Director Soderbergh uses nonactors for latest film

NEW YORK, (Reuters) – With a cast of nonactors led  by a porn star, director Steven Soderbergh describes his new  low-budget film “The Girlfriend Experience” as a “fictionalized  documentary” — a style he now plans to bring to Hollywood.

“The Girlfriend Experience,” due for release in some U.S.  theaters on Friday, follows an upscale Manhattan call girl who  provides more than just sex; she offers clients a complete  romantic relationship experience, playing their girlfriend.

The call girl is played by Sasha Grey, 21, an award-winning  actress who has appeared in more than 80 porn films, while the  other 38 cast members are all nonactors, including personal  trainer Chris Santos, who plays Grey’s boyfriend in the film.

“It’s kind of like a fictionalized documentary because all  the people in the film do those jobs that they’re doing in the  film. Like the guy at the prepaid phone store is the guy at the  prepaid phone store,” Soderbergh told Reuters in an interview.

“It really makes you analyze how much we buy into this  construct of what acting is because when you see someone who’s  obviously not acting, it’s really different. It’s kind of  startling,” he said.

The Oscar-winning director said he had a very detailed  scene-by-scene treatment for the film, but no script. The cast  were given a goal for each scene, which they then improvised.