A little Hollywood guy named Oscar has tried twice to
get a date with British actress Miranda Richardson only
to stand her up at the last minute.
In 1992, Richardson was nominated for best-supporting
actress for her shattering performance opposite Jeremy
Irons in Damage. She lost to Marisa
Tomei in My Cousin Vinny.
In 1995, she was nominated as best actress for her
portrayal of T.S. Eliot's wife in Tom And Viv.
The Oscar went to Jessica Lange in Blue Sky.
"It sounds cliched, but it's true that being
nominated is a great enough honor," says Richardson,
whose films also include Enchanted April,
Crying Game and Dance With A
Stranger. "What happens when you get
nominated is that producers and directors are suddenly
aware of you again, so you get a few more offers than you
normally would. "On a personal level, it means that
with each new picture after the nomination you have to
keep trying to top yourself."
In Robert Altman's Kansas City,
Richardson plays the drug-addicted wife of a politician.
She's kidnapped by a young hood's girlfriend (Jennifer
Jason Leigh). Altman wrote the role for Kim Basinger.
"Kim got pregnant and I had to replace her quickly
because we were scheduled to begin filming. I couldn't
find an American actress who wasn't already
committed," says Altman. "An agent put me on to
Miranda. She promised me she could do the American accent
so I hired her. It was one of those wonderful acts of
fate."
Richardson was confident she could pull off the trick of
appearing American because she'd "done it several
times on stage." "It's been my dream to play an
American woman in an American movie, so this was an offer
I couldn't refuse."
There was also the prospect of working with Altman
who she calls "an absolute maverick".
"He does what he wants to do and he loves a fight.
This appeals to me as an actress because working with him
becomes the best part of being a student again.Every day
on the set was a learning experience."
In the film, Richardson's socialite and her kidnapper
become great friends.
"It's what happened off camera as well. Jennifer and
I are now practically inseparable. "I'm appalled
that the industry doesn't recognize what an incredible
talent Jennifer is. She is a power they can't seen to
reckon with."
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Created by Clive
Sarney
e-mail to sarneyc@senet.com.au
This page created November
6th, 2001; last modified November 6th, 2001
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