Heather Graham is a ’90s girl at heart. The Wisconsin native got her first big breaks in that era, with roles in landmark projects like Twin Peaks, Swingers and Boogie Nights.
The 46-year-old is returning to the decade that launched her in My Dead Boyfriend, a film about a woman who discovers that her recently deceased couch-potato boyfriend (John Corbett) was far more fascinating than she realized. Set in New York City in 1999, the flick revels in nostalgia, with everything from Graham’s knee socks and plaid skirt wardrobe to her character’s riot grrrl-style band giving a nod to a simpler time.
Graham talked all things ’90s with Us Weekly.
On platform shoes:
As a woman, if I don’t have to wear high heels and I can wear chunky shoes, I’m happy because it’s not as painful! And I think it’s like music: Just because something’s from a certain time period doesn’t mean you can’t wear it now! Anything that was great from the past, why not reuse it? If something makes you look good, why not wear any time period of clothing, you know?
On bell-bottom jeans:
People were like, “Oh, they’re so ugly, no” and then they were back in. Then they were out, and now they’re back in! Everything comes back again at some point.
On her ’90s wardrobe for My Dead Boyfriend:
To be honest, after I did the movie, the costume designer was really good, and I thought, “I want to keep a lot of these things. Am I wrong? Can I wear these now?”
On the time before smartphones:
I think now, instead of living life, you can just be on your phone all the time, so it’s kind of a mixed blessing.…You see people all the time taking selfies, and it’s like, “How many selfies do you really need?”
On ’90s music:
The music from that time is so great. Music always reminds you of where you were in your life at that time. It makes you feel things, like if it was the first time you kissed someone and you heard this song. So it’s very nostalgic.
On social media:
I kind of don’t really go on that stuff too much! I don’t always do it. It’s like a black hole: Once you start going into it, you don’t ever have to really leave your apartment.
My Dead Boyfriend is in theaters and available to stream on VOD and Digital HD on November 4.
