Madonna Does Interview Mag to Talk Directing ‘W.E.’

Madonna has repeatedly tried to break into film, at first as an actress, but every time she did another movie, critics scowled at her efforts. As such, the singer has turned her attention towards directing: her second film, a period piece scheduled to go into production this summer and out in theaters by 2011, called “W.E.” Though usually tight-lipped about her ongoing projects, Madonna is opening up to Interview mag about the upcoming film.

The latest issue of the magazine also includes stunning black and white portraits from photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, who’ve worked with Madonna before and who consequently know that she does best in old-fashioned photospreads. The interview was conducted by director Gus Van Sant, who made the Oscar-winning “Milk,” with Madonna’s first husband, Sean Penn. Though the discussion veers towards topics like her charity efforts in Malawi, it mostly centers on what making such a big budget film is like for a newcomer like Madonna (in terms of directing, of course).

The singer admits that, though working on the script for the past couple of years, here was the first place she realized she needed help. “I started writing it on my own, and then I realized that I needed help. It’s just too big a subject. I quite like the idea of collaborating in general. Not only is it lonely to do things on your own creatively, it’s also kind of arrogant. I guess some people are brilliant enough to be brilliant on their own and never doubt anything and come up with fabulous things. But I think it’s good to get into arguments with people […].I think it’s important to have a sounding board. I’ve known Alek [Keshishian] for years, and we have a weird kind of brother-sister relationship. One minute we’re hugging each other and crying on each other’s shoulders, and the next minute we’re slamming the door in each other’s face and not speaking to each other for a month,” Madonna says.

Even though they’re a team and working at full speed, the script is not done yet, the singer admits. Because of the topic, she also had to do plenty of research, while making sure she’s not an absentee mother for her children. What with casting having already started and certain restrictions set up by the movie studio, Madonna is finding out she can’t really handle the pressure all that well. There are many times, especially now, before the film goes into production, that she finds herself thinking “What am I doing?,” she says.

“My film is essentially an English production, and I’ve been instructed to use people who live there-or at least in Europe. We’ll film mostly in England, a bit in France, some in New York. My only indulgence is to bring my costume girl, because I’ve been working with her for so many years and costumes are such a big part of this movie. I just can’t start working with someone new. […] I haven’t really been focused as much as I should be on the music part of my career because this movie has just consumed every inch of me. Between that and my four children, I don’t have the time or the energy for anything else,” Madonna further says.

For the entire piece in the latest issue of Interview magazine, please refer here.