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Interview with Sienna Miller

Aired May 17, 2010 - 16:51:00   ET


BECKY ANDERSON, INT'L. CORRESPONDENT, CONNECTOR OF THE DAY: Where British actress Sienna Miller goes, the press and paparazzi are sure to follow. Her personal life often generates as many newspaper column inches as does her professional life.


ANDERSON: After several stints in the theater, both in London and New York, films like "Layer Cake", "Factory Girl", and this one, "Alfie", made Sienna Miller famous, as did her relationship with co-star Jude Law.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, it's going to be-it's pretty full back there, why don't you-

ANDERSON: A trendsetter whose style has been dubbed a Boho-chic, she launched a 2812 fashion label with her sister Savannah in 2007. But now, though, Sienna Miller has a new mission, as an ambassador to the International Medical Corp. Most recently she's been in Haiti, meeting those who lost their loved ones and livelihoods in January's massive earthquake. Her role in easing their plight is raising awareness and funds. A film star shining a light on Haiti's heartbreak, Sienna Miller is your Connector of the Day.


MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, Sienna Miller shared her experiences in Haiti with my colleague, Becky, when they sat down for a chat earlier. They started by talking about what inspired your Connector of the Day to become involved with the work of the International Medical Corp.


SIENNA MILLER, ACTRESS, AMBASSADOR, INT'L. MEDICAL CORP: I heard about them from a friend who went to a benefit and had heard about the situation in Congo primarily. And they do some amazing work over there and needed an ambassador. So, obviously, being a person who can generate a certain amount of media attention, often for the wrong reasons, I thought I'd suggest myself. But no, I met with them and they were incredible. And then we went to the Democratic Republic of Congo and that was the first trip, about a year ago. And it is incredible the amount of work-they are in 26 countries. But it is incredibly impressive what they are doing. And I was going to actually go back to Congo but then what happened in Haiti, happened. So that was a more urgent trip.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Let's talk some more about that, because you are just recently back from that trip, aren't you?

MILLER: I am. It was incredible. I'm going to keep using that word, because it was-well, just seeing people saving lives, it is just immeasurable, the value of that, and I'm really moved, and obviously desperately sad, but there is a spirit within the people that is just fantastic.

ANDERSON: You wrote on your blog recently that you were overwhelmed by the loss of some of the people that you spoke to in Haiti after the quake. How did it affect you, Sienna?

MILLER: Oh, it's-you know, you look at these people and I think when that many people have been directly affected, I mean, 3 million people have been affected by this earthquake; 250,000 people, roughly, have lost their lives. And when it is a quantity that large it is really hard to sort of feel personal about it. It is just such a vast amount of people. But then going out there and meeting these people and speaking to them, everyone has lost someone, or something. And you see husbands, and fathers, and mothers and children, everyone orphaned and it's heartbreaking. But there is a spirit there that is very resilient and, uh, while it was very sad for me, I think, I needed to put myself in that position of self-pitying. I think when you look around those are the people that are really suffering.

ANDERSON: You do only see the pictures and still smiles on the kids faces, when they're back to school, quite a lot of them, certainly in some places.


ANDERSON: Which is fantastic to see. So there is some movement?

MILLER: There is, definitely, aid is getting through. But the problem with Haiti is that before this happened it was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. So, it didn't really have any infrastructure to get itself back on its feet alone. And while there is aid getting through and it has been fantastic, if that aid stops coming and runs, which it is threatening to do, then they are back to where they were before, but with no infrastructure in place to rebuild the country. And I think because of the location of where it is, it is a really great opportunity to rebuild the country from scratch, with all the help. I mean, it is right by America. It is just the aid has to keep coming.

ANDERSON: Let's talk about-let's get you some viewer questions here, because there have been lots and lots and lots of them. Mahidi (ph), has written in and he says, "How has your involvement with IMC affected your life, do you think?"

MILLER: I think it is humbling, always, to go on these trips and to see another way of life. I think you become aware of the world that you were living in and can be quite blinkered to, otherwise. It is really self-it satisfies me personally, enormously to go on these trips and to feel like it is helping in some small way. Selfishly, I get a lot from it.

ANDERSON: Jacob has also written and he says, "Hi, Sienna, I really admire what you are doing with Haiti. I worried, though, like many issues it will start to go off the radar for the international community. How," he says, "can we keep people focused on it?"

MILLER: I think donations, constant donations and blogging. I mean, that is a fantastic thing about the Internet nowadays, is that everyone has a voice, and doing interviews like this one, it's fantastic. It reminds people that there is still a crisis that is only increasing with the hurricane season eminent.

Uh, so just funding and donations coming in, whatever small way you can. Do a little fundraiser from wherever he's from and-

ANDERSON: One question from James Carlisle. He says, "Hello, Sienna. I'm just wondering after your run on Broadway, what do you prefer doing? Acting in theater or film, or doing charity work like you are doing with Haiti?"


MILLER: I think a fantasy, a little bit of both, of all three. I mean, there is something really great about theater, the live nature of it, not that you can tell from my rather inexperienced interview technique. But there is something very exciting about the adrenaline rush from live theater. And filming is also vexing and challenging and fun, but there is something more deeply satisfying about humanitarian work, I think. But I'd love to balance the three.

ANDERSON: One last one, Jurgen Broff (ph) from Surinam, he's a regular watcher of this part of the show, this "Connector of the Day". He says, "Who is your favorite fashion designer?"

MILLER: I have to say my favorite fashion designer is my sister, Savannah Miller. Who is the chief designer of a label called 2812. I have to say that. But I genuinely, obviously she's my favorite because she's my sister.


FOSTER: Sienna Miller, there.