Isabella Rossellini interview: 'Everybody’s interested in sex'

So, Isabella Rossellini, enigmatic star of ‘Blue Velvet’ – you’ve made a series of funny internet videos about creature sex. Er, why?
‘I’ve been interested in creatures since I was a girl and I’ve always wanted to make films about animal sex – because everybody’s interested in sex. When I made short film “My Dad is 100 Years Old”, I took it to the Sundance Film Festival and they liked it so much they asked if I would make short films for the Sundance internet channel. And I thought, here’s my chance to make “Green Porno”.’

So you like talking about sex?
‘Actually, I find it embarrassing to talk about my own sex life or even the sex life of other people. But once you talk about animals, it feels okay. It’s sex, but it’s also science. I never say “fuck” in the “Green Porno” films, but I do say “mating” and “penis” and “vagina” in the live shows. People are a bit squeamish about that.’
But you have sex as snails and earthworms – why not choose cute and cuddly creatures?
‘I live in New York and the only live animals you see are cockroaches, rats and pigeons, which I admire immensely. When I see an animal that thrives in the garbage I feel relief; in our urban environment other animals are dying out.’

Where did all this creature sex knowledge come from?
‘When I was a little girl, I watched a lot of David Attenborough documentaries and I dreamed that one day I would work with him. Sadly, it wasn’t to be. In 1970s Italy, you couldn’t take nature studies at university. So I had a wonderful career working as a model and an actress instead.’

So it’s not just a passing phase?
‘Not really. About five years ago when I was being offered less acting and modelling work, I thought: why not go back and do nature studies? So I’m enrolled in a masters. Instead of feeling like I’m old and nobody wants me as a model, nobody wants me as an actress, I’ve found a whole new thing that I feel passionate about.’ How did an octogenarian French cinema legend come to write the stage version of ‘Green Porno?' 
‘I was talking to a French actress friend about the animals I was studying and she suggested doing a scientific lecture but with humour. Since I can’t write a monologue, she contacted Jean-Claude Carrière – a friend of hers in his eighties who's written Oscar and Bafta-winning work. So I asked him if he knew anything about sex – and he did!’

Are you worried audiences will come expecting a demure Isabella and a classy stage show?
‘We did a run-through of the monologue near Paris and it was just billed as “Isabella Rossellini” – I was panicking when I saw such an old audience, because if they were expecting me to talk about beauty tips, they would have been sorely disappointed. But when I started the “Green Porno” tour officially, the people that came were young and knew me only from the sex videos – and that pleases me.’