InStyle USA – August 2019

146 InSTYLE AUGUST 2019

“Call us Patti Squared,” says 51-year-old actress and activist

Patricia Arquette with a bright smile as she settles into a

couch alongside supermodel Patti Hansen, 63. The pair have

been friends since 1999, when their mutual manager, Molly

Madden, introduced them at the première of Bringing Out

the Dead, Martin Scorsese’s thriller that starred Arquette

and her then-husband, Nicolas Cage. Now, 20 years and

many hangs later, the Patties are toasting their everlasting

friendship over a bottle of cabernet. —GLYNIS COSTIN

PATTI HANSEN: I think the most badass thing about you,

and the thing I really admire you for, is your activism. I can

monetarily help a lot of people, but you really get your hands

in the dirt. I remember back when I had the handbag com-

pany Hung on U, there were these beautiful pictures of you

in Haiti passing the bags filled with supplies out to peo-

ple ... and recently you were in Africa building toilets.

PATRICIA ARQUETTE: I have a nonprofit organization

called GiveLove, and we do ecological sanitation. We started

in Haiti, where we were supporting a school and installing

toilets. We also did a feeding program. You and Molly [Mad-

den] had that handbag line, so we did a collaboration and

filled the bags with stuff like rape whistles and flashlights.

PH: How do you find the time to physically go and do all

these things and also have so many film projects?

PA : [Laughs] Well, my boyfriend [artist Eric White] asks,

“Why do you never sleep?” I sleep about four hours a night.

I’m also currently working with Congress to get the Equal

Rights Amendment passed, which is very

exciting. Most people think the ER A passed

in America, but not enough states ratified it.

Recently two more states did—Nevada and

Illinois—but we still have more work ahead.

I just keep learning about these horrendous

laws, like how in seven states women can be

required to co-parent with their convicted

rapists. We really need the ER A to pass, so

women are legally considered equal.

PH: And you’re also involved in getting

equal pay for women. Why is that so impor-

tant to you?

PA : There are more single moms than ever before, and a lot

of working moms who have two jobs and are still in poverty.

Even when you have a college degree, you’re still not getting

paid as much as men. I have so much to say about this! But

what about you? You’re an advocate for autism awareness.

PH: My nephew is autistic. It used to be a rare disorder, but

now one in 59 kids gets diagnosed with it, so I like to help

how I can. I have spoken out about autism, but I’m not

good at that, so I support more monetarily. My nephew is

involved with this amazing place up in Ridgefield [Conn.],

about 20 minutes from us, called the Prospector Theater.

A wonderful woman opened it, and she employs people

with special needs. And, hey, if there is ever a film you want

to show there ... they show all the latest movies.

PA : That’s so awesome. What do you think is badass about

your life?

PH: [Laughs] I guess being married to Keith [Richards, of

the Rolling Stones]. When I was younger, I just thought of

myself as a free spirit, but having that connection with

Keith felt badass. I think what it really means is just being

honorable and loving and a good friend.

PA : Well, I think it’s pretty badass that you tamed a wild

beast like Keith Richards.

PH: Everybody says that, but I don’t know. I think we both

came into each other’s lives at a really good time. Everyone

thinks he was the bad guy, but he got me at 23, and I probably

could have gone off the rails. Who knows? I grew up in a

great family—we were all very respectful of each other, and I

never wanted to disappoint them. But, you know, it was the

’70s and early ’80s! You can imagine ... He sort of tamed me!

PA : [Laughs] You found your mate. I’ve also found my

perfect partner. We’re just so in love. I think being in love

is really badass.

PH: It’s comforting. I think a lot of people are afraid to spend

their whole lives with one person. Keith said to me, “I’ll only

do this once. We don’t go into a marriage with the possibility

of divorce.” He was very straight about that. As you know, it’s

not easy. Sometimes you’re together, and other times you’re

going different ways, but we have respect for each other. We’ve

been married for 35 years and have been together for 40.

PA : Wow.

PH: I know! And I don’t even feel 40. I just love him. We

C

“When I grew up, you really

felt like you’d be forced

into retirement by 50. But

now I’m getting some of

the best parts of my life.”

—PATRICIA ARQUETTE