The idea of making a movie based on 'New Rose Hotel' came from producer Edward Pressman, and it was Kathryn Bigelow who was supposed to direct it in the first place. Abel Ferrara didn't know much about William Gibson and he's never been very attracted by his stories. Things about virtual reality, technological fantasy and reflexions on cyber domain weren't subjects that were of his interest. But when he read 'New Rose Hotel', he said that he fell in love with the main female character, Sandii. He wanted to redo the story with Christ Zoit's help, focusing the attentions in the character's relationship: "My version of 'New Rose Hotel' tells the story of a man who teaches a woman how to be the perfect prostitute. When she manages, he falls in love with her and gets lost. I was only interested in that".
Althought Sandii was of Asiatic origin in Gibson's tale, Ferrara didn't want her to be Asiatic. He wanted Sandii to be different from the book. Before casting Asia, he tested Virginie Ledoyen, and he also contacted Milla Jovovich. But he said that in the moment Asia appeared on the set, he knew that the role would be hers. He said that he wanted "someone with experience, when you're looking for 20-22 year-old girls, there aren't too many... Asia has been acting since she was eight. Her father is the Italian director Dario Argento". According to Ferrara, he picked her because she was special and also because she flew all the way to New York, didn't ask about per diem and didn't let her agent control everything, like the other actresses.
Asia didn't feel intimidated by Willem Dafoe and Christopher Walken: "Only the first day with Walken and Dafoe was intimidating. As soon as I understood how they were working I relaxed and brought out the best of me". According to Asia, Walken is "one of the actors I've really had fun working with". Ferrara also had an important role in Asia's life, because working with him made her want to make her debut as a movie director: "Ferrara taught me a lot. Every other actor who worked for him wanted to start directing. Vincent Gallo, Matthew Modine - and now me".
But working with Ferrara hasn't only been an easy experience. It was also a tough and demanding experience: "Sometimes it's painful because he's hard. So hard that he's wonderful. He gave me my best experience as an actress so far. I will be forever thankful for what he's done, what he's taught me. I could make my movie because he's literaly liberated me. I followed his method, his way of controlling a set". And what is his method? "It's magical. He doesn't look like he's concentrated: he plays the guitar while we are shooting or he gives loudly instructions to the cameraman. But what's important is his way to speak to every character. He could speak the whole night until 7 am. He's like a diabolical pupeteer: you think you play following your instincts, but in fact, it's him who controls your brain and pulls the strings".
Music: Asia Argento - Disco Sux/U Just Can't Stop The Rock/Sad Core (2008)
