"Jane Eyre" Director Cary Fukunaga on Homelessness and the Raw Sexual Magnetism of Judi Dench

At the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, writer-director Cary Fukunaga emerged as the belle of the ball, the kind of promising young talent the festival is meant to catapult, when his first feature, "Sin Nombre," a harrowing, haunting tale of unexpected beauty and unflinching realism, took home both the Directing Award and Excellence in Cinematography Award, while landing Fukunaga a three-picture deal with Focus Features.

Two years later, on the lip of releasing his second effort, a gothic, chillingly sensual adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" starring Mia Wasikowska, Judi Dench and Michael Fassbender, the handsome young director—after a fair amount of giddiness over the coolness of a fancy Coke bottle found in the minibar—takes a seat on the balcony of his Four Seasons hotel suite and marvels at how much and little has changed since the last time Popcorn Biz saw him at this same locale during promotion for "Sin Nombre." Fukunaga says he's spent the last two years in a whirlwind of media and moviemaking, moving from hotel to hotel, publicity obligation to film set and back again, landing intermittently on friend's couches.

"I was still doing promotion up until two weeks before shooting 'Jane Eyre' and I'm homeless at the moment," he reveals. "I had an apartment in London until two days after [the' Jane Eyre'] shoot. Then I packed up and sent my stuff to the Focus Features office. They're my Manhattan mini-storage."

While the constant stream of work is a dream come true for any independent filmmaker, it's kept Fukunaga for focusing on writing potential future projects that have been simmering in his brain for several years, including (and in order of important in his mind) a sci-fi love story, an adaptation of a historical non-fiction novel about a train heist during the Civil War and a movie musical that could feature a score by Beirut and Arcade Fire.

"I'm not Quentin Tarantino; I can't write on the road," he shrugs when asked about his procrastination. "I need a little space I can just disappear into. That's probably what I'll do in the spring; find some quiet place, some nice mothering woman to take care of me and feed me soup while I write and cry like a baby," he smiles.

With his sophomore effort arriving in theaters, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask about the film's leading man, Michael Fassbender, and his uncanny ability to get everyone, even, it has recently been reported, horses, hot and bothered. So does Fukunaga have a "Fassbender Boner" like everyone else?

"I don't know," he laughs. "I definitely didn't find myself getting hard-ons during dialogue scenes, I'll tell you that. But Dame Judi [Dench]. Talk about 'boner!' She's so cool," he coos. "When I moved into my flat in London, she gave me a gift. It was the last photograph of Steve McQueen before he died. And Steve had signed it for her! She gave it to me, just pulled it off her wall and gave it to me. That's the kind of person Judi Dench is."

"Jane Eyre" opens March 11.

The Trailer for Cary Fukunaga's "Jane Eyre" Debuts...This Calls for Spicy Tuna Tartar!

At the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, Cary Fukunaga made a triumphant debut with his first feature, "Sin Nombre," winning both the Directing Award and Excellence in Cinematography Award. Written and directed by Fukunaga, every frame was stunning, haunting filmmaking. Focus Features quickly snatched up the film and the young--and, it must be mentioned, very handsome—director, smartly signing him to a three picture deal.

His next film, "Jane Eyre" bows in theaters on March 11, 2011, and, having just watched the trailer, what I can't figure out is why it isn't being released in time for Oscar consideration.

Starring Alice in Wonderland and The Kids Are All Right’s Mia Wasikowska as Jane Eyre, a governess whose life is fraught with romance and tragedy, the diabolically sexy Michael Fassbender ("Inglorious Basterds," "Fish Tank") as Jane's employer, Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax, Jamie Bell as St. John and Sally Hawkins as Mrs. Reed, the film is a new adaptation of Emily Bronte's classic novel that's much darker and more gothic than audiences may expect.

In a 2009 interview, Fukunaga said, "I've spent a lot of time rereading the book and trying to feel out what Charlotte Bronte was feeling when she was writing it. That sort of spookiness that plagues the entire story... there's been something like 24 adaptations, and it's very rare that you see those sorts of darker sides. They treat it like it's just a period romance, and I think it's much more than that. It's all about tension and creating that sense of horror underneath."

Sinister and seductive, I can't wait to see what Fukunaga's second offering and career goes next. He's definitely a talent to keep your eyes on.

Speaking of eyes, sorry if it's pervy, but can I just say again how easy on the eyes Mr. Fukunaga is? He shares a magical Keanu Reeves/Joseph Gordon-Levitt Eurasian quality.

In honor of his Japanese heritage (on his father's side) and his overall caliente-ness, how's about some...

Spicy Tuna Tartar on Cucumber Rounds

1/2 lb Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna, finely chopped
1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise, the full fat kind (the low fat versions are far too sweet for this recipe)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) chili garlic paste (usually found in the Asian food aisle of most major supermarkets, Red Rooster is a great brand to look for, Sriracha tends to be too sweet)
1 bunch chives (approx 5-6 tablespoons), finely snipped or chopped
2 tablespoons black sesame seed
2 Japanese cucumbers
Additional chives and sesame seeds for garnish

Finely chop tuna. This can be done either with some patience and good knife work or by pulsing the fish in a food processor. But be careful not to make tuna paste, you want the tuna to retain its texture.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except cucumbers.

Mix well, cover and refrigerate while prepping cucumbers.

Wash cucumbers and slice into ½ inch rounds, thick enough to support a small mound of tuna.

Remove tuna from fridge.

Now, you can either go the Lazy Man’s Route (which I’m a big fan of) and put tuna in a decorative bowl surrounded by cucumber slices (think of it as Nouveau Riche Chips and Dip) and garnish, or you can go the extra mile and top each cucumber round with a small helping of spicy tuna and top with snipped chives and sesame seeds.

For the experts, tuna can be topped with cucumbers (cut in long, thin strips rather than rounds), daikon sprouts and avocado, wrapped in seaweed and sushi rice, and rolled to make maki or handrolls.