ca. 1997 --- Chloë Sevigny --- Image by © Jack Chuck/Corbis Outline

Chloë Sevigny on Guy Aroch:

By Elodie Mailliet / © Corbis Outline

Doing press is one of the worst things about being an actress. It's a necessary self-promotion tool but, yes, it can be torture to be photographed. It's so important to work with a photographer that you feel comfortable with. That's the thing with Guy: He's very confident that he'll get what he wants. He doesn't blow things out of proportion. So nobody stresses out about getting all the pictures done.

Before our first shoot together, in 1997 for Spin, I was kind of wary. Unlike other photographers I had worked with in the past, I didn't know anything about Guy; I had never seen his images before. I was kind of feeling him out. But he had a great stylist, and the hair and makeup were beautiful. So I thought, "Um, this guy seems pretty good." When the pictures came out, I was taken aback. They became my favorite pictures of me at that time. I looked so young and innocent. I also liked the fact that I wasn't looking at the camera. He sort of captured me in that moment.

Guy, I feel, wants to bring what's within me out. For instance, doing the shoot for In Style was more of a commercial decision. But at least with Guy, I knew there'd be a little bit of an edge. I knew he would make an interesting image. It wouldn't be so cookie-cutter.

People like things so glossy these days. Actors and actresses are afraid of revealing too much of how they really look. Guy makes me feel at ease with myself. It also helps when a photographer thinks you're pretty! This allows us to take more chances like those snapshots we did together. I was staying at this really nice hotel, Chateau Marmont, and had some cute clothes with me. I don't even remember if it was for a magazine assignment; we just did it for kicks!

I feel that Guy is more of a peer, a collaborator, whereas other photographers tend to project things onto you.