Bound Together
Entertainment Weekly|June 14 - 21, 2019

Stars Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon revisit their groundbreaking lesbian neo-noir

Maureen Lee Lenker
Bound Together

GINA GERSHON AND JENNIFER TILLY AREN’T FANS OF WATCHING THEMSELVES ON SCREEN—BUT THEY’LL MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR THEIR 1996 FILM, BOUND.

The Matrix masterminds the Wachowskis made their directorial debut with this noir about two women —femme fatale Violet (Jennifer Tilly) and ex-con Corky (Gina Gershon) —who fall in love and team up to steal $2 million from Violet’s mobster boyfriend, Caesar (Joe Pantoliano).

Bound made only $3.8 million domestically upon its release, but it quickly became a cult classic in the gay community—long before each of the Wachowskis came out as transgender—and it catapulted the siblings to the highest echelons of directors. We sat down with Gershon, 57, and Tilly, 60, to rewatch the film. Their outrageous, heartfelt memories left us fit to be tied.—In the first scene, Violet and Corky share a sultry glance in an elevator, and a palpable connection is born—in fact, it’s still present today in their offscreen friendship.

GINA GERSHON (CORKY) I was coming right off of Showgirls, and I was so femme. [I cut] all my nails and hair, and I started boxing. I wanted to be in my body like a boxer.

JENNIFER TILLY (VIOLET) I got this nail polish, it had just come out and I went into Chanel—it was called “Vamp.” All my makeup is shades of violet.

GERSHON As soon as I met Jen, I thought, “Oh my God, all I have to do is watch her.”

TILLY It was a classic film noir, except instead of the lead being a male, it was Corky. A studio offered the [Wachowskis] a lot more money to make the movie, but Corky [had to be] a man. Once they got the two of us in the room, I thought, “This is a girl I can see being in a relationship with.”

This story is from the June 14 - 21, 2019 edition of Entertainment Weekly.

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This story is from the June 14 - 21, 2019 edition of Entertainment Weekly.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.