Emma Thompson. oh. my. heavens. Isn't this woman a goddess? My, oh my, does this woman have brains. She penned one of my favorite Jane Austen film adaptations (for which she won an Academy Award, by the way, and of which I have a carefully kept copy) and has been in so many films I've absolutely loved. A fellow classmate recently told me I reminded her of Emma Thompson which made me happier than I think I've ever been.
It's difficult to pick my favorite role of hers, but I'd have to be honest and say she's my favorite in Stranger than Fiction as Karen Eiffel. Other favorite films include Last Chance Harvey, Brideshead Revisted, Wit (so so good in this one), Sense and Sensibility (of course), The Remains of the Day, Much Ado About Nothing, and Howards End.
Kate Winslet. Banish any thoughts of Titanic this instant. Have you seen her in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? Have you? Clementine is one of my all-time favorite characters, and guess who pulled it off? Yep.
Other favorite films: Sense and Sensibility (again), Hamlet, and even though I didn't really like Finding Neverland, she certainly was my favorite part of the movie.
I know Rachel Weisz may seem an unlikely choice. For me her film career has been hit-and-miss. But if you haven't seen her as Tessa Quayle in The Constant Gardener you are missing out on one of the most powerful character depictions of all time. I've also really enjoyed her in About a Boy and The Fountain (weird movie, but she is charming in it).
Ah. Dame Dench. I mean, how could anyone resist Judi? My favorite role: Armand Voizin in Chocolat, but really, there are so many others. A Room with a View, Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown, The Importance of Being Earnest, Pride and Prejudice, I even loved her in that super-cheesy romantic sit-com, "As Time Goes By". Ah yes, and who could forget her depiction of Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love?
Lastly, Ellen Page has dazzled in both Juno and Inception. I look forward to her future work with much anticipation.
A good friend also put together a fun fashion tribute to Ellen Page here. It may or may not have influenced me to put Ellen on this list.
I'm not sure what it means that almost all of my favorite actresses are British. The friend who put together the fashion tribute for Page also has made mention on her blog that Weisz, Thompson and Winslet have vowed never to get plastic surgery. Interesting, no?
So, who did I miss? Well, certainly Natalie Portman, Eileen Atkins, Helen Mirren, Helena Bonham-Carter and Juliette Binoche but I couldn't go on forever!
4 comments:
Oh this is a fun post! I totally agree with Emma Thompson! She is my favorite as well! Although next to Stranger than Fiction and Sense and Sensibility, my favorite rolls more juvenile (Nanny McPhee and Harry Potter/Proffessor Trelawney). I also agree with Kate Winslet and Ellen Page (Our favorite movie with Ellen is "Whip it"). I don't really care for Rachel Weisz and would have to replace her with Claire Danes (I think she was amazing as "Temple Grandin"). I would probably also replace Judi Dench with Diane Keaton. Natalie Portman is on my list of worst actors ever, watching her try to cry is painfully hilarious for me, but other than that we have very similar taste Jen!
I agree with you! There are not many actresses that I admire but I love Emma Thompson. I think she is fabulous in so many ways. And Wit is such a powerful movie, in large part due to her.
ooh I love this post! Emma Thompson is so fabulous. I first saw her in Wit, and I've been hooked ever since. I also love Kate Winslet - have you seen her in Revolutionary Road? That's my favorite movie that she stars in. I have to add Kiera Knightly to my list because I thought she was brilliant in Atonement & Never Let Me Go. I have a confession - I've never seen Sense & Sensibility. It looks like I need to add that to my list!
Emma Thompson for sure. I love her as Margaret Schlegel in Howards End, and Karen Eiffel, and...just too many. I've never seen something she wasn't good in. And S & S was indeed a great adaptation -- the only thing that bugged me a little bit was the age range between Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret; it just felt too obvious that Emma was so much older than Elinor from the novel.
I like many of the other ones you mentioned as well (although I agree with the other commenter about Natalie Portman, not my cup of tea at all), but Lucille Ball is maybe my #1 diva. First female head of a major studio, insisted on starring with her real-life husband despite objections about the inter-racial/ethnic marriage, helped pioneer many of the conventions of TV that still exist today...and there is just no other comedienne like her EVER. Such great timing, such willingness to do anything for a laugh, such a commitment to her art. LOVE her.
Post a Comment