Q&A: Who needs their own "Big Little Lies"?
Monday, July 17, 2017 at 11:30PM Hello dear readers. I didn't forget about your questions. I just ran away for two weeks to beautiful southern Connecticut and the National Critics Institute. It was grand. But, now, back to work. Here are seven questions you asked (more to come) answered...
MARK G: Word in the UK from a respected critic is that Kate Winslet is on top/peak/Blue Jasmine form in Woody's Wonder Wheel and the film has a chance as breakout hit. What do you think of Winslet's chances of winning a 2nd - you always say the ladies win a 2nd within the first 10 years.
NATHANIEL: Until the Steve Jobs year I thought it highly improbable but that year reminded me that it was possible if she lucks out and runs with a great performance in a weak year. She was clearly in the runner-up position and only category frauding from Vikander denied her her second. Winslet's hurdle will be that people who win an "overdue" Oscar don't tend to win again thereafter. Overdue Oscars carry a whiff of 'thanks for the career -- NEXT!' as if everyone knows it has to happen but wants to swiftly move on. Note that Pacino and Sarandon were never nominated again after winning. (As for Wonder Wheel who knows. Woody's output is so uneven.)
TYLER: What is your absolute favorite Audrey Hepburn performance?
NATHANIEL: She's always kind of Audrey Hepburn to me no matter the role (this is not an insult - you can get away with that if you're one of the most charismatic movie stars of all time. See also: Marilyn Monroe and Cary Grant). I'd have to go with Breakfast at Tiffany's... though I like Sabrina and Roman Holiday maybe better as movies. I know that's so basic but it's the truth. Forgive me.
NATALIE: I know this site adores Kidman and Pfeiffer. I can really agree with one of them. Other than those 2 ladies, who do you feel are the BEST actresses around today?
NATHANIEL: Oh, man. How many hours you got? Since actresses are my addiction we might be here all day. Your all-caps "BEST" leads me to believe you want 'most talented' rather than 'personal favorites' so I'll try to limit it to a baker's dozen (off the top of my head) and let's just do English language to make it easier:
- Annette Bening
- Cate Blanchett
- Viola Davis
- Laura Dern
- Ann Dowd
- Eva Green
- Sally Hawkins
- Julianne Moore
- Samantha Morton
- Sarah Paulson
- Tilda Swinton
- Marisa Tomei
two of the most exciting current actresses
With a special shout out to eight underrated women (underrated for a wide variety of reasons, but mostly involving the type of movies / roles they've done):
- Rose Byrne
- Kirsten Dunst
- Carmen Ejogo
- Anne Hathaway
- Scarlett Johansson
- Keira Knightley
- Rosamund Pike
Of the too-soon-to-tell group (careers can be so unexpectedly short or multiple decades amazing - it's not always obvious which way it will go) I'm most excited about / crossing fingers for:
- Jessica Chastain
- Brie Larson
- Greta Gerwig
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw
- Andrea Riseborough
- Alicia Vikander
JS: What were you favorite individual moments from each of 5 lovely leading ladies of Big Little Lies? (Clearly I still haven't moved on this masterclass)
It's all a blissful blur but we wrote extensively about it when we recapped each episode and I listed many fav moments. So happy that most of them were Emmy-nominated (though I wish Robin Weigert had been too)
BEN: Give me an actor/actress who needs to make a Big Little Lies-esque jump to miniseries prestige TV for some much needed stretching of their acting muscles
Again -- do you have all day? Any of the "underrated" eight two questions ago would do. But here are a five actresses that seem to be descending or already have fallen out of movie/tv favor that I think could benefit from something really widely seen like a prestige mini IF they totally delivered and the project understood their gifts (Big Little Lies benefitted tremendously from very smart casting):
- Toni Collette
- Abbie Cornish
- Dakota Fanning
- Carey Mulligan
- Kathleen Turner.
JOE: What do you think of Mel Gibson as a director and how you would rank his movies?
Mel? I think his bloodlust, inner drama queen, and mental issues get in the way of good filmmaking. Nearly everyone one of his films is over the top or repulsive in some way but if they must be ranked:
Hacksaw Ridge > Man Without a Face > Passion of the Christ > Apocalypto > Braveheart.
It's weird to realize I've seen all five despite never warming to any of them! Hacksaw Ridge came the closest to being kinda-good but even then there were some cringeworthy lather-it-on-with-a-trowel moments like that slomo bath to wash off blood or Andrew Garfield's hokey in the first half performance.
STEVE: In film criticism and review, writers often use phrases like "instant classic." How do you feel about qualifying the legacy of the film when it's still new? (I've seen a lot about Moonlight already being one of the top-tier Best Picture winners, something I tend to agree with myself, but still feel weird about making such a distinction when the movie is not even a year old.) How long is necessary for a movie to really linger in your mind and in the popular culture to qualify what its legacy is?
It's unwise to use the phrase "instant classic" though I'm sure we've all done it. Far worse, though, is "highly influential" or "industry-shaking / life-changing" or what-not since it's impossible to quantify the future in advance. You can usually tell when any list of "all time best" was made by what or who is on it; those lists tend to reflect the "right now" more than anything. I think it's good to wait ten years so if I were to make a 100 best movies of all time list, it would only extend to 2007. Sorry Rachel Getting Married (2008) but you don't get added until 2018!
YOUR TURN READERS: Who do you think needs their own Big Little Lies... ? Favorite Audrey? Winslet in Wonder Wheel?
Reader Comments (45)
Samantha Morton is so underrated.
Thank you for your Best Actress choices.
No Meryl? I could NOT believe it ::D
If Gwyneth Paltrow can step out of the celebrity spotlight for a few years, she could be revelatory in a BLL-caliber miniseries. And my god does she need one.
She is so stinking talented and visually compelling, especially in an upper-class role like those characters. Believably spousal and maternal. Rich, subtle interior life onscreen. Totally unique and surprising with powerful star presence. Throw in some smaller stars like Amanda Peet? Anne Heche? Rosemarie DeWitt?
I know it's not en vogue to praise Gwyneth's acting gifts (or beauty, or appeal) but my god is she wasting herself.
I imagine Annette Bening, Christina Hendricks and Natalie Portman could make for a fantastic trio of fragile but fierce mothers who lie to themselves.
And.... of course.... no Meryl.
Gwyneth has basically given up on acting, and she's virtually admitted it herself. I think she's comfortable with doing the occasional supporting part in a Marvel movie (with a hefty paycheck) and perhaps another small movie or guest spot on TV here or there, but that's it. I think she's an example of someone who's career started white hot from the very beginning and then she just got overexposed and fizzled out.
Speaking of underutilized/underrated actors who need a BLL rejuvenation, Carey Mulligan is actually about to get just that, I think. She's the star of a baity BBC miniseries written by David Hare that will come out next year.
If they actually go through with a BLL season 2, for godsake hire Laure Linney. She would KILL in one of those roles, and she also has a rich history with HBO. She needs it and deserves it!!
Aaron - oh man I forgot both Linney and Meryl. We are blessed to live in such a rich age of actressing
Nathaniel, one of the reasons I love you and this site is that you list 27 women (and I sense you may have culled) for a broken-down, specified response to the question of who (else) are the best actresses working today.
Also, how fun would Kathleen Turner-Jennifer Jason Leigh-Carey Mulligan be in some sort of 3 generations film? I first thought of Sofia Coppola, but the former two might do better with someone grittier.
I agree with your best list except you left off seniors like Streep, Lange, Dench, Mirren, etc. these are very gifted actresses. Also Helen McCrory and Michelle Fairley, the actress who was Lady Stark. Love them.
They should do Master Class with Tomei. Sophie Turner good too of younger guard.
Carey Mulligan has Dee Rees' Mudbound coming out later this year, that got a mostly positive reception at Sundance. A little too premature as of yet to say she needs a career revaluation.
I agree with Hayden that someone like Paltrow in a BLL-esque show would be great to watch. Along with Halle Berry and Jennifer Connelly, she's been in so many horrible films it's changed the perception on how people view her talent.
I'm shocked at your list Nathaniel! What is your criteria, exactly?
No Weaver, Cotillard, McDormand, Thompson, Clarkson, Williams (among others!!). Lots of living legends still working today.
If I were to pick just five actresses based on recent output (say since 2006) to call "BEST" based just on that output and ignore all else prior to that, I would have a real hard time not including the below five ladies (with their top three performances during this period listed in descending order) but I'm sure I'm forgetting others.
Marion Cotillard (Rust & Bone, Two Days One Night & Nine)
Amy Adams (Arrival, The Fighter & Enchanted)
Cate Blanchet (Carol, Blue Jasmine & I'm Not There)
Rooney Mara (Carol, Girl with a Dragon Tattoo & The Social Network)
Viola Davis (The Help, Fences & Doubt)
There are plenty other super super talented actresses but they may not have as many super good performances as the above women during this time period. I wanted to argue for some (like Bening, Moore & Portman) but i was having trouble finding THREE performances I adored from them given during this time-frame.
my lips got so thin with you forgetting the lovely laura linney - thankfully you recovered in the comments. that being said, i'm not terribly excited about this ozark thing she's in that's coming up on netflix - i don't want to see TLLL punching people in the face!
Nathaniel, thank goodness you left out Meryl. She's such a bore and overrated!
@Hayden
Pout-y P's best bet is a comedic Broadway role for a possible triple crown clenching Tony win.
Pete
You must be a Trump fan !!!
natalie,
I am a Trump fan and I love Meryl Streep!
Natalie, no I support neither Trump nor Clinton, I just find Meryl BORING and OVERRATED just as you may find her brilliant or talented. To each his own. But I'm happy to not see Meryl on Nathaniel's list!
I have a sneak feeling Winslet is going to win the GG comedy Globe.
No best actress list can be without Marion Cotillard.
Carey's David Hare mini-series looks to have great actressing, wonderful British cast including Billie Piper, Nicola Walker and Hayley Squires of I, Daniel Blake.
Glenn Close. If she'd just make a damn movie that opened wider than 1 theater ...
I specifically said i was limiting it to english language work so that's why Binoche, Deneuve, Cotillard, etcetera are missing.
@Hayden If you want a great Amanda Peet role, look no further than Brockmire on IFC. She is incredible in it.
I think it's better for the dust to settle before deciding if a film is a classic, but nowadays pop culture and film obsessives randomly pluck the ones that are going to be sacred cows each year and hardly a word can be said against them.
Audrey Hepburn's best performances are Love in the Afternoon and The Nun's Story.
It is so strange that Winslet was considered overdue and her Oscar seemed like a career tribute when she was only 33 years old. Emily Blunt, Scarlett Johansson, Olivia Wilde and Felicity Jones are around that age now and it still feels like they are just getting started. Accent aside, Winslet was fantastic in Steve Jobs and I feel like she has her groove back. More than anything, I want her to be great in a relatively normal, contemporary movie again. If she is as good in Wonder Wheel as Kristen Stewart in Cafe Society or Emma Stone in Irrational Man (both very underrated performances) were then I will be satisfied, even though people want a Blue Jasmine style tour de force.
When it comes to the best working actresses, I totally agree with Nathaniel's list, but my personal faves that were not mentioned include Amy Adams, Marion Cotillard, Meryl Streep, Isabelle Huppert, Emily Blunt, and Angela Bassett. Actors - Oscar Isaac, Ryan Gosling, Denzel, Fassbender and Samuel L Jackson.
All of Mel Gibson's directed films are trashy, but the best one is Hacksaw Ridge.
Actors in need of a miniseries - Lupita, Rebecca Hall, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jakey G and Wasikowska.
Loved every second of Big Little Lies but my fave individual moments were Reese dealing with her paramour, Nicole's therapy sessions, Shailene trying to understand her child, Dern's wailing and Zoe at the final party.
Regarding Winslet's chances of a second Oscar, I feel now that Woody's reputation has taken a beating over the past few years, the Academy will be reluctant to acknowledge his films and the performances within. I'd like to see Winslet win another, but I doubt it would be for a Woody Allen film.
Dear Everyone,
The concept of "best" with respect to the arts is subjective. Please settle down. Your favorite actresses are still pretty.
Sincerely,
Troy H.
Nat, hav u watched The Nun's Story? After yrs o playing sweet gamines n fashion glamourpuss, Miss A Hepburn finally proved her mettle w this dramatic role of a lifetime, winning a 2nd NYFCC award n BAFTA.
IMHO, she shld've won the Oscar too!! Liz Taylor a close 2nd w Suddenly, Last Summer.
Troy - no one is getting upset and everyone understands it is all opinion. It is also okay and expected (!) to have differences of opinion and discuss them in the comments.
Also having a list titled 12 best most talented BEST (vs favorite) actresses today and having Ann Dowd listed is a bit surprising imho and is meant to generate debate/conversation.
Add MacLaine to Pacino and Sarandon. I can't believe the Academy ignored her performances in Steel Magnolias and Postcards from the Edge.
No room for Streep? Or the Dames? Helen, Judi, Maggie, Kristin?
Juan -- i was trying not to go the totally expected route. I love most of the Dames but i was also trying to choose people whose best work might still be ahead of them.
Peggy Sue-
Also, IN HER SHOES!!! She was so touching in that!
Thanks for answering my question, Nat!
I love your actress choices if only to encourage more parts for women of all ages. Meryl is in her own category of greatness so it's fine if she is not mentioned.
As for Mel Gibson, I find it very hard to separate his work from the severe repulsion that he engenders. He is still a racist and sexist pig, and I can't believe that Hollywood is re-embracing him on any level.
I think Audrey Hepburn is the best in Two For The Road and The Nun's Story (though I could watch Roman Holiday all day long). Those two movies gave her a bit of an acting stretch.
@Maire
They had no problem with his previous prejudices. He's been public in the press with them before. But when he came for God's chosen people who claim they don't own and run Hollywood lock stock and barrel -- he got the boot for a while.
Just from speculation, I'm not expecting anything awardy with Winslet & Wonder Wheel.
From the stills I've observed, I'm almost guessing that this is some type of Purple Rose of Cairo/Alice/Oepidus Wrecks mixture where an unhappy married woman gets hypnotized at the boardwalk carnival, falls in love shore worker for a few golden hours before the spell is broken.
I'm figuring lightweight chuckles (not Oscar caliber acting).
I am shocked that you manage to forget about MERYL STREEP, Nat. lol
As for BLL type of casting, I also suggest Gwyneth Paltrow (I squealed with glee when she appeared in Spiderman), Toni Collette, Laura Linney, Dakota Fanning, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. I am mentally visualizing all of them in Nicole, Reese, Laura, Shailene and Zoe's roles respectively and it's amazing!
I don't think that Toni Collette has fallen out of movie/tv favour, but that could be because I'm an Aussie, and a lot of her movie/tv work has been done here recently. She was in the Devil's Playgrond a couple of years ago, and she is slated to be in the next installment of Blue Murder, which is a big deal here. Also, she was in Jasper Jones this year, and she has a Fred Schepisi production coming up. I don't think she is doing these projects because she has fallen out of favour elsewhere, I think she is doing them because she wants to, and she wants to be home more. There is no 'benefit' to her doing a BLL type internationally known limited series if that's not what she wants.
Thank you for answering my question, Nathaniel! I agree - I think 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' is my favorite of Hepburn's performances, and it's also one of my all time favorite films.
Gwyneth won an Emmy for Glee and I would love if she did more comedy (she was also great every time she hosted SNL). No one will call Big Little Lies a comedy, but I think Reese's best moments were the ones of comic relief. Could any other actress be as charming while yelling at someone to get fucked in the head?
NATHANIEL R
The purposeful exclusion of Meryl Streep is extremely shocking. Especially considering that she, along with Isabelle Huppert, who was also not included, can act circles around every single one of the actresses you mentioned. Although they don't need to be put in a silly list for their greatness and far-bigger-than-the-aforementioned-women's reputation to be proved.
Mnki -- nobody seems to have read the article in question. I purposefully did not include foreign actresses like Huppert because they would hog the whole list. :)
Why are people still talking in the comment section about Trump vs. Clinton. Hello, the election was months ago.
Also, acting sure as hell does not need Gwyneth Paltrow or Carey Mulligan or any other boring ass white actress.
Outrage is boring