Broadening her role

Scottish actress Kelly Macdonald began her movie career as a naked schoolgirl in Danny Boyle’s 1996 “Trainspotting,” for which she quit her job working as a barmaid, and went on to roles in Robert Altman’s “Gosford Park” and Marc Forster’s “Finding Neverland,” where she played Peter Pan. Her latest project is HBO’s “The Girl in the Cafe,” a love story set at the G8 Summit, written by Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral”) and directed by David Yates (who will helm the fifth installment of “Harry Potter”).

This surprisingly affecting film tries to call attention to the need to end extreme poverty, one of the issues on the agenda at next month’s G8 summit in Scotland. Macdonald uses her self-effacing Glaswegian charm as Gina, an Everygirl who falls in love with a government official (Bill Nighy), haplessly finding herself in a position to change world events.

Were you as shocked as your character to find out that 30,000 African children die because of poverty every day?

Yeah, because you know the horror in the news -- you kind of let things wash over you.

Gina is the character we relate to in the story -- partly it’s this fantasy that if we found ourselves in a room full of world leaders we would have the courage to speak up and ask them to change the world. Did you relate to her in that same way?

Yeah, I suppose just the simplicity of her questions -- it sort of takes away some of the fogginess of the whole political side of it. I know things are more complicated than Gina’s questions allow for, but Richard has stripped everything to its bare bones. And in a way it is that simple.

Did doing the film change your life in any way, make you want to become ...

A political activist or something? Richard took a year out to dedicate himself to this plight, and he’s been amazingly successful, and I’m totally behind him. But that’s Richard’s thing. I did my job. It’s a piece of drama.

So for you was this more a love story or a political story?

I think they’re pretty even-steven.

Even-steven -- haven’t heard that one in a while.

I know -- I don’t think I’ve ever used that expression in my life! I’ve got a hangover. It must have been the umpteenth drink. I went out to meet a friend early thinking that if you go early you’ll be in early and....

Although you’ve been acting for a decade, the press still talks about you as if you’re fresh from working at the bar and keeps asking when you are going to become a “star.” Does that bother you?

I used to be doing photo shoots and interviews for magazine stories about “rising stars” -- and afterward I’d go back and say, “I think I’ve already done this for this magazine!” I think people have stopped referring to me that way. It’s kind of a relief, but then I’m kind of disappointed. It’s like when you realize you’re not going to be carded any longer.

But you still look young enough to be carded. Are you having any kind of panic about turning 30 in February? Setting any big life goals?

No, no goals. Goals are overrated.

Are you working now?

No. I’m going to Venice tomorrow for a few days by myself. My husband was supposed to come, but he has to work. And I’m buying a house right now. The last job I did was three days on the film “Lassie.”

What part did you play?

A dog lover. It’s a tiny part. They could cut my whole sequence and it wouldn’t affect the story at all.

The other question people seem to ask about you -- and other British actors -- is whether you’re planning to go to Hollywood.

It’s such a weird question. I’ve been to Hollywood loads of times. I don’t know what’s supposed to happen when you do go.

Well, you’ve said you wouldn’t move there for work.

I moved to London from Glasgow for work. If you live in L.A., you will be seen for more things. But I’ve never been particularly good at the audition thing. I don’t put myself out there as much as I might.

So you’re not the kind of actor to campaign for a job.

I’d more likely suggest someone else.

But you auditioned for “The Matrix.” Does that mean that you are interested in doing big Hollywood movies?

I’m really happy with the work I’ve done. But the chance to do big films seen by a lot of people -- that is what you want. It’s not a chance anybody has given me. I just can’t imagine it happening. There are people made for big Hollywood things. I think there’s something these people have that I don’t.

It’s not that I don’t have aspirations -- I do, I want to do good work -- but I don’t have a hopeless need to do it.

-- Kristin Hohenadel