Interview: Elisabeth Shue Talks Playing a Missed Mother in ‘The Good Half’

Elisabeth Shue should have an Academy Award on her mantle. Nominated for Leaving Las Vegas, her Oscar loss is one of the biggest snubs in memory, and I told it to her face this week. The occasion was discussing The Good Half, which I’ve been doing a lot of lately. I spoke to co-stars David Arquette here and Brittany Snow here. Today, Shue completes my interviews for the lovely little movie.

In my review of The Good Half (found here), I had this to say about the performances, including Shue’s:

Nick Jonas leads a really strong cast. Jonas turns in his finest performance to date, mixing some great line deliveries for the jokes with a truly recognizable depiction of fresh grief. We certainly don’t look the same, but I definitely saw a lot of myself from back in January in this turn. He’s quite good here. In flashbacks, Elisabeth Shue creates a vivid portrait of a mom that certainly seemed fun and kooky to others, but was absolutely singular to you. Alexandra Shipp is funny and warm, displaying great chemistry with Jonas. Brittany Snow is the serious one, but lets some great little remarks slip out, showcasing the family dynamic. Snow has terrific chemistry with Jonas. The same goes for Matt Walsh. When Jonas, Snow, and Walsh share scenes, they’re among the funniest in the movie. Supporting players, aside from an appropriately jerky but never villainous David Arquette, who navigates some tricky territory, include Mason Cufari and Stephen Park, among others.

Below, you can see my chat with Shue. Considering how I had just lost my mother when I saw the flick, we have a bit of a bond her, in terms of her role. She’s very kind about it and has some really touching things to say, so I appreciate her not just playing a great cinematic mom, but for indulging me as well. She has a complex role in The Good Half and nails it. Is that surprising? No. Is it still wonderful to witness? Of course.

Here now is my interview with The Good Half co-star Elisabeth Shue. Enjoy:

The Good Half is in theaters tomorrow!