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“Ratatouille” star Janeane Garofalo began her career on the stand-up comedy circuit before venturing into television, including roles on “The Ben Stiller Show,” “Saturday Night Live” and “The Larry Sanders Show.”

Garofalo also has been featured in a number of hit movies, including “Reality Bites” and “Dogma.”

Now, Garofalo is poised to add another notable role to that list as she plays Colette, a French chef, in the Disney/Pixar film “Ratatouille.” Before the film opens nationwide on Friday, June 29, Garofalo spoke with 210SA.
 
Are you a big fan of animation?
I've never been a consumer, but I appreciate quality when I see it. I've not been a scholar on the world of animation and followed it, but I have seen “The Simpsons” like everyone else. It's part of the fabric of our culture. But there's not the level of artistry there, because it's more about how great the writing is. “South Park,” I've only seen a handful of episodes. It's very funny, but the animation is not what you're looking at. It's the dialogue.

What did you think when you first saw the script for “Ratatouille?”
If they did (send it out), I didn't get it. I didn't know what I was going to be or what I was doing. They're reticent to send out the pages because they don't want them to wind up on the Internet. I just had a bare bones knowledge of what was happening, but I received more info per session. We recorded vocal tracks individually, and it was sort of a modular performance, because you don't know how the other person is responding. You're just in the booth by yourself with verbal cues, hoping for the best.

You starred in one of the biggest cult films of the ’90s — “Reality Bites.” Why did that film have such an impact on 20-somethings everywhere?
I have no idea. I was 29 playing a 21-year-old. I didn't connect with what the younger person sees, but I can only theorize that they like to think that once you graduate (college), even with all the sense of confusion and new beginnings, that it will all work out all right like it did with the characters. Even on school nights, you can go see a band and live with your friends; that life doesn't have to change that much.

Over the years, it seems like people have had to take a side between “Reality Bites” and “Singles.”
I actually prefer “Singles.” That's no offense to the “Reality Bites” cast, crew and writers because I enjoyed the experience, but I actually identified more with “Singles” in that (the characters) are older. With the exception of some corny comedy scenes that (director) Cameron Crowe had in there, I love that movie.

And “Singles” had Pearl Jam.
I love Pearl Jam, and I love Chris Cornell. The music was excellent, and I still listen to it. I still watch “Singles” when it's on. I like the idea of people in their early 30s or late 20s living like that in Seattle or Portland. I like that image of life. Not that I was living that way, but I liked it. I wish I could go see cool bands, to go see Alice in Chains on a Tuesday, or there's Chris Cornell at a club that's not that packed and small.

You're also known for your political views. How did you get involved in that?
I had interest in it, as I observed it for many years. I was raised in a conservative, religious household and had questions about that. Then I went to a religious college (Providence), and that put the kibosh on that. I didn't want any part of that. I have no problem with politics or religion, but I don't like fundamentalist anything. Then, after the stolen (presidential) election of 2000, I was beside myself. And after 9-11, with the obvious ramp up toward the debacle war, I got involved, not because I thought I was good at it but because people kept asking my opinion.

Clint Hale | 210SA