Actress Ellen Greene is commemorating the 40th anniversary of the film "Little Shop of Horrors" by revisiting her defining role as Audrey. Greene, 75, spoke with The Associated Press about how the distinctive voice and mannerisms of the tragicomic shopgirl emerged organically during her audition.
"I didn’t think about it," Greene said. "It was weird, I mean, I don’t know where half of this stuff came from." The character has remained a significant part of her career, with Greene reprising the role for special performances, including a 2015 engagement with Jake Gyllenhaal as Seymour.
This fall, Greene is embarking on a nationwide tour for anniversary screenings, with stops scheduled from Seattle in August to Atlanta in November. These events will also feature performances of "Somewhere That's Green," the character's signature ballad.
Greene recalled finding the song while on an unemployment line, an experience that foreshadowed her connection to the character. "I just knew there was an Audrey inside of me waiting to be born," she said.
During the audition, composer Alan Menken accompanied her on piano while lyricist Howard Ashman, a close friend, looked on. Greene’s performance of "Somewhere That's Green" reportedly moved them to tears.
The path to the film role was not straightforward. Greene was initially paid $50 a week during rehearsals and the initial off-Broadway run. The production gained attention, with figures like Steve Martin attending performances. For the film adaptation, Ashman revised the staging of "Somewhere That's Green" to be more cinematic, a change Greene initially questioned.
"You would think I would just have been floored and so excited that he gave me this gift," she said. "Instead, I call him up and I’m crying my eyes out. And I’m saying, wait for this, ‘Where’s my trash can?’"
Greene noted that Ashman assured her the visual gag would still work within the film's context. The film's production also faced a lengthy and sometimes difficult journey, with directors like John Landis and Martin Scorsese initially attached before Frank Oz took the helm. Producer David Geffen reportedly considered other actresses for the role.
Greene’s performance resonated strongly with test audiences, who rejected an early ending where Audrey dies. While Greene personally liked that ending, she acknowledged that Oz directed the character with more heroic qualities for the screen. Lines that emphasized Audrey's precarious situation in the stage play were altered or removed, and the delivery of her final lines changed, lending a more serious tone in the film.
"Frank thinks it’s because we didn’t take a bow, like in the play, but I think it’s because it’s just the line is interpreted two different ways. One sets it up that this is silly and I’m OK, and the other one is it’s real and it’s touching," Greene said.
Oz ultimately filmed a happier conclusion, though an earlier version exists in a director's cut. The "Little Shop of Horrors" anniversary also serves as a remembrance of Ashman, who died in 1991. Greene shared fond memories of their friendship, including a trip to Paris where Ashman treated her to a bubble bath, champagne, and caviar.
Greene also highlighted Ashman's generosity, noting that he secured her a share of the profits from the stage production, acknowledging her role in creating Audrey. "That’s how generous and kind he was and how much he loved me," she said. "Everybody loves Audrey because we, I, loved her first. And everybody loves ‘Little Shop’ because we put so much love in it … I am so grateful and very humble because when they love ‘Little Shop’, they keep it alive, and they keep Howard Ashman alive."