I play an incorrigible spender: Isla Fisher

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) "Shop now, think later" is what Rebecca Bloomwood believes in fervently, and Hollywood actress Isla Fisher who plays the compulsive shopper in romantic comedy "Confessions of a Shopaholic" says the character taps into the "collective consumer consciousness" of people.

"Rebecca is somebody who is just like all of us - shopping picks her up, cheers her up when she's down. Shop now think later is her motto. She decides to save money by spending money. She just gets overwhelmed by all the shiny objects," Isla told IANS over e-mail from Manhattan's Jumeirah Essex House Hotel.

"She always thinks she needs something new and she is almost like a child in a candy store when she's shopping. She loves everything and she is the queen of impulse buying. She (the character) has tapped into the collective consumer consciousness (with the movie)," she added.

Isla also admitted that she could relate to her character's enthusiasm for shopping.

"I'm a bags and shoe girl. I have so many shoes, it's terrifying," she quipped.

Directed by P.J. Hogan, the romantic comedy follows the hilarious adventures of the incorrigible spender Rebecca, who simply cannot stop herself from buying anything and everything.

Obsessed with fashion, she is a compulsive shopper who loves to shop until her finances spiral dangerously out of control simply because she just can't stop herself.

Besides Isla in the lead, the film also stars Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusack and John Goodman to name a few.

Distributed worldwide by Touchstone Pictures (The Walt Disney Company), the screenplay of the film is based on two novels from Sophie Kinsella's best-selling 'Shopaholic' series - 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' and 'Shopaholic Takes Manhattan'.

Having already opened in the US Feb 13, the 104-minute comedy has generally received mixed reviews worldwide. It is releasing Friday (March 20) in India.

The actress who got to don numerous attires in the movie courtesy Rebecca's shopping spree, also found herself a favourite outfit from the latter's wardrobe.

"There is one outfit I love that is a leopard print mini dress with a leopard print belt and leopard print bag and leopard print boots. In any other universe that would be way too much leopard print, but it is not too much for Rebecca," she said.

Shooting as an irrepressible shopaholic didn't come easy, as Isla also met with quite a few accidents while filming.

"I have a lot of injuries, I've injured my finger, I cut my hand, I scraped my leg I bruised my leg and landed on my wrist. Nothing major though. I do have bumps and bruises," she said.

Isla who has herself been an author to two best-selling teen-themed novels - 'Bewitched' and 'Seduced by Fame', conceded to being a fan of the 'Shopaholic' series long before being approached to star in the movie on the same.

"I read all of the books when I was working in London (early in her career). I felt that the book really spoke to me. People refer to the books as 'Chick Lit,' but I think the more appropriate term is 'Wit Lit' because they are genuinely funny," she said.

Not many know that Isla, was born in Oman, grew up in Australia and studied theater arts in Paris before moving to London to pursue theatre. The actress spent several years on Australia's well known soap opera "Home and Away".

Her first substantial film role however came with "Scooby-Doo" (2002). Since then, Isla, 32, has made a name for herself as a comic actress with films like "I Heart Huckabees" (2004), "Wedding Crashers" (2005), "The Lookout" (2007) and "Definitely, Maybe" (2008).

Now settled in Britain with her fiance, English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, the mother of one has well thought out future plans for her Hollywood career.

"Eventually I want to write and create my own roles. But I don't have enough time to focus on writing at the moment, because I have been so busy," she said.

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Confessions of a Shopaholic