KATHERINE: “I hated all 27 dresses!”
Tuesday 15 July 2008
It only seemed like yesterday that 27 Dresses was out in cinemas, but already this hilarious rom com is out on DVD.
From the makers of The Devil Wears Prada, this classic has all the ingredients of being a favourite chick flick.
But unlike SATC the outfits aren’t as… erm how do you put this nicely… stylish?!
Even the film's leading lady Katherine Heigl, 29, admits to hating them!
We caught up with the Washington-born actress to talk fashion, marriage, kids and why she can't quit smoking!
So in 27 Dresses you have to wear 27 not-so fabulous bridesmaids outfits. How many of them would you actually wear in real life?
Not a single one. Not one! They were all a travesty but I had so much fun wearing them. They were insanity! It’s like, my niece is six years old and the crap that girl will wear because it sparkles or it’s fluffy or has tulle… she loves it. So this film was like getting to channel your inner six year old and play dress up once again. Although personally I was a very fortunate six year old who got to play dress up in my mother’s fabulously chic wardrobe so I never experienced the sequins or the beading.
Who designed the 27 dresses? 
Any designer names?
They were all made by our costume designer Catherine Marie Thomas. I loved the ‘Gone With The Wind’ outfit my character Jane has to wear for the Plantation Wedding. I had a straw bonnet, parasol and a gigantic hoop dress. Very Scarlett O’Hara. But oh God I’m happy not to see that one again. Also it was fun to shoot the cowboy wedding on horseback, it was chaos!
Have you ever been a bridesmaid in real life?
Yes. Twice. And I’ve never had a terrible dress experience. Once was for my best friend eight years ago and recently I was Maid of Honour for my sister Meg.
Do you have any tips for being Maid of Honour then?
Yes, don’t drink too much the night before! My sister’s wedding was the worst hangover I’ve ever had. We had her rehearsal dinner the evening before and I don’t know why I had to drink so much wine. It was a really bad idea. The next morning Meg woke up like bing at 9am because she was excited. I had done all the smart things the night before, drank a bottle of water and taken some Advil. I should have been fine, but I was not. The whole day I was in so much pain, just exhausted, but I had to rally and pull it together for my sister. You have to step up so she can have a wonderful day, but I felt awful.
Well you play drunk very well, as you have a 
great scene in this film where you and James Marsden are singing Benny and the Jets… how was that to film?
I loved shooting that scene! Jimmy is so funny and charming it made it so much fun to film, and it's my favourite scene in the movie. The only problem is that Jimmy has a great voice, and I cannot sing for my life, which was totally unfair so I asked him to sing badly. I guess it was OK though because Jane was supposed to be drunk and off-key. And even though it was a long day shooting it never stopped being hilarious. It was the same when we shot the scenes where I had to parade all the 27 dresses. It was a long day but the playful fun Jimmy and I had was great.
How was making 27 Dresses while actually preparing for your own 
wedding?
It was weird because I was approaching it as Jane from a different end. I had a trailer full of wedding magazines every day. It was a lot of focus on this time of my life.
How did you ensure your bridesmaids wouldn't upstage you? Did you do anything hideous to them hat-wise or anything?
No! No I did not. I wonder if making them all wear the same dress was a mean thing to do, but you kind of want a look, a vibe. I wonder if I shouldn’t have said look here’s the colour, go pick a dress you like. But it worked out. They don’t hate me or anything.
What were your bridesmaids’ dresses like?
They were nice. Classic and simple, which is the best way to go. I went for cocktail length by Oscar de la Renta. You don’t need to be elaborate with bridesmaids, they should just be simple and elegant, I think, and not making too much of a statement.
What was your wedding (to musician Josh Kelley) like?
Beautiful. And snowy! I wanted a Winter Wonderland theme so we got married on 23rd December at the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah. My wedding dress was also Oscar de la Renta and I chose a silhouette shape which I often go for because it’s flattering and I just love old Hollywood style and 50s glamour. I also wore a 50s short-hat veil.
There was a rumour that TR Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) would be your bridesman…
No he was actually a groomsman on Josh’s side. I wouldn’t have done that to him! He would have been, like, ‘thanks a lot’ if I’d asked him to be my Man of Honour. He would have killed me. I had my sister who is very near and dear to me so she had to be my Maid of Honour, I wanted her to be. And Josh and TR have become really good friends over the past couple of years as we’ve spent so much time together. So Josh asked TR to be one of his groomsmen, which is awesome because in a weird way he’s sort of been with us since the beginning of the relationship, so it’s appropriate that he stood up there with us.
Did you have a Hen Do?
My Bacherolette Party was in Utah and was more of a Spa day because I’m not big on Vegas or anything although I’m certainly a drinker! I wanted to do the pampering stuff and have a nice intimate time with just the bridesmaids and the mothers and aunts. No strippers! I would kill them.
So how is married life?
It’s amazing! We’ve bought an old colonial house and, as we chose not to live together till we got married, we feel very at home now and settled. I’m very realistic about marriage, I think. I am more down to earth. Like, the idea behind our home is that it is a great family house, we really want to have children and for it to be a great party house. This is hopefully the house we’ll be in for the next 10 years and hopefully we’ll have a couple of kids and many Christmases in it and that’s our future. That’s my little 50s streak coming out.
Are children next on the agenda then?
Yes absolutely I can’t wait to have kids. I want lots and I want to start soon, hopefully in about a year or so.
Do you ever argue?
Yeah about two or three weeks ago. What was it about? Oh like, Joshua not listening to me, not paying attention. You know, I’m not asking that much I’m just asking you to hear me when I’m speaking, that’s all! [Laughs]
Have you managed to stop smoking yet?
No I’d love to quit but if I set a deadline I know that I won’t do it cos I’ll rebel against it so instead I give myself a timeframe. Like, within the next year would be great.
27 Dresses is released to buy and rent on DVD & Blu-ray on 28 July from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment