GLAMOUR: Many think of you as the Queen of Angst. You’ve often said you find those roles interesting. But you aren’t, in real life, a dark, disturbed person, are you?

JENNIFER CONNELLY: No. I don’t feel angst-ridden!

GLAMOUR: Lately you’ve wanted to be considered for less serious roles. Did He’s Just Not That Into You fit the bill?

JC: Yeah. I had just done a film called Reservation Road, which was about a mother who loses a child, and it was harrowing. It was fun to do something very different.

GLAMOUR: A chick flick.

JC: It was not like anything I’d done.

GLAMOUR: Scarlett Johansson plays a yoga teacher intent on stealing your husband in He’s Just Not That Into You. And she does it without feeling any guilt.

JC: Oh, I’ve met all kinds of people who practice yoga who are uptight or messed up. And some people see yoga classes as pickup places.

GLAMOUR: In the movie, your character suspects that her husband is cheating. What do you consider to be a relationship deal breaker?

JC: I have a thing about honesty; I think it’s crucial to a relationship. Otherwise, one person holds all the power. It’s healthy to be straightforward, and it turns out you can wind up weathering a lot. Knowing that everything is on the table—what you see is what you get—lends a sense of safety.

REST OF THE ARTICLE – AND THREE MORE PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP!

GLAMOUR: And how do you apply that to your own marriage?

JC: Neither my husband nor I am interested in mincing words. If I break something, for example, I have to announce it. I’m a compulsive confessor.

GLAMOUR: Do you agree with the concept of your new film—if a guy doesn’t act overly enthusiastic, or make a great effort in a relationship, he’s “just not that into you”?

JC: Not necessarily: It could also mean he’s not able to translate nice feelings into nice behavior. Or that he has really horrible communication skills. But you wouldn’t want to be in that relationship, anyway!

GLAMOUR: As a married woman, do you have a perspective on the singles scene?

JC: It’s been so long since I’ve dated that I don’t understand what’s going on anymore with things like Facebook and MySpace. A friend of mine wrote “LOL” to me the other day. I thought she meant “Lord, oh, Lord.”

GLAMOUR: Laugh out loud!

JC: I’ve been married for almost six years, you know.

GLAMOUR: I do. Did anybody ever try to set you up when you were single?

JC: Yes. It was horrible! I went on a date with a guy who played his guitar for me and was so full of himself. We had plans to go out to a party, and he was driving and I remember saying, “You know what? I’m so sorry, but I’d like to go home please.” So I got out of the car and I left.

GLAMOUR: Personally I don’t think a guy should play guitar on a first date. What’s your view of single men these days?

JC: It’s really hard to make generalizations. And the men in He’s Just Not That Into You are all really different. There’s one who dates a lot and sleeps with a lot of women but is pretty up-front about it. One is married and cheating but in pain about it. Another isn’t married but is actually very devoted as a boyfriend.

GLAMOUR: By the way, did you know that a recent news story says that densely populated cities are good for marriages? Apparently, having a lot of social ties and cultural stimulation keeps a married couple’s life fresh.

JC: That’s actually part of the reason why we moved back to downtown Manhattan from Brooklyn. All of our friends are here. I can walk to see them. As a kid, I always liked when I went to other people’s houses and I’d see everyone coming and going.

GLAMOUR: What has been the biggest surprise about marriage?

JC: It’s interesting watching certain fears I once had fall away. I used to have a hard time with physical separation: Whenever we were apart, I would find myself on edge and think this or that is going to happen—which is not a good problem for an actor to have! Over time I came to find out that my husband’s behavior was at odds with my negative expectations, so that fear vanished. Now I feel safe and am able to relax.

GLAMOUR: In your next role you appear opposite your husband in Creation, a film about Darwin. You play Emma, his wife.

JC: They were an amazing couple. She was devoutly religious and he, of course, wrote The Origin of Species, which signified the ultimate loss of faith. The movie takes place after one of their children has died.

GLAMOUR: You, yourself, recently suffered a great loss—your father passed away. How were your first holidays without him?

JC: It was very challenging. I was very close to him, as were my husband and kids. It’s the first real heartbreak I’ve experienced. I think he would want those of us who loved him to fight to experience joy, so I’ve been striving to remember him in a positive way. I don’t have to work to feel the sadness of his loss. But I do have to work to feel happy about [having had] the time I had with him.

GLAMOUR: I’m so sorry.

JC: Thank you.

GLAMOUR: Well, I actually have another work question: Creation will be the first time you’ll be on set with Paul since A Beautiful Mind.

JC: Yeah. When we met back then, we liked each other, but we didn’t do anything about it. We were both in relationships. We didn’t get together until months and months after that film.

GLAMOUR: Did he eventually ask you out?

JC: He called, but we didn’t really talk much until he broke up with his girlfriend and I broke up with my boyfriend. I don’t think people leave someone for someone else. I stayed in that relationship, and that relationship eventually ended. But then when I saw Paul again and we were both single, we got together really quickly.

GLAMOUR: How could you be so sure he was The One?

JC: I don’t know. It was something about the way that we were together. He stood out to me as someone singular and rare and beautiful, and I liked the way he was in the world. I liked the way he was with people. I liked the way he was with my son and the way he made me feel.

GLAMOUR: So I’m guessing you don’t ever look at the singles scene now and feel like you’re missing out on any fun.

JC: I had enough time being single to know I have no regrets about being married!

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