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Catherine Keener loves hockey who knew?

UNLESS directed by Alan Gilsenan, written by Gilsenan from the novel by Carol Shields, with Catherine Keener and Matt Craven. A Mongrel release. 93 minutes. OpensFriday (October 14). See listings and review. Rating: NNN

Hannah Gross, who plays the young woman panhandling outside Honest Eds in Unless, admits that she was nervous meeting co-star Catherine Keener.

It was totally intimidating, she allows, sitting at the Hotel Intercontinental during TIFF last month. Shes so incredible in an understated way. I fell in love with her when I saw Being John Malkovich.

But that feeling of intimidation fell away the minute I met her. Shes just the warmest, most generous person. And the level of presence she gave to the scene and the text was just remarkable.

When I relay these sentiments to Keener, she practically busts a gut.

No way, she says, thinking Im referring to Keeners other Unless co-star, the legendary Hanna Schygulla. Youre kidding me!

I met her in the makeup trailer and was very, very shy about meeting her. I was at a loss for words, Keener says, echoing what Gross had said about Keener herself.

I was very self-conscious, Keener continues, and I said to myself [speaking slowly, one word at a time], Shake it fucking off. You gotta deal with this. She knows her shit and shes amazing.

When I realize why shes so strangely gobsmacked hearing Grosss superlatives, we clear things up. Keener laughs uproariously in that husky voice of hers and then recounts her time with Gross.

Hannahs like this little lamb, she says. But I went to a hockey game with her, and shes got a real streak of wildness in her.

Really? Keeners a hockey fan?

Isnt it crazy? I go to hockey games a lot. I love the Rangers, but Im not in New York any more. Im in L.A., so the Kings are my team.

I love the old warrior sensibility, the insane endurance it requires and the way the game is played in the moment. You have to not anticipate anything and anticipate everything at the same time. And react quickly on a turn.

When I suggest it sounds just like acting, she quickly agrees.

A lot of sport to me is like acting if youre firing really well, hockeys a really good metaphor.

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