Diaz and cast open up about thriller

Cameron Diaz teams up with "X-Men" star James Marsden and Richard Kelly, the director of "Donnie Darko," to deliver Kelly's newest film, "The Box."

Kelly says "The Box" is about a couple who receive a mysterious box that poses a dilemma — if they push a button on the box, they will win a million dollars, but someone they don't know will die.

"At the heart of ‘The Box' is a moral dilemma," Kelly says in a conference call with college journalists. "What would you do if offered the opportunity for great wealth but it came at the cost of a human life, someone you don't know?"

Diaz relates her own experiences with fame to the experiences of the characters in "The Box."

"Life is what you make of it," Diaz says. "If you are angry at the things you can't control then you will  pretty much be upset about the things you can't control.  I found it is easier to enjoy life and be appreciative of the things I do have in my life and also be appreciative of things that you can't control."

The story is based on a "Twilight Zone" segment titled "Button, Button," which in turn is based on the W.W. Jacobs short story "The Monkey's Paw."

Even though the film takes place in 1976, it applies to Americans today. The family is a nuclear family that lives on credit and beyond their means. Given the economic crisis now, Kelly hopes it resonates with audiences.

Setting the story in the 1970s was a decision that was made in order to avoid including today's technology in the telling of the story. If the movie was set in modern times, there would have to be a scene where someone searched on Google for the mysterious person who presents Diaz and Marsden with a box that changes their lives, Kelly says.

In "The Box," both actors had the opportunity to work with the unique direction of Kelly — a major reason Diaz chose to participate in the film.

"I was a huge fan of Richard from ‘Donnie Darko' and ‘Southland Tales,' " she says. "When I read the script I felt the story was authentic to the story he tells.  I knew Richard would tell the story best."

In the past, music has had a strong impact in Kelly's films. The selection process takes time, although Kelly says it can sometimes happen in an instant.

"[Music] comes from an emotional place," Kelly says. "We were very specific about picking songs with a southern quality because [the movie] takes place in Virginia. I heard one song on the radio and called Cameron up to tell her to download it for a romantic scene with James. Sometimes the song is an act of fate and you feel it in your gut that this song is the right one."

Diaz, who has starred in films such "Shrek" and "There's Something About Mary" puts a part of herself into each character she plays, even though she doesn't like to admit it.

"All I have is me," she says. "You try to realize what other people go through but you never really know, and you are always going through your toolbox and experience.  I can only contribute what I have."

Marsden, who is most memorable for his role of Cyclops in the "X-Men," adds that a person can't respond to the material, story and the character if the actor's self isn't included in trying to experience an emotion.

During filming, the cast had their share of fun on the set, making the production time fly for the trio.

"I remember laying in bed having a heart to heart scene with Cameron and then getting up and vomiting in the bathroom, washing my mouth out with soap, getting back into bed and asking if we can finish the scene," Marsden says. "It is kind of funny now, more than it was funny then, but they fixed my green face in post [production]." 

Although Diaz often stars in comedies such as "What Happens in Vegas" and enjoys success from the popular "Shrek" series, "The Box," enabled her to showcase the more serious side of her acting talents while enjoying working with a different genre.

"I love the liberties that sci-fi can take," Diaz says. "I love exploring those questions through sci-fi because it is an intellectual creative brain of questioning — who are we? Where did we come from? Why are we here?"

Marsden enjoys being able to break out of his superhero role to get the opportunity to do something different in this film. The science fiction genre the movie takes is a new challenge he was able to surmount, he says.

"It is great to do something different," he says. " ‘X-Men' had some sci-fi but more comic book — [it's] good to change it up. Characters were human surrounded by supernatural elements. It was like shooting a real-life drama with those elements."

In the future, Marsden looks to venture into a different style of film. With science fiction and a superhero series under his belt, he has his sights set on a comedic movie — one that will make audiences laugh.

The film industry is one of the hardest to break into, but Diaz and Marsden give advice to all aspiring actors.

"You just have to go for it and be honest for yourself," Marsden says. "It takes a lot of courage and confidence. It takes a lot of practice and the more you do it, the more you want to do it. It's a tough business to get into."

"Make your own success," Diaz says. "If your goal is to act in a community theater and you accomplish that, then it's a success — but don't let other people define your success."