Abigail Breslin Interview

August 5, 2007 by Nikki Katz

Abigail Breslin talks about shopping, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and cooking!

Abigal Breslin, nominated for best supporting actress for her role in last year’s sleeper hit Little Miss Sunshine, sits in direct, glaring sunlight on the patio of yupscale Pusateri’s on Bay and Yorkville nibbling on a piece of strudel.

She has beautiful fair skin but refuses to switch places and sit in the shade. Her mom, Kit, who is also her manager, just shrugs.

Breslin is wearing a stifling, black hoodie with Superman on the back and fake bleach spots on the front.

“I bought it at (über trendy) Scoop in New York,” says Breslin. “I love Roots here; I love to shop.”

“It’s our sport,” says Kit. “We’re extreme shoppers.”

Breslin, 11, is slimmer and taller in person, having apparently outgrown the puppy fat she had in the film. That said, she still keeps getting recognized by passersby.

She is taking a break from shooting the film Kit Kittredge: an American Girl Mystery here in Toronto, to chat about the movie No Reservations, which opens today.

In Reservations, she plays Zoe, niece of Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones), an intimidating, perfectionist chef at a trendoid Manhattan eatery.

Zoe is a bright and shy 9-year-old whom Kate has inherited after the death of her sister.

“Zoe is an orphan because of a car accident and her aunt doesn’t know what to do about Zoe because she doesn’t have kids,” explains Breslin. “Zoe is really missing her mom and I think she doesn’t like the big house and having to move. She knows her aunt is not nurturing.”

Breslin says Zeta-Jones was “very nice” but her kids are younger than her so they didn’t really hang out.

Breslin learned how to flip pancakes.

“I really like to cook,” she claims. “Peanut butter and jelly is my best thing – and I love to do laundry and I like to vacuum.”