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Articles Source / Date: Miami Herald October 2, 1998 Title / Page(s): "Star Trak" by Robert Hofler It was an auspicious beginning: Spike Lee cast her as Girl 12 in his phone-sex movie Girl 6. Two years later, Gretchen Mol is Vanity Fair's fall cover girl. In their words -- the "It Girl," as if that expression didn't go out with Clara Bow. Nonetheless, being a "VF girl" is a big deal in Hollywood, and the whole town is suddenly paying attention. Next up, Mol is Matt Damon's girlfriend in Rounders -- he gambles, she doesn't want him to. In October, she and Leonardo DiCaprio go to the casinos in Atlantic City in Woody Allen's latest, Celebrity. You used to be a theater usher? At the Anjelica Theater in New York City. I was going to school; I worked there on weekends. It was chaotic. People in New York City have such a hankering for every new film. I'd have a megaphone and keep the people in line. Have they played any of your films there yet? The Funeral was there. I went to see it. People would get really angry about Abel Ferrara's films. You get interesting reactions, and it's fun to sit in the back of the theater and watch people walk out angry. I have to say, the theater was full. Did you enjoy all the hoopla around the Oscars this year? I went to the party afterward, the Vanity Fair party. It was overwhelming. I wondered what I was doing there. I was able to sit back and just observe. Everybody comes out for the night and does the Hollywood thing. Did you know at that point that you were going to be Vanity Fair's It Girl for their September cover? No I didn't. I didn't stay at the Vanity Fair party for very long. As all the stars were ushered through the front door, I didn't like the gawking feeling that I had. I couldn't believe all these stars I was seeing. Also, I didn't know them well enough to approach them. Everyone who was at the Oscars was there. Is it fun seeing yourself on the cover of Vanity Fair? Of course, but there's also pressure. People expect things of you. That's the name of the game. When you embark on this kind of a profession, you're putting yourself up to be judged. I'm just trying to have fun with it right now. The Vanity Fair cover is quite eye-catching. Have you gotten any interesting responses from friends and family? [Laughs] Everyone has been really positive about it. If anything, I'm the one who is a little shy about it. Did you know it was going to be that provocative? I knew when we were taking it that this was going to be the dress. It's a beautiful photograph, and nothing to be ashamed of. Do you worry that because of the sexy photo some people in the industry may see you as something other than a serious actress? I'd worry if it were a different magazine and a different photographer. Annie Leibowitz took the photograph. It made me feel safe. My mother and everybody around me was very encouraging, very supportive. Nobody made me feel bad about it. You know people may be talking behind closed doors, but what can you do about that? You worked with Leonardo DiCaprio in Woody Allen's film, Celebrity. What was that like? Great. I'm working with Woody on his next film this fall. Woody sets up a situation where you don't get to read the script. You go into work every day not knowing what you're going to do. You're trying to get tidbits of information. So when you do show up, you're able to be spontaneous and have fun with it. I was lucky. Leonardo is a pro at that. He knows how to bring that spontaneity into the room. It only makes your job easier. You filmed in Atlantic City. Did you two get mobbed? No, he's very unassuming when he walks around. Also, we filmed it right before Titanic came out. It might be different now. We filmed a lot of it in a casino, and in a casino people are so involved in their gambling, they don't notice much of anything else.