It's not clear at first why Lili Taylor looks the way she does. She's wearing a flowing, outrageously patterned Pucci-esque jacket (and God knows it could be Pucci) with a short dress that picks up the purple, teal and hot pink hues of the jacket. They do not match. The fingernails of both hands are painted purple and she's wearing two giant faux purple stones. Her flip-flop sandals sparkle. At first, I think she's lost her mind. And then, as we talk about her new movie, A Janis Joplin biopic, it becomes clear: Lili's in character as Joplin. She explains that she'll spend at least six months getting the essence of Janis Joplin down (she's helping produce the movie as well), but I think- just maybe0 she's already there.

AJ: This is an unusual movie for you. It's so big.
LT: [It] felt independent, though. It's just that we had more money. That was the only difference. There was an intimacy with the crew. (Director) Jan (De Bont) was fantastic, spontaneous. It felt homemade. It felt like we were all for one.

AJ: It's weird to hear you say Jan made a homemade movie because he makes big movies.
LT: I don't know what happened with him before. All I know is this one, he was fantastic. [I have] so much respect for him. First of all, he hired me. That in itself says volumes about the guy- that he took that risk. And then from there n he's a real artist. I haven't seen his movies to be honest, but I think the guy is really an artist. He's a beautiful photographer. He's got a photography collection. He studied art extensively in Holland and I think probably what was happening on those bigger pictures is he wasnt' satisfied as an artist.

AJ: Was the movie hard sell for you?
LT: Not at all. I read the script and I was going to fly out on my own dollar. And I though Julie Harries, she did the original, she's an idol. Really, this woman's a hero. I think, and stands up and is strong and I think scary movies are great when they're done well.

AJ: What did you like aobut The Haunting script?
LT: What the hero has to do is surrender. Become possessed almost. Even though she's not like Linda Blair, but possessed. Give yourself over to it and then have the courage to face it, confront it and do what you must. And those elements are like hero elements and I always find those interesting. I really admired Neill's courage and strength.

AJ: Everyone kept saying Nell. Isn't her name Eleanor?
LT: Eleanor, Nell. I know. The kids call her Eleanor. The kids who are screaming, "Help us Eleanor."

AJ: Do you like scary movies?
:LT: Love them. I thought the last one was Silence [of the Lambs]. And I think we need scary movies to work our stuff out- our fears. And for that, I think they're important.

AJ: There are a lot of horror movies coming out this summer.
LT: I want to see The Blair Witch Project. Dying to see that. And then the otheres I don't know. Blair Witch looks scary.

AJ: You didn't see it at Sundance?
LT: I wasn't at Sundance. I was working. Well, we had six-day weeks. And I thought, "If I go and get stuck in a snowstorm..." My film was there, A Slipping Down Life- I got (Steven) Spielburg up my ass and that's no good. And I can't handle that.

AJ: Did you play Nell as a lesbian?
LT: In the original I heard she was, not in this one. I heard in the original that was played up much more so. We didn't go there in this one. She wasn't a lesbian at all. She could have been though, if they decided to go further with the story.

AJ: One of my favorite pieces on you was that interview you did with Sharon Stone for The New York Times Magazine where she tried to coach you on how to be more Hollywood. Have you taken anything she said to heart?
LT: Not really. I felt very open because I did feel like some changes needed to be made, because changes were happening in the independent film world and now we see they're not independent. OK. So, I was concerned. 'Cause where am I gonna get my jobs? So, I was open. And I really like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I may not agree with somebody, but I really believe in listening to somebody and giving respect and I don't like being judgemental. So, even though I didn't agree with some of her stuff, I felt like I will listen to you. And I felt like I don't think that will work for me. But it's fine if it works for you or other women. I felt like I might have to do something radical or whatever but it's gotta be for me from me.

AJ: And did you do anything radical?
LT: No. All I did was I just started to open my eyes, but then this came along like a gift from the sky.

AJ: You know after that story came out, it looks like Charlize Theron took Sharon Stone's advice.
LT: Yeah. I know what you mean.

AJ: Do you think The Haunting will make a difference in how people see you?
LT: I think it will hopefully bring my stock price up, so then I will be allowed in the door. I don't know if offers will come flying in because maybe I'm just not going to be that kind of person. I am maybe harder to cast because I'm going to give you something very specific.

AJ: What's next for you?
LT: Working on the Janis Joplin stuff. [We're] polishing up the script. Hope to be going- we need a lot of pre-production time to do it right- we'll be going sometime soon. I couldn't work on it while I was doing The Haunting.

AJ: Is this a different project than Brittany Murphy's project?
LT: Yes

AJ: So they're competing projects?
LT: Not any more. They're dead. All of those are dead except for mine. So, it's just us, which makes it so much easier. That's hard to have competing projects. Totally. Because if one goes, the other isn't, so thank God we don't have that pressure anymore. So, we can relax a bit more.

AJ: It sound like you're really involved in it.
LT: Very much so. It's gotta be right or it's not worth it, because my back will break if it's not right.

AJ: Will you sing?
LT: No. Don't wanna. I figure it'll take six months to get there first of all. I will take some voice lessons so I can get into the song and out of the song, but I don't want to sing. First of all, it's too hard and No. 2, I don't want to imitate her. And that's the thing. I just want to get her essence. I feel by singing I'm trying to imitate her and her voice is not to be imitated.

AJ: Do you sing at all?
LT: If you needed some atmosphere, I could do it. If you need a technical thing, no.

AJ: It sound like Janis will demand most of your time for the year or so. Are you going to try any other projects?
LT: I am. What I would like to do is another film and then jump right into Janis.

AJ: Do you feel like you're in a great place now?
LT: I do. I feel fantastic. I haven't compromised one iota. I feel so grateful. I feel like a different energy around this movie. Maybe not career-wise. Maybe the offers aren't streaming in, but I feel like I'm getting the same chance as others. I just feel fantastic. I really do. I was starting to feel like I needed to make some changes about two years ago. I was starting to feel sad because it was sad. My world had changed- my independent world. There was, like, a grieving kind of thing. But now I've accepted the information and the reality and stepped up and I feel like there is hope- there's good stuff out there and so on.