Neve Campbell takes risks as an actress, but she doesn't consider same-sex smooches one of 'em anymore. As the femme fatale star of When Will I Be Loved (opening Friday in limited release), she shares a kiss (and much more) with a blond gal pal played by Joelle Carter (TV's Wonderland).
"This is like the sixth time I've had a kissing scene with a woman on film," she laughingly tells TV Guide Online, reminding us of her lip-lock with Olivia D'Abo on Party of Five and her poolside buss with Denise Richards in Wild Things, among others. "I don't know if there are many Hollywood actresses who haven't kissed a woman on camera."
True enough. Still, Campbell leaves few taboos (or costars!) untasted in Loved, which offers a different twist on the Indecent Proposal theme. Here's the familiar sitch: Neve's sleazy boyfriend is offered a small fortune by a wealthy businessman (Sopranos star Dominic Chianese) in exchange for an "introduction" to the lady. That's when things get freaky.
"Once this proposition is made to her, she realizes [her beau] is not what she'd hoped for and that he's underestimating her intelligence," the 30-year-old thesp says. "So she turns on him. I'm kinda bad! It's totally fun."
Campbell bares all for her art in Loved, which opens with a rather provocative peep at her, um, really enjoying herself during a shower. (Picture a Clairol Herbal Essences moment gone overboard.) "I've had the no-nudity clause in my film contracts in the past because I felt some scenes were for box-office draw and nothing else," she says. "This film is about my character's sexual exploration and her power and curiosity, so it made sense. I questioned it a bit, but I'm an actor and it seemed good for the film. I'm older and more comfortable with myself now, and I'm not as concerned with other people's opinions."
Given the liberty she's enjoyed on the big screen, Campbell isn't looking to do another TV series anytime soon. "At the moment, it's films," she says. "Party of Five was great for me, obviously, but it's a lot of work. You have 16-hour days nine months a year and it's hard to have any kind of career beyond that. I like doing different stuff and challenging myself. When you're playing one character, it gets a little tedious."