Q&A with artist and Oscar-nominated actress Juliette Lewis

As a big fan of the actress Juliette Lewis, I’m thrilled that she extended her passion and fire to a new stage – the music stage. Her new rock-documentary Hard Lovin’ Woman, directed by Michael Rapaport, explores Juliette’s love for music and live performance. The documentary is available to stream free on Red Bull TV now.

To learn more about Juliette’s new film, her friendship with Michael Rapaport and what she’s binge-watching, read on below.

What do you want people to take away from this film?

All I ever want is for people to feel inspired or more connected to their own strength, resilience and joy!

I love that director Michael Rapaport, a friend of 20 years, captured a lot of my silly sensibility in the Red Bull TV Hard Lovin’ Woman documentary. There’s a lot of humor – it’s not an overly self important or conventional documentary by any means.

What would you say is the source of your passion/fire?

I can’t even begin to tell you. I have to say it’s somewhere from the sky and spiritual realm and the animal kingdom.

I always feel validated if my intentions are creatively received. That’s usually told to me by people who stop me in the street or people attending my shows – with their beautiful wild expressions and joy.

What do you find more validating – film or music?

Probably music because I started it from the ground up. I can write a song in my living room and perform it for people that night and get an instant connection and gratification. Also, it’s deeply gratifying to play with other musicians and manifest sounds heard in our hearts and create sometimes a full cinematic world through a song.

If you could describe your relationship with Michael Rapaport in one word, what would it be?

Mike is a Friend. One word description of that friendship – RICH.

What is the hardest thing you’ve had to encounter?

Well in the real deep sense, it was touching and surviving some of the darkest of darkness that has nothing to do with my professional self and nothing I would ever share in an interview.

As an artist, though, the hardest thing I’ve had to encounter is lack of imagination at times from others or in myself. But honestly nothing is ever that hard once you’ve survived trauma and the brutality of existentialism. Hahaha.

Show business is not hard…well unless you lack a spiritual foundation and a strong sense of self worth. The perseverance to get up and out every single day and connect can be challenging.

Almost everything in this culture is designed to make you a vapid consumer and to make you a kind of nothingness full of weakness, shame and insecurity. That’s the fight every day.

What’s been the most gratifying?

To joyfully say f**k you and love one another. And do your part. LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST, SEIZE THE DAY, BE IN THE MOMENT AND BE HERE NOW.

As clichéd and trite as those phrases are – they are still the ultimate quest and what I strive for when I act, when I perform and when I get up every day as a person.

What’s been your most thrilling or challenging performance/role to date?

The most challenging thing I ever did was lead a band and tour of the world for a few years straight…and the most gratifying thing of course.

Most challenging role – there’s been many but I have to say The Other Sister. People don’t expect that but to have that purity of heart and that naivety to make it as honest as possible was super challenging.

Also, Natural Born Killers because I had to train, shoot all kinds of guns, which I never shot before and don’t like, learn street fighting, improvise a lot and write scenes because Oliver Stone wanted us to give everything. It was really an incredible experience to do that.

Do you ever binge-watch TV or films? If so, what would be on your list of things to binge? 

Only thing I have binge-watched was true life crime stuff and Locked up Abroad. I love things that test people and to see how people are able to endure and survive the most brutal of circumstances.

Oddly enough those shows helped me in preparation to play this detective on my TV show, Secrets and Lies.