80s Interview: Helen Slater

What are your memories of Supergirl ?

It’s incredibly close to my heart. Many of my friends were going to college that year and I had decided to try my hand at acting professionally. It was an incredible adventure to come to London, work out and talk to Christopher Reeve…

What did you talk about?

He was getting ready to do Superman 3 and we were all at Pinewood Studios. He told me the lay of the land, which was very helpful when you’re 18, just turning 19.

Did he warn you about getting chafed from those harnesses?

Oh, chafe-age! I don’t remember, but he did tell me that when he was flying, a lot of his arm movements were based on what he knew about piloting a plane. Not me, I know how to get a subway and hail a cab!

Did you get to keep the suit?

No – there’s a big thing about that, you’re not allowed. Would I have liked to? I don’t think so – I’m not really a saver.

In The Secret of My Success you made drinking fountains look slo-mo sexy…

[ Laughs ] That was a lot of fun. Michael J. Fox was just a joy to work with. I saw it recently and I thought, "Oh, it’s so ’80s!" That blunt haircut, that blue eyeliner, the pink suit… I have a 15-year-old and she’s putting the eyeliner on now and I’m like, " Really ?"

You were also in No Way Back with a young Russell Crowe. How was that?

I loved him. He carries within him that incredible charisma and even back then you knew he just wasn’t going to be pushed around. I mean that in the highest compliment, he knew this was not where he was landing – he was going onto bigger and better things.

What have you been doing since?

I’ve done lots of independent movies and TV – with my daughter it’s kind of been easier to be ‘dropped out’! I wanted to raise our daughter and not be at the mercy of someone else’s time schedule.

What’s coming up?

I just finished 18 episodes of Gigantic , starring Grace Gummer, and I play her Mom. It’s about teens growing up in Hollywood. I’m working on a third album, it’s me and the piano. I’ve always written music and I sell it online now at cdbaby.com. I also shot a surf movie, Beautiful Wave , and I just did CSI: NY .

What’s your favourite ’80s film?

I love Midnight Run , it’s so fun. It’s a buddy movie that makes you cry at the end.

For more '80s goodness check out the latest issue of Total Film , on sale 28 October.