Candy Clark ‘TMWFTE’ Q&A

September 12th, 2015 | by Nick

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Candy Clark very kindly agreed to answer your questions about The Man Who Fell To Earth, read them in full below…

Dear Candy,

Some of the loves scenes in the film are very tender and sexually very beautiful and exciting!

‘Naughty’ question … But after all this years you can maybe answer …

Was there also a ‘real’ physical attraction between you two?

CC/ I am glad you found the love scenes tender and beautiful, but in reality those scenes were very tough to do.. David was very uncomfortable and so was I.. When I view those scenes again, I can see how uptight we were.. Where we did those scenes there was NO physical attraction.. We were just trying to get the work done..

Like I understand … David was ‘almost’ himself in the film … His looks and clothes, do you know Candy … that he had also something to say about the script? How scenes were played … Some dialogues he proposed … The set … Decor?

CC/ As far as I know David had no input on the script.. The script written by Paul Myersberg was pretty spectacular as it was.. No need to add or subtract anything.. I loved the script.

Congratulations with your part in the film …

You played it so natural and real ! Your part is definitely as crucial as David’s …

That thousands women envy you that you were in David’s arms is no news for you 😉

Thank You Very Much For Answering Our Questions and All the best !

Ann ~ Belgium.

CC/ Glad you loved the film.. Don’t be too jealous tho…

Hi Candy, First of all I would like to congratulate you on your wonderful performance in “The man who fell to earth”, you played the part of the “Alien” wife perfectly. My question is: What were your first impressions of David Bowie on meeting him and were you a fan of his music? (Oh and did you really carry him in your arms down the hotel corridor after the “Lift” scene, I know he was pretty thin in those days). Thank you very much for taking time out to do this Q&A.

Regards Steven Price.

CC/ My first impression of David Bowie was he was a very nice down to earth guy.. I thought he was perfect for the role.. He was a hard worker and loved to rehearse the dialog, which was a big help to me because there were a lot of scenes with a lot of dialog.. Big thanks, David.. And no, he was heavier than he looks, I tried to carry him, but couldn’t, so the prop master rigged up a skate board with a bicycle seat which David balanced on and it was pulled down the hall with a rope.. There were variations on this method..

Hi Candy

I read that you auditioned for the part of Princess Leia in Star Wars? Given the megabucks franchise that it became, and especially given Carrie Fisher’s much publicised issues with fame later, did you ever have any regrets about not getting the part?

CC/ False rumor.. I never auditioned for Princess Leia in Star Wars.

Is it true that you stood in for David for one scene in The Man Who Fell to Earth, and if so, what can you remember about that?

CC/ Yes, I stood in for David Bowie in a street scene where I leave a revolving door at the World Enterprises building and get into his limo.. I was wearing David’s clothes and hat, had my own shoes on with an orange wig, which looked close enough.. I walked out with my hand on my chin, because our chins were not alike in the least.. Fooled you didn’t I??

Thanks! Des Foley

Candy arriving at the London premiere of TMWFTE.

Did you have any idea when filming what a cult classic the film would become? How loved it would be even by the next generation!?

Kind regards, Lucy Christou.

CC/ I knew it was a great script, and I loved my role and gave it all I had.. So did David and Rip and Buck.. We tried our hardest to make it work and I think it did.. I thought it would have gone much further actually, tho I am glad it finally found its audience.. A bit ahead of its time, I think..

How was your working relationship with David Bowie? And given Bowie’s substance abuse problems and marital issues at the time, how did this affect his work on-set? Or could you even notice if you didn’t already know?

Thanks so much!

Sincerely, Cary Ashby

CC/ Working relationship with David was superb.. He is a hard worker, likes to run dialog, which was a great help to me with memorizing the scenes.. Looked gorgeous and perfect for the part. I had no idea he was doing drugs, as he had promised Nic Roeg that he would not do this.. If he was doing drugs he hid it very very well.

What was your favorite moment with David while filming? 🙂

Adrienne

CC/ All the scenes with David were my favorites, tho I think when I came to the hotel room with the bottle of gin was pretty special.. I was all dressed up and had my hair nice and teased.. make up looked great..

Hi Candy,

I’ve always been curious to know what the names are of the two child actors that played the alien children in The Man Who Fell To Earth?

I’ve searched the credits and have never found anything. Must have been awesome for two little kids to get to play aliens alongside you and Bowie.

Kody ONeal

CC/ I have no idea who the child actors were.. Possibly someones kids who worked on the set. When I met them they were in full makeup and costume.

My question for Candy Clark -So, it’s well documented Bowie was in a dark place mentally, and supposedly a little off his head around the period of The Man Who Fell to Earth.

What is the most unique and specific memory you have of him during the shoot? (Doesn’t have to be of him being dark or off his head!

Thanks Candy and David Bowie News as always!

Stowe Gregory

CC/ David did not in the least seem dark or off his head.. He seemed perfectly normal and conversational.. Social..

Candy, you had double cast in the story. Which character was closer to you: Mr. Newton’s wife who let her husband to travel so from their planet for save his family’s life -or his Earthling lover who loved him for long time hopeless and sadly but could give up?

Anna from Hungary

CC/ I liked playing Mary Lou in the movie.. It was a major role and had lots of emotions and things to do.

The wife was a nice part, but was basically silent.. The costume was a bit sheer and kept springing leaks. Had a pump on my back with pink water flowing through the tubes..

David has said before that he didn’t really ‘act’ in this film as he was in a quite an alienated and isolated place in his own life at the time. Perfect for his part. Was it something that Nic Roeg encouraged for your role – your own interpretation of what Mary-Lou would be like?

I would like to say that I also found you perfect for your part, and your innocent acceptance of his ‘strangeness’ completely believable, as ‘Mary-Lou’ put it down to Newton being British, a different kind of alien in the USA.

Regards

Ruth

CC/ I think David is being very modest when he said he didn’t act in the film.. He sure did “act” in the film.. It took a lot of hard work and stamina to do all he did.. Very difficult part.. And I think he was perfect in every way.. He was very easy to work with.. Would work with him again in a minute.

My question is in here someplace… Candy, you were an instant crush for me once I saw “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” You were in an elevator becoming enamored with a vulnerable visitor with an oddly formal etiquette and a bloody nose, but I was becoming enamored with you (I was one of many as you again charmed the American public. … I’d heard of “American Graffiti”, which Wikipedia tells me brought you an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but I don’t recall ever seeing it. I think I was maybe still a young teen when it came out). … And then, I didn’t see or hear of you much again. … But, actually Wikipedia tells me you stayed pretty active in your acting. … My question is, after working with David Bowie, to what extent do you think your career / life / friendship kept in sync with his? I noticed one movie title of yours, “The Big Sleep” from 1978, which sounds similar to the song, “Going Out in the Big Sleep”, by Simple Minds, a Bowie-influenced group (I’d say), from their great album on New Gold Dream album, from 1982. Also noticed that 2011, you played Matt Damon’s mother in “Informant!”, and of course Bowie has a song called “The Informant” as one of his tracks from the Nov? 2013 The Next Day Extra release. Maybe it was more the case of Bo trying to keep up with you. 😊 … Just seems like more than a coincidence.

Merc

CC/ I think you are reading too much into David and my lives.. It is interesting that you see this connection, but it is really coincidence.

Dear Candy Clark,

What was your favorite scene in The Man who Fell to Earth, that had you with David Bowie in it.

Amy Steinberg

CC/ I really don’t have a favorite scene.. All the scenes are my favorites scenes.. The movie is my favorite movie I did.. Enjoyable in every way.. Director, actors, script, crew, location, All was amazing.

My question is: what are your recollections about the spectacular ‘milky’ love scene and did David have any advice for you leading up to it’s shooting to put you at ease?

Many thanks Harry Williams

CC/ Anytime I have had to do a nude scene I have been mortified.. Very, very uncomfortable being naked in front of a lot of people.. I am an introvert when it comes to that..

David Bowie News asked have you kept in touch with David since shooting the film?

CC/ No, I haven’t seen David in years.. Once I ran into him in NYC and he was glad to see me.. Other than that, no.

Many thanks to Candy Clark for kindly agreeing to do this.

To find out more about Candy’s career to date click below:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0163748/

COMPETITION!