Talking about her experience working with the renowned director, the 'Bridge of Spies' actress reveals one moment during filming that made her decide to give up pretending her eyesight was fine.
- Dec 28, 2020
AceShowbiz - Actress Amy Ryan gave up pretending her eyesight was fine thanks to an acting instruction from Steven Spielberg on "Bridge of Spies".
The star now wears contact lenses at all times after realizing poor sight was beginning to impact her craft.
"I wear contacts now because of Steven Spielberg," she explains. "I didn't know how to get contacts in my eyes for the longest time, because it bothered me so I would make do."
"There was a scene (in 'Bridge of Spies'), where I was walking upstairs to meet Tom (Hanks) and it's supposed to be this loving moment where I'm so proud of him. Steven's direction to me was, 'Amy, softer face', but I was just squinting because I couldn't see, which came out so mean looking!"
"So I ran to my doctor and got contacts because I couldn't see a thing."
Amy previously shared her eyesight problem during an interview with Interview magazine in 2014. Saying that she just got new glasses at the time, she said, "I can't wear contacts so now when I act on a film I kind of get mean. Steven Spielberg on the last film said, 'Make more of a soft face,' because I was focusing."
Asked to confirm if it was Steven who instructed her to "look more gentle" for the scene, she replied, "Yeah, it was a loving scene and I was looking a little angry, but the truth is I couldn't see a damn thing. I've got to get contacts; I've got to figure it out."
Amy played Tom Hanks' onscreen wife in 2014's "Bridge of Spies". She is also known for her roles as Helene McCready in 2007's film "Gone Baby Gone", Beadie Russell on HBO's series "The Wire", as well as Holly Flax on NBC's sitcom "The Office" (2008–2011).