The band Juliette Lewis called “a religion from the future”
Juliette Lewis is undoubtedly among the most versatile actors in Hollywood, having worked on all sorts of projects over a remarkable career. Starring in arthouse gems and more mainstream classics, Lewis became a prominent presence within the frameworks of American popular culture of the 1990s.
Having worked with directors like Woody Allen and Oliver Stone, Lewis built an impressive filmography by starring in films such as Husbands and Wives, Natural Born Killers and Strange Days. In recent years, Lewis has continued to work on critically acclaimed projects like Yellowjackets which received multiple accolades and nominations.
During an extensive interview with Pitchfork, Lewis was asked to cite the musicians who had a definitive impact on her journey as an artist as well as her personal life. She singled out Iggy Pop, the Cure and the Killers, among others, while talking about the most memorable music moments that shaped her life and facilitated her artistic development.
When asked about Iggy Pop, Lewis admitted: “I became a true Iggy disciple when I saw him and the Stooges perform at Fuji Rock Festival in 2007. It blew my mind because he is a mashup of danger and joy. There’s this total unpredictability, but he’s also playful and funny like a kid. I have a picture where he’d just come off the stage, and he has this white towel around his neck.”
She was so moved by his music that she “accosted” him while walking back to the hotel. Lucky for Lewis, somebody was there to capture the moment in the form of a picture which has now become famous on the internet. According to the actor, this was one of the happiest moments of her life because she got to meet one of her heroes.
Lewis also emphasised the importance of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, which changed her entire world when she was 15. The actor commented: “Bitches Brew was everything under the sun, moon and stars to us. It’s almost like when you finally get Pink Floyd—well, you’re forever discovering Pink Floyd, they’re like a religion from the future.”
She compared Davis’ unique art to Pink Floyd’s music, citing them both as significant rites of passage. Lewis added: “We would get all stoney and listen to that entire album. This was around the same time that I was watching Easy Rider every day. I was just branching out on my own and the world felt wide open.”
