredible. And just, you know, putting on weird plays and training the locals … not even training them, they would train us.

That sounds like an amazing family. Is it just that you wouldn’t want to raise a family in Los Angeles?
I don’t know. I think if you do it right you can raise a great kid anywhere. I just think that it’s hard for me to not feel sometimes like my industry and my job is the most important thing in my life. I’d like to feel like it’s not what everyone around me’s talking about. You know, just a retreat would be great. And I certainly don’t want that kind of thing for future kids and stuff.

What’s going on with the movie Gold Diggers — the Kate Hudson project you were developing that you described as the female Wedding Crashers?
I don’t know. That’s been sort of on pause. It’s with Paramount, which has [The Dictator]. I think we probably need to update the script and work on that a little bit, but with any project, you know it goes through waves of momentum. And I realize now with some distance — because House Bunny was the first movie that I developed, and it happened so fast, I sort of thought that’s how everything kind of worked. So it’s been an interesting lesson to realize, oh, projects, like, stay in development for years and then maybe something happens. So, I still want to make it, I need to sort of finish up with this current project.

Is it frustrating to have things in limbo?
Yeah, but I think you accept it. It definitely makes it all the more rewarding if actually something happens. But, yeah, it’s frustrating. But it’s even more frustrating to wait around for an audition and see if you’ll, like, get a role and feeling like you have absolutely no control over your future.

Do you still have to audition for things or do people tend to come to you?
No, I don’t really audition for much. I auditioned for The Dictator, but usually a lot of the stuff I’m doing now, I’m usually a part of the process before the movie gets financed, or something like that, so it’s a little different. Sometimes I do long for the days when I auditioned and if by some miracle I got the role, like three weeks later you’re shooting. You’ve got a job. That was amazing.

Have you made any headway in your goal to have an Apatow-style all-girl production team?
No! I mean, I guess … not really. That’s not exactly true. I haven’t formally done anything, but being in a part of, like, the community, in the sort of comedic world, is now it’s so different from when I first got to LA. And also it’s great because my husband is friends with all these people. Now there’s just a different feeling when you talk to other actresses, there’s this feeling of, like, let’s do something together, instead of when I first moved to L.A. where it was like, oh, we’re up for the same role. There is a feeling of camaraderie, and the feeling is, like, isn’t this sort of impossible, isn’t this sort of hard? Well, let’s doing something together, wouldn’t it be cool, will you come do a little thing in my movie? It’s an empowering feeling, which is great.

Who are the actresses that are in that world?
Well, like Zooey Deschanel, and Rashida [Jones], and Amy Poehler, and Abby Elliott, and Kristen Wiig — I mean, she’s on a different level. I don’t know, but she’s like scraping around. The cool thing, though, she’s such a leader and supporter of that kind of collaboration. So, that’s really amazing. It’s just nice when you see these actresses and you’re friends with them and they’re like, I like that person, love to work with them, and I think we just all have each other’s backs. And maybe I’m naive in that way, but it feels like that.

You were talking about the women who are in that comedy circle. Who do you think are your peers in terms of when you go up for roles?
Oh, I have no idea.

No idea?
I have no idea. I mean, I really don’t. Part of it is because I don’t ask because I don’t really want to know. Part of it is ’cause it changes all the time, and part of it is, too, I think it’s … I feel like I’ve done enough, so people either know that they want me or they know if they don’t. It’s kind of interesting. But when I was first starting out, it was, like, all the American Pie girls; I was always losing jobs to all of them, I remember. It just, like, shifted; every six months it was somebody else. It was funny.

Before you go back to London to shoot, tell me a little bit about I Give it a Year.
It’s directed by Dan Mazer, who executive produced this movie, The Dictator, and he’s been with Sasha [Baron Cohen] for a long time. I love that it’s very British in that all of the dialogue is very quick, and witty, and fun to say, and it’s all very dialogue-based humor. There’s nobody slipping and falling on a fucking bra or whatever. So that’s a great sort of change of pace. It’s very actor-y. It’s been a while since I’ve done a movie with like three other really professional, amazing actors. It’s really rewarding to sit around and laugh and play with these people who are all so good at what they do.

vulture.com

The ‘Dictator’ star announced last week she and her husband Chris Pratt are expecting their first baby in the autumn and Anna, 35, admits her mum Karen had been pestering her to give her a grandchild for a long time.

She told The Sun newspaper: ‘Chris and I both want a family. Mum has been saying to me for some time, ‘You had better start soon.’ ‘

Anna – who was previously married for three years to Ben Indra, before divorcing in 2008 – and Chris were only engaged for six months before getting married in 2009, but Anna believes it was meant to be as they lives had so many similarities.

She explained: ‘When I fell in love with Chris it was great. We both grew up in little towns next to each other near Seattle and I found that very comforting.

‘My marriage didn’t work out the first time round but I am still a big believer in marriage.

‘We lead a boring life in LA on purpose. I never go out, I never go to premieres, don’t go to parties and don’t live a Hollywood lifestyle.

‘My perfect night in is cooking dinner, drinking wine and watching movies – there is nothing I love more.’

monstersandcritics.com

Synopsis: The heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

Anna has a lot to say about her role in the film, so check out the interview below!

amctheaters.com

Anna Faris grew out her underarm hair to play her hippie character — and yes, it was all her own hair.

She told thehothits.com, “It was itchy, it was uncomfortable, it was incredibly thick and long. And for some reason when they asked me to grow it out I thought yeah that’s no big deal, it will probably be thin and whispy and kind of cute even under certain circumstances.

“But no. It was just revolting. I had no idea that I had the capacity, the ability!”

Anna also explained how she kept a straight face around Sacha Baron Cohen when he was in character!

Check out our interview with the cast below. The Dictator hits Aussie cinemas on May 16.

thehothits.com

So, where did the actress get her start? Was it film school? The theater?
Keenan Ivory Wayans . “He, you know, is very dear to my heart. He gave me my first break in Scary Movie. And I know that he would really appreciate [The Dictator] – he loves humor that offends everybody equally. I’d love for him to see this. I’d love to be in the screening room as he watched it.”

The Scary Movie franchise has already released four successful movies and is in talks for a fifth. Just goes to show how landing the right project can really springboard an actor’s career.

I had a chance to chat with the Hollywood actress about her new movie. The Dictator tells the tale of a foreign dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy never comes to the country he so lovingly oppressed. All the makings of a comedy, right? Well, did we mention the all-star comedy lineup of Sacha Baron Cohen, John C. Reilly, and the writing and directing team behind Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm? Hold while I contain my excitement…

Anna was able to give us some insight about this comedy dream set and her character, which she describes as naïve.
“She’s very idealistic, I think, to a fault. And I think it’s easy for people to take advantage of her. But I think that she definitely had some qualities that some of my other characters have had in the past, you know, that naiveté that I tend to play a lot of. And I’m starting to think that I’m just really naïve in real life.”

Would you say this was a loose set with a lot of improv? Or was it really tight and to the script?
It was very, very loose. It took a little bit of a learning curve for me. It was unlike pretty much any filming process I had ever gone through before. And you really didn’t know where the scene was going to go. We had a script and we would do the scripted version a couple of times. And then, the writers and Sasha would collaborate. And then, next thing you know, you would be headed in a completely different direction.

So it forced you to really stay on your toes, which was hard, but also, sort of an exciting challenge for an actor. I mean, he would, you know, in a scene like where he was sort of supposed to be charmed by me, he would suddenly be threatening to kill me, or like calling me like a lesbian hobbit, or you know, grabbing me on the back of my head …

Was that just for fun or is that actually part of the movie?
A lot of that became a part of the movie. It was just sort of as an actor you’re like, all right, got to be game. You know, it was improv, but it was like improv class in a sense that you just sort of roll with the punches, literally.They’ve all known each other for years, all the writers and Larry and Sacha. And so, for me, my strategy was just, you know, being open to trying anything. The audition process was really fun for me. You know, we just did a lot of improv. We played a lot.It took me like I think three months to get the role. Like they auditioned. And then, I didn’t really hear anything. And so, it was kind of – I didn’t know what was going on. And ultimately, I have no idea why they chose me. Probably because I was willing to grow my arm pit hair.

We’re sure it’s much more than arm pit hair. See Anna in The Dictator with Sacha Baron Cohen in theatres May 16th.

themovieblog.com

1. On her character.
2. On Zoey’s relationship with Alison Burgers.
3. On what drew her to be part of the film.
4. On what it was like working with Sacha.
5. On Zoey’s store and how Sacha’s character helps manage it better.
6. On what the audience can expect.
7. On on her favorite scene.

8. On Sacha’s character.

Watch them test their luck in the casino.

In the movie, Faris plays Zoey, a liberal idealist with a good heart who runs an organic, vegan grocery store in Brooklyn. When she meets General Aladeen (Baron Cohen) at a protest, she thinks he’s a refugee and jumps at the opportunity to help him.

When we spoke to the “Scary Movie” actress, she opened up about the challenges of her role (in particular having to grow out her underarm hair), Baron Cohen’s stunt at the 2012 Academy Awards and his crazy antics on set.

MTV: Zoey is a physical departure from your usual leading-lady roles in films like “The House Bunny” and “What’s Your Number?” What was it that led you to choose this script?
Anna Faris: I’ve been such a big fan of Sacha’s for years and I just jumped at the opportunity to get to work with him. I was just thrilled. That was really exciting for me. I love, in general, just getting to transform myself for characters. That’s really an exciting process for me. When they presented me with a more androgynous look, I thought that was just perfect. You know, this is the kind of girl that the dictator has never met before. He’s used to sleeping with models and actresses, these really stunning women, so for a while he thinks that I’m a boy.

MTV: Was there anything challenging for you about the role?
Faris: Not so much the role, but the project was really challenging because Sacha and his whole crew, all the writers and our director, they’ve worked together for so long and they do so much improv. It’s like 90 percent improv, and so the challenge was just keeping up with that as an actor, just being on your toes. I found it really hard, but also really exciting.

MTV: Of course, we have to ask: What was it like working with Baron Cohen?
Faris: It was amazing. He’s just this sort of crazy genius. You just have to be prepared for anything. The scene [can go] in a gazillion different directions and you just have to sort of roll with the punches. But it was great, I loved it. I just adore him. He was in character a lot of the time, but when he wasn’t, he’s a really kind gentleman — really intellectual and very funny. I just adored him.

MTV: You said he was in character most of the time. Would you approach him in character as well?
Faris: [Laughs] Yeah, I kind of would! Like, “OK, wait, is this the…? Oh, wait, he’s the supreme leader.” It was a little tricky for me because my character isn’t supposed to know that he’s a dictator. So I was like, “Well, do I then? Maybe? I don’t know? I’ll just go to craft services.”

MTV: With all the improvisation, did you have a hard time keeping a straight face on set?
Faris: Yeah, a lot of times! I mean, I feel really fortunate that I had the “Scary Movie” experience because I feel like that sort of prepared me for a lot of the general chaos of the set of “The Dictator,” so I just felt like you sort of go with it and wait until somebody calls cut. Until then, you just keep acting.

MTV: He’s known to make people uncomfortable, like his stunt at the Oscars where he poured fake ashes on Ryan Seacrest. Did he ever do anything that made you think, “OK, where is the nearest exit? How can I escape this?”
Faris: [Laughs] No! He was actually so sweet to me. I sort of escaped all that. But he was always, you know, such a gentleman. I didn’t know what it was going to be, but I did know that something was sort of afoot for the Oscars. And my husband [Chris Pratt] and I went and I saw Sacha, and I was like, “Honey, we just need to steer clear. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but let’s just sort of avoid Sacha.”

MTV: Do you have a favorite memory from shooting?
Faris: There’s a scene where Sacha and I are sort of forming our friendship in an intimate way, [laughs] and that’s really fun. I had to grow my armpit hair for the movie.

MTV News: How was that?
Faris: It was awful! I was so naive about it too. I was like, “Yeah, I’ll grow it out. No big deal.”

MTV News: Did your husband say anything about it?
Faris: He was such a good sport about it. He was like, “Yeah, honey! You do it. Just go.” But he also didn’t have to be around me too much that summer. I thought it would be, you know, fluffy and light, I guess. But it was so dark and thick and coarse. It was crazy. I felt very self-conscious about it. Maybe I was a little bit of a baby about it.

MTV News: Before we sign off, can you tell us your favorite joke?
Faris: Oh, my favorite joke! OK, let’s see. A little boy and his grampa … wait, oh no, I won’t tell you that one. It’s a little raunchy. But I will tell you this one: There’s two blondes and there’s a river in between them and one blonde says to the other blonde, “Hey, how do I get to the other side?” And the other blonde says, “You’re already there!” Yep. Pretty dumb.

MTV.com

Real Beauty: What’s been your relationship with SPF and sunbathing?

Anna Faris: It’s been terrible! It was a really bad relationship for years. I grew up in Seattle, and you know, it’s sunny there two days out of the entire year. When I moved to L.A., I worshipped the sun and would lay out all the time and go to tanning beds. During the filming of The House Bunny, I had a makeup artist tell me that my skin was starting to show some early signs of sun damage. When she actually pointed it out to me under a light I could see how it was starting to get blotchy. I immediately started to use a self-tanner, but I was horrible with it because I never remembered to exfoliate properly beforehand. A girlfriend of mine told me about Jergens Natural Glow about four years ago, and it was so serendipitous that they approached me. I already loved the product, and since I forget SPF too often, this really eliminates a step for me.

RB: Do you try to avoid the sun now?

AF: I try to, but it’s hard.

RB: You’re married to the adorable Chris Pratt. Do you two share any beauty products?

AF: He loves this lotion because he’s really pale—he grew up in Seattle, too. I’ll actually apply it for him. Other than that, we’re pretty lazy. It’s funny because we’re both in this crazy industry where people pay attention to how you look, and I always feel like we’re the schlubs of the red carpet.

RB: You’re one of Hollywood’s brightest blondes! Is the color something that’s part of your self-identity?

AF: I love being blonde! I’ve done both though, and I’ve found that the stereotypes are true. People keep their expectations low in terms of intelligence when you’re blonde. They’re friendly and assume that I’m a bubblier person, which I am. When I had dark hair, people took me much more seriously. I would end up auditioning for more intelligent roles. It’s very interesting to think about how hair color affects things like that.

RB: Was it super weird to see yourself with dark hair? You really surprised everyone with a dark, cropped ‘do a while back.

AF: It was strange, but awesome. I loved it. It’s great to be able to feel like a different person, and that haircut felt really liberating and strong. It was like, “This is cool. This girl’s cool.”

RB: What was the longest time you’ve ever spent in hair and makeup?

AF: For The House Bunny it was two hours every morning since my hair was so big, and they had to put a piece on. My makeup was big, too, and I would get sewn into my costumes which were so tiny! So that was like a 4 a.m. start. Anytime you have to do any sort of prosthetic makeup, you get a little restless.

RB: Did you read a lot while you were sitting there?

AF: I’m a news junkie and would just go through the papers. The end result is worth it—t’s fun to fully feel like the character.

RealBeauty.com

BellaSugar: I see there is a program where consumers can go online and share their Glow stories. Tell me a little bit what that’s about.
Anna Faris: People can log on to Jergens.com and they can see my Glow story. It’s sort of a photo journal about how I use the product [Natural Glow and Protect Daily Moisturizer With SPF 20] and how much I love it. They can then upload their own photos, and when they do, Jergens donates $2 to the Skin Cancer Foundation. So it’s a really easy and fun way to help a great cause.

BellaSugar: Have you ever had a really bad sunburn before, or are you one of those people who has practiced safe sunning?
AF: No, I was terrible about it for years! I used to lay out all of the time and I would go to the tanning booth. I had a makeup artist tell me that she was seeing a lot of sun damage in my face, and that really scared me. So I started using more products with SPF, I stopped tanning, and I started using the Jergens Natural Glow products.

BellaSugar: Switching gears, you have been in so many different movies and you’ve played so many different characters. Which in particular have you enjoyed the most?
AF: It was always fun to go to work when I was doing The House Bunny because that was such a vivacious, voluptuous look: big hair, big makeup, and a crazy wardrobe. I also loved my character in my upcoming movie, The Dictator, where I have an androgynous look about me. I wear a short brown wig and blocky clothes; that was really fun for me, as well. Just being able to transform into a character is one of the many things I really love about my job.

BellaSugar: What’s your favorite red-carpet moment where everything came together?
AF: I really loved The House Bunny premiere. It was such a special night for me in a movie that I felt so passionately about. I wore a gorgeous Marchesa dress, and my whole family was there.

BellaSugar: In all of your years that you’ve been working in the business, what are some of your favorite beauty tips you’ve picked up?
AF: I think for me the biggest thing was make sure your eyelashes are curled because even on my sleepiest days, it makes me look like I’m awake and present!

BellaSugar.com

“I felt really, really pale,” she recalls to PEOPLE. “I became addicted to the sun. And I would tan all the time, go to booths.”

When a makeup artist told the actress she had sun damage, “it scared me,” she says. “So I stopped doing all of that.” And she started getting vigilant about using an SPF.

Now, Faris is speaking up about suncare as the face of Jergens’ ‘Places You’ll Glow’ campaign, promoting the brand’s newest moisturizer with SPF and helping to raise money for the Skin Cancer Foundation. “People can go to jergens.com and see my whole ‘glow story’ — what I do during the day and how I use this product,” Faris explains. And for every user who uploads a ‘glow story’ of their own, Jergens will donate $2 to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Faris — who’s had three grandparents conquer skin cancer, the most common form of cancer — is more than happy to help. “It’s a fun way to support a great cause,” she says.

The Dictator star first heard about Jergens’ latest product, Natural Glow & Protect Daily Moisturizer with SPF 20, through actress pal Ari Graynor. “I’d tried using self-tanners but they didn’t work — I never exfoliated,” she explains. “This is foolproof because I don’t have to exfoliate, and after the shower I can put this on and it’s three products in one — my moisturizer, my ‘glow enhancer’ and my SPF.”

And Faris definitely needs all three — if for no other reason than to look good when out in L.A. “I have a little Mini Cooper convertible,” she says, laughing, “and I like to keep the top down.”

People.com

Did you use tanning beds growing up?
“Yes, when I lived in Seattle and then when I moved to LA, I was addicted to the sun until a makeup artist I worked with on House Bunny literally pointed to the lines I was getting on my face. So I switched to self tanner instead.”

And how did the self-tanner thing go?
“I was bad at it because I wouldn’t exfoliate and I’d always end up with orange hands and elbows and armpits—that’s one area I never mastered. Then one day my actress friend told me to try Jergens—it’s not a self tanner—it’s moisturizer, sunscreen, and gradual glow lotion so you can’t mess it up. So now I slap it on after I get out of the shower everyday.”

You’re partnering with Jergens on a campaign. Tell us about that.
“It’s called Jergens Places You Glow program, and starting March 30, you can log onto jergens.com and upload a picture of yourself wearing the lotion—and see pictures of me wearing it, too—and for every photo submitted, Jergens donates two dollars to the Skin Cancer Foundation.”

So are you a beauty junkie?
“My bathroom looks like a sorority’s—I guess we’re all trying to find the next best thing, but when I’m not working and getting my makeup done, I just wear a little mascara, eyeliner, and lip balm.”

Have you picked up any tips from the pros?
“Yes: curling my eyelashes really makes a difference.”

What haircolor has been your favorite so far?
“I couldn’t be any blonder right now and I think that reflects my personality. But I did love wearing a brown wig in The Dictator—it was really liberating and edgy.”

Who is your celebrity girl crush?
“I’m crazy about Kristen Wiig—we became close when I hosted SNL.”

Do you have any tips for taking a great photo?
“I try to elongate my neck to avoid a double chin; and I touch my tongue to the roof of my mouth—that works.”

What’s the best compliment you’ve received?
“When my Dad told me that he is proud of me and that I’m a good person.”

What’s the best and worst part about being famous?
“The best part is meeting interesting and amazing people. The worst is looking at a picture of myself in a tabloid eating a giant burrito—it’s intense.”

Allure.com

I also added 8 images from the photo shoot into our photo gallery!

The What’s Your Number? actress played Cindy Campbell in the first four movies in the horror spoof series.

Asked if she would like to return to the franchise, Faris told Digital Spy: “Yeah, I would. I feel like I got such an education making those movies.

“I loved playing Cindy. She’s so dumb. She couldn’t be less intelligent, that girl. It’s really fun for me to play that role.”

On whether she had been approached by producers to appear in the sequel, she added: “No, not yet. I know that there’s the rumor out there, but I don’t know what’s going to happen with that.”

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“We would love to have kids someday,” the What’s Your Number star, 34, told PEOPLE recently as her husband, who plays Andy on Parks and Recreation, 32, stood at her side and nodded in agreement.

“We want a family for sure. Chris wants a big family.”

Even though Faris says her and Pratt’s desire to have kids is “mutual,” it isn’t really possible at the moment.

“It’s timing,” she says. “It’s so hard in this industry.”

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Brett Berk: Anna! I’m so happy to talk to you again. I’m dying to see your new movie, What’s Your Number? If I remember correctly from our last conversation, in this movie you play a woman who’s unemployed, promiscuous, and drinks too much. Was there ever a time in your life when you fell into all of those categories simultaneously?

I think I’m still in that period! Wait. [Answers a knock on her hotel-room door.] Sorry. I just got room service. Want to know what I got? Chicken fingers. I always order off the kids’ menu because I totally am a child.

So the pop-psychology conceit of this movie is that if a woman has more than 20 partners—that’s the “Number” of the title—she’s unlikely to ever get married. I don’t want to be so crass as to ask what your number is, personally, but is it in the double or triple digits?

I think it’s five.

Five?!?

I know. Don’t you think that’s low?

Um, yes. You’re a beautiful, talented Hollywood star. You’re ruining the world’s fantasies!

Here’s the thing. I was a super-late bloomer. And I had headgear. I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 17. And then I was in two really serious relationships. Then I had a one-night stand. Then I was in a marriage. Now I’m in another marriage.

But in between the marriages, there must have been something?

Nope. I tried. I’m just . . . I don’t have a good understanding of my own sexuality. I can’t believe I’m admitting that to a journalist. Is that going to be the headline? I think it’s more that my parents were very conservative—very liberal in their political beliefs, but very conservative in everything else.

Was it religious?

No. The weird thing is, they’re both kind of atheists. I think they just didn’t want me to grow up too fast. I’m telling you, if you do not want your daughter to lose her virginity, you just get her some headgear.

So is Chris Evans a nice guy or a total vain asshole?

He’s the best. I adore him so much, and we became really good friends. But then, what was incredibly annoying was that Chris Pratt—my husband—and Chris Evans became, like, best buddies.

Ew! Not fair. You don’t want to be triangulated out of that.

Exactly. It was the most frustrating thing. I had the fantasy that they would fight over me. I wanted my husband to be like, “Back off, man.” And Chris Evans to be like, “Dude, she’s funny. She’s fucking cool as shit. You need to appreciate her.” Instead, they were going out clubbing together in Boston, while I was shooting and having to get up at, like, five in the morning.

What? There are no clubs in Boston!

There are, but you do not want to go to them.

Well, you’ll just have to think of another project that you can work on with Chris Evans. Maybe a romantic comedy?

I agree. But I would end up stuck in the annoying best-friend role. Because it would be, like, Megan Fox and Chris Evans.

You could play Megan Fox’s mom! I mean, she looks like she’d be the offspring of, like, a truck-stop prostitute who had her when she was 13.

You know, I’ve always had a fantasy about playing a hooker.

You’ve never played a hooker?

You sound so surprised. I want to play a meth-head hooker. That was essentially the original pitch for House Bunny. I was like, I want to play this totally damaged, ex–Playboy Bunny who’s addicted to meth and has to move back to her Christian town and live with her abusive father. I pitched that to the writers, and they were like . . . Or maybe you’re hot and you go to a sorority.

We need to pitch Meth-Head Hooker, stat! Last question. I noticed that Blythe Danner plays your mom in this movie. When you were doing a scene with her, did you ever get the feeling that she was watching you and thinking, That’s not how Gwyneth would have done that?

No, I didn’t. But now I do! But years ago, I was being interviewed for something, and they asked, What comedic actresses do you admire? And I always change it up, but this particular time, I said, Blythe Danner. And apparently she read that. And she said that she doesn’t take a lot of projects anymore, but that she wanted to take this movie because I said that about her.

Who knew that these interviews had such power? Well, let’s lay the groundwork here. Who else do you want to work with?

Can we go for, like, a Judi Dench? I just worked with Sir Ben Kingsley on The Dictator—the new Sacha Baron Cohen movie—and he’s so formal. Lovely, but completely intimidating. And he was always like [affects British accent], “My leading lady. How are you?” And I was always like, “I’m a leading lady? You really think so?

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A young woman panics after reading a magazine article claiming people who’ve had 20 or more unsuccessful relationships have an almost zero chance at finding true love.

Anna Faris stars as a woman who is stunned to learn she’s been way more sexually active than any of her friends.

“I thought guys were the only ones who got together and say ‘this is what I did,’” said Chris Evans. “Girls do that just as much. Girls share just as many details and they are just as raunchy.”

“Yeah you don’t want to know what goes on sometimes,” said Faris.

Evans co-stars as a neighbor who volunteers to help with the quest to find all her old exes to see if one may have been the one that got away.

“If you were dating someone I’d never ask what their number is, that was then and this is now,” said Evans. “How many times have you been in love? How many times have you been in a relationship? I would not ask, I might want to know, but I wouldn’t ask how many people you’ve slept with.”

The film’s sexual subject matter did make for interesting conversations on the set.

“We were all very open,” said Faris.

“I don’t think there was any subject not breached,” said Evans. “We got along and it was a fun cast.”

The film’s R rating also let the cast enjoy a freedom that comes with pushing the ratings envelope.

“I don’t think you want to be gratuitous, you don’t want to swear for no reason,” said Faris. “But I think, especially as a woman, it gives you a lot more room.”

Faris’ real life husband, Chris Pratt, plays one of her former boyfriends. And you’ll also see Blythe Danner and Ed Begley Jr. as her parents.

The film is in theaters on Friday.

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PHOTOS: Fall movie preview

“I quit acting in college,” she revealed on The Late Show with David Letterman Tuesday. “I just didn’t think it was practical.”

“Well, it’s not practical,” the 64-year-old host agreed. “For a few lucky folks, it is quite lucrative, but not practical.”

Faris decided to give acting one more shot after realizing she lacked sufficient typing skills. “I don’t really know how to do anything with computers,” the What’s Your Number? actress laughed. “I had no other options career-wise!”

Luckily, Faris’ parents encouraged her to pursue her dream of becoming a movie star.

“I don’t know why they were so supportive, but they were. Although I don’t think they wanted me to go into spoof comedy,” the Scary Movie actress laughed. “My mom wanted me to be like Amelia Earhart or Joan of Arc. Lofty! Instead I’m queen of spoof comedies.”

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If she were a candy, Anna Faris would be a SweeTart.

She appears angelic, batting those wide chocolaty eyes and reverting to a faux-breathy, beatific voice to discuss whether she made her husband, actor Chris Pratt, audition to play one of her exes in the comedy What’s Your Number? That’s when her caustic side kicks in.

“Of course I did,” she quips, pausing for effect. “In the bedroom.”

Faris, 34, has managed to make bawdy endearing and adorable — and sweetly absurd. And she plays to her comedy strengths in this Friday’s Number, which she executive-produced. Faris is a single girl who panics that she might have bedded too many guys and, with the help of her skirt-chasing neighbor (Chris Evans), sets out to reconnect with her former paramours.

Like Ally in Number, Faris seems unaware of her own charms. “She’s completely oblivious to her own talent,” Evans says. “She’s the first person to make fun of herself. She doesn’t know how pretty she is, how funny she is or how smart she is. If she doesn’t know by now, she never will.”

When told of Evans’ praise, Faris covers her face with mock humility. “OK, come on, tell me more,” she purrs.

Faris says she was drawn to Ally because she’ll always go for the underdog. “She felt like a loser. I loved the idea of someone who was sloppy and a bit of a mess,” Faris says.

To her, they’re more interesting and relatable than the typical impeccably coiffed but inexplicably single overachievers you see in films.

“I feel that we don’t see enough (losers) in Hollywood. It’s always this woman who, if she gets drunk, it’s by accident. Maybe she’s clumsy in high heels,” Faris says. “I’m also not that girl. I have a cat that poops on my bath mats every day. And sometimes I clean it up.”

Faris taps you on the arm for effect. “Are you looking for a cat? She’s 20. She’s a catress. She’s from Stuart Little.”

She adopted the elderly cat so the feline could have pleasant, peaceful final days. And that, Pratt says, is typical of his wife.

“She had a very late growth spurt and for a long time was gangly and awkward. She had to develop a sense of humor. She’s so beautiful and talented and funny and has a heart and empathizes for the underdog.”

If anything, Faris would prefer to camouflage her physical attributes on-screen. She just spent the summer in Manhattan shooting Sacha Baron Cohen’s comedy The Dictator.

“I grew out my armpit hair all summer. Have you ever grown out your armpit hair? I hadn’t either. So when they asked me, I said sure. I figured it would be cute and maybe a little wispy and a little blond.

“I don’t know why I thought that — I bleach my hair. It was dark and 3 inches long and super curly. It was so disgusting. I would show it at parties, and people would be too polite to tell me how disgusting that looks. That was the summer of armpit hair.”

Pratt didn’t, ahem, bristle at Faris’ fleece. “It was a huge turn-on — and not because I’m attracted to armpit hair. It’s because she’s willing to go so hard for a joke. That, to me, was really sexy. She was willing to spend the entire summer in shirts that were at least half-sleeve in length — all for one gag. That shows focus and dedication.”

In the wake of this spring’s Bridesmaids, which earned a staggering $169 million domestically without a single male lead, studios are more open to raunchier female comedies, which are Faris’ passion.

“It’s exciting that things are shifting,” she says.

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Anna guests with “Jersey Shore” star Vinny in this talk show dedicated to all things ex. So what has Anna learned about love from watching the MTV reality show? “I think alcohol is a wonderful tool for romance,” she joked. “And if you call something smooshing, it sounds so innocuous.”

“What does that mean?” a confused Vinny asked. “I don’t know what innocuous means.” Looks like Vinny should stow away Merriam and Webster on his next trip to Seaside!

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