美国国家公共电台 NPR Roger Ailes Had 'The Loudest Voice' — Beth Ailes Had 'A Real Fierce Loyalty'

 

NOEL KING, HOST:

We know how the story of Roger Ailes ends. The man behind the rise of Fox News was forced to step down in 2016. He died a year later.

(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #1: Roger Ailes, the man who built Fox News from the ground up, is out as top boss.

LESTER HOLT: In the wake of a sexual harassment¹ lawsuit² by a former Fox News anchor...

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER #2: Roger Ailes has resigned effective immediately.

KING: Now a new show chronicles his ascent³ before his fall. The Showtime series "The Loudest Voice" is based on the book by biographer Gabriel Sherman and stars Russell Crowe as Roger Ailes.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LOUDEST VOICE")

RUSSEL CROWE: (As Roger Ailes) I'm just trying to make this network the best and most watchable it can be. And that's what everybody in this room - everybody - should be focused on.

KING: In "The Loudest Voice," everybody is focused on Roger Ailes, and that includes his wife. From the network's first broadcast to the sexual harassment allegations, Beth Ailes, who's played by Sienna Miller⁴, is there by her husband's side. Rachel talked to Sienna Miller about playing a woman who lives in her husband's shadow.

RACHEL MARTIN, BYLINE⁵: Introduce us, if you will, to Elizabeth Ailes, known as Beth. What specifically drew you to her as a character?

SIENNA MILLER: So Beth is very religious, very devoted⁶ to her husband. And, I think, behind the kind of impact that this man had upon the world, there was this woman. So aside from the fact that it just felt like a very interesting story to kind of delve⁷ into at this moment in time, I think that was probably the most compelling aspect of wanting to do this. But also to play someone completely different to myself and to have a look at the intimacies⁸ of that relationship, I just found it intriguing⁹.

MARTIN: Did you ever reach out to her when you were preparing for this role?

MILLER: You know, they - the producers had, and people had. And I knew that she was not willing to cooperate because I think it's a very personal story. I think, obviously, in light of all the kind of harassment issues that happened just before he died and in light of the fact that he so recently died, I think it's probably too raw. I don't - I can understand why she wouldn't want to be complicit in telling this story.

MARTIN: Their marriage is a central part of this story. And it is a complicated one, isn't it? There's a clip I want to play. This is of the two of them, Roger and Beth. They're out to dinner. And he has just been fired from CNBC - let go - and has started this new network or is about to start it. Beth, though, has just gotten a promotion¹⁰ at CNBC.

MILLER: (Laughter).

MARTIN: She turns him down. Let's listen to this exchange.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE LOUDEST VOICE")

CROWE: (As Roger Ailes) Why don't you come work for Fox? You can get off that sinking ship.

MILLER: (As Beth Ailes) You know, since you left, I've been really running things, like, running the transition at MSNBC. I'm in charge.

CROWE: (As Roger Ailes) I've got to say, though, you know, you working for those [expletive] who fired me, it makes me feel like I'm losing. And I don't like to lose.

MILLER: (As Beth Ailes) You're not losing, Roger. You're definitely not losing me.

MARTIN: We get a little hint there of the power dynamic between the two. Ultimately, he does make her choose between her career and him. What kind of sacrifice was that, from what you know of her? I mean, what kind of career did she have?

MILLER: She was a pretty successful producer when they met. For me, that would be a big sacrifice and a compromise. At the same time, I think she saw the potential in him and saw that she could fulfill¹¹ a role at home supporting him. She sort of saw the bigger picture, perhaps. At least, that's the way that I read it. And she wasn't wrong, you know? She definitely backed a winner.

MARTIN: How did you decide how to portray¹² her? I mean, your Beth Ailes - it's not that she lacks conviction, but there is a fragility to her.

MILLER: Yeah. There was something that I noticed about the footage that I'd seen of her and from some conversations. There was something quite childlike about her. And I know that she'd lost her father very young. She was with this man who was significantly older than her. It was her second marriage. Her first husband had been abusive. So I think there was an aspect to their relationship which was to do with her feeling protected and safe. And I'm sure that Roger had the capacity of creating that for her. I - yeah, I did sense a fragility in her. And also, as you'll see as it goes on, there's kind of a real fierce loyalty¹³ towards him.

MARTIN: Even as we acknowledge that this is a fictionalized account, we do see the onscreen Roger Ailes, played brilliantly by Russell Crowe, engage in what we shall describe as extracurricular sexual activities.

MILLER: And I mean, it's not exactly a fictionalized account because it's based on a book that was based upon 600...

MARTIN: You're right - Gabriel Sherman's book, which was well-researched and...

MILLER: Yeah. I think a lot of people would say that it was - it could - a lot of it would be close to the truth.

MARTIN: So how does that affect your character? I mean, do we see her start to acknowledge that and come to terms with it?

MILLER: You know, I think that he was very able and adept¹⁴ at managing to separate his work life and his extracurricular activity and his home life. And I think at home, he was a very devoted and extremely loving husband. I think as things start to unravel¹⁵, inevitably¹⁶, Beth started to unravel. And that's understandable, but she still stood by him to the very end.

MARTIN: Because it's - and not just consensual sexual activities. I mean, he - we see him harassing¹⁷ women, making unwanted advances, preying¹⁸ upon young women who come looking for jobs, applying for jobs.

MILLER: Yes.

MARTIN: It sounds like he's able to compartmentalize.

MILLER: And I think - and to many degrees, he grew up in a culture where that was just sort of allowed. It's shocking to see. And many of his victims are devastated¹⁹ to have lost their careers as a result of not capitulating. You know, it's a mess. But in his mind, it was probably just, you know, what men do. I'm very glad those days are changing. But on the whole, I think it's - yeah, I think you'll be surprised at how charming in moments he comes across. I mean, this isn't some kind of takedown of Roger Ailes. It's really a look at the man who was incredibly successful, who really did change the world and was very conflicted in many ways.

(SOUNDBITE OF ALEXANDRE DESPLAT'S "MOLLY'S SOLITUDE")

MARTIN: The series is called "The Loudest Voice." It premieres Sunday on Showtime. It stars Sienna Miller. She plays Beth Ailes, the wife of Fox News founder²⁰, Roger Ailes.

Sienna, thank you so much for talking with us.

MILLER: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF ALEXANDRE DESPLAT'S "MOLLY'S SOLITUDE")

1 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

2 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

3 ascent   

n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高

参考例句：

• His rapid ascent in the social scale was surprising.他的社会地位提高之迅速令人吃惊。
• Burke pushed the button and the elevator began its slow ascent.伯克按动电钮，电梯开始缓慢上升。

4 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

7 delve   

v.深入探究，钻研

参考例句：

• We should not delve too deeply into this painful matter.我们不应该过分深究这件痛苦的事。
• We need to delve more deeply into these questions.这些是我们想进一步了解的。

8 intimacies   

亲密( intimacy的名词复数 )； 密切； 亲昵的言行； 性行为

参考例句：

• He is exchanging intimacies with his friends. 他正在和密友们亲切地交谈。
• The stiffness of the meeting soon gave way before their popular manners and more diffused intimacies. 他们的洒脱不羁和亲密气氛的增加很快驱散了会场上的拘谨。

9 intriguing   

adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
• It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

11 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

12 portray   

v.描写，描述；画(人物、景象等)

参考例句：

• It is difficult to portray feelings in words.感情很难用言语来描写。
• Can you portray the best and worst aspects of this job?您能描述一下这份工作最好与最坏的方面吗？

13 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

14 adept   

adj.老练的，精通的

参考例句：

• When it comes to photography,I'm not an adept.要说照相，我不是内行。
• He was highly adept at avoiding trouble.他十分善于避开麻烦。

15 unravel   

v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开

参考例句：

• He was good with his hands and could unravel a knot or untangle yarn that others wouldn't even attempt.他的手很灵巧，其他人甚至都不敢尝试的一些难解的绳结或缠在一起的纱线，他都能解开。
• This is the attitude that led him to unravel a mystery that long puzzled Chinese historians.正是这种态度使他解决了长期以来使中国历史学家们大惑不解的谜。

16 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

17 harassing   

v.侵扰，骚扰( harass的现在分词 )；不断攻击（敌人）

参考例句：

• The court ordered him to stop harassing his ex-wife. 法庭命令他不得再骚扰前妻。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was too close to be merely harassing fire. 打得这么近，不能完全是扰乱射击。 来自辞典例句

18 preying   

v.掠食( prey的现在分词 )；掠食；折磨；（人）靠欺诈为生

参考例句：

• This problem has been preying on my mind all day. 这个问题让我伤了整整一天脑筋。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• For a while he let his eyes idly follow the preying bird. 他自己的眼睛随着寻食的鸟毫无目的地看了一会儿。 来自辞典例句

19 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

20 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。