From 鈥淏eaches鈥� to 鈥淔irst Wives Club" and 鈥淗ocus Pocus,鈥� has starred in a number of projects where women aren't just at the center of the story 鈥� but also female friendship is a major theme.
鈥淭he most fun ones are the women ones, I have to say,鈥� said Midler in a recent interview.
Midler plays Marilyn, a widow getting married who wants her besties from her 20s to be bridesmaids. The production was which meant they had to be nimble and open to last-minute changes to get the job done quickly.
鈥淚t was like someone blew the whistle and we all got on a plane," recalled Sarandon. "It really was lucky that we had four women who were such pros and who were game to go under those circumstances.鈥�
While she and her co-stars were focused because they were working under a special circumstance, Sarandon says they made a point to cheer each other on for a big on-camera moment or scene.
鈥淲hen it was somebody鈥檚 time to be celebrated, we celebrated that person. And when somebody else had their scene, we were all standing around while they got their moment," Sarandon said, adding that on some sets, actors choose to 鈥渘ot be really involved when it's not about them.鈥�
As for friendships, Midler says 鈥渢here鈥檚 nothing like having an old friend because they knew you when." Two particular people come to mind when she thinks about her own friendships. One is the sister of a close friend who died. 鈥淭he other is the girl that I came to New York with when we were both 19.鈥�
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 take any bs from you, and you really can be yourself,鈥� said Midler.
Sarandon relies on 鈥渟ix women" and "scores of gay guys that have been in my life for 30, 40 years."
鈥淲e鈥檝e been through kids and divorces and whatever, and I definitely count on them and sometimes disagree with them, but they are definitely in my tribe,鈥� she said.
Ralph, still keeps in touch with her childhood best friend, Elizabeth. 鈥淚'll hear from her on social media every now and again," she said.
鈥淢y friend Carol 鈥� we met at the Miss Black Teenage America pageant. We鈥檙e still friends to this day. All the ladies from 鈥楧reamgirls,' 鈥� Loretta Devine, Jenifer Lewis, 鈥� we still talk. There are just so many of those relationships, and you don鈥檛 have to start from the beginning. You can just pick up right where you were.鈥�
It's her appreciation for her own longtime friendships that made Ralph want to be in 鈥淭he Fabulous Four.鈥�
鈥淚 loved the fact that they weren鈥檛 19, 20 or 30 or 40. These were seasoned women, or, as we say in the vernacular, grown (expletive) women living their lives.鈥�
Alicia Rancilio, The Associated Press
