Lynn Redgrave (1943-2010)

Very sad news today. The Redgrave acting dynasty has lost another famous and beloved member. Lynn Redgrave was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 (shortly after this photo to the left was taken). She succumbed yesterday at the age of 67 after a valiant seven year battle. The New York Times featured an amazing photojournal of her treatment process awhile back, photographed intimately by her daughter Annabel Clark in 2003 which you can still see here. Beautiful work.

Our hearts go out to Redgrave family.

Vanessa Redgrave, the eldest sister of the famous family is still with us (thank God) and still churning out amazing work...But Vanessa, one of the great actors of all time, has had a wrenching couple of years losing both siblings (Corin, Lynn & Vanessa's brother died just one month ago) and her daughter who died tragically fourteen months ago.

Though they only shared the big screen once, the sisters were close. They rose to fame with near synchronicity. Lynn will forever be known for Georgy Girl (1966) for which she was Oscar-nominated. Appropriately enough, given the family name, she shared that "first nomination" experience with her elder sister who was also honored with her first nod that year for Morgan.

Lynn Redgrave in 1966

In a joint npr interview in 2005 in which the sisters display plenty of respect and affection for each other, they discussed that breakthrough year.

Reporter: Was it hard to be in competition with each other in that way?
Vanessa: Not at all.
Lynn: It was lovely. I remember we kept being asked because the last set of sisters had reportedly -- which was Joan Fontaine and Olivia deHavilland -- been a little at odds with each other... Of course it makes a better press story for sisters to be jealous and hate each other. Just not true. We were -- we really couldn't believe that we were both going to the Oscars with our mum!

Young movie buffs will probably know Lynn best for her frequently indelible supporting performances in pictures like Gods & Monsters (1998, she was Oscar nominated) and Kinsey (2004). She never stopped working, even after her diagnosis. In te latter film she had just a short cameo but proved so moving in her closeup monologue that there was "nomination worthy!" rumblings at the time.

Vanessa and Lynn sisters offscreen and on for The White Countess (2005) --->

The last film I personally remember seeing Lynn in was Merchant/Ivory's The White Countess (2005) which starred three members of the family: Vanessa, Lynn and Natasha. The film is sadly becoming one of those properties that accidentally eulogizes several things at once; it's a gorgeous multiple swansong. It turned out to be both Ishmael Merchant's last film and Natasha's last leading role in a feature. It was also, as it turns out, the first and last movie collaboration between Vanessa and Lynn.

Rest in peace, Georgy Girl.

Natasha Richardson (1963-2009)

The family of actress Natasha Richardson (The White Countess) officially released the news earlier today. She was declared dead today at the age of 45. What seemed like a minor skiing accident on a practice trail in Quebec (she reportedly walked away from the fall, laughing) quickly morphed into a life ending tragedy. Head trauma and brain injuries are mysterious things and difficult to predict (here's an article with a neurologist theorizing on the matter).


This is a loss to everyone who enjoyed her work and of course especially tragic for her family, one of the most important film and stage families of the past century. Natasha's father, Oscar winning director Tony Richardson (Tom Jones) passed away in 1991 but her mother, the legendary Vanessa Redgrave is still vital and working. Natasha performed with Vanessa just two months ago here in New York City as mother in daughter in Stephen Sondheim's classic A Little Night Music. That will be an even more cherished memory now to any fans who attended. They also shared acting duties in Natasha's last film to be released in the US, Evening (2007). And in The White Countess (2005) she shared the screen impressively with both mother and aunt, Lynn Redgrave, a great rental choice should you want to enjoy her gift soon in this sad time. Natasha only shared the screen with her sister Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck) once. They were both little children when they appeared (uncredited) in their dad's film The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968).

Natasha is survived by her two sons and her husband Liam Neeson. The couple met on the set of a TV miniseries in 1984 and began dating while sharing the stage in Broadway's Anna Christie in the early 90s. They were married in 1994 just months before their only feature film together, Nell (pictured left) was released.

6 of the best online tributes
Alan Cumming "Tasha"
Nicks Flick Picks "Wasn't She Lovely?"
Some Came Running "uncommon beauty, intelligence and grace"
Stephanie Zacharek @ Salon "too good, and too unusual, for Hollywood to reckon with"
EW her key roles
Jew Eat Yet on the Redgrave acting dynasty

Finally, here is a look at Natasha in her TONY winning Cabaret performance in the amazing Broadway revival. She's doing one of the all time great show tunes... "Maybe This Time"

With talent like that, we all won for a time.

I haven't written about the Richardson/Redgrave/Neeson family as much as I probably should have given their plentiful contributions to the screen but I hope to do more retrospectives in the future. A look back at Schindler's List was already in the works (soon) and Liam was featured in one of this site's most popular pieces, 40 Favorite Actors of the Aughts published in early 2006. Retrospectives of the entire decade's best work and films begin this fall.

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The Kinsey Scale

Well, just saw KINSEY. A worthy Condon follow-up to Gods and Monsters. I would like to advise you on Oscar expectations except seeing the film doesn't clarify that as much as public reaction will. The biggest surprise I suppose is that it's hugely entertaining for a biopic. Very funny, dramatic, interesting. And somewhat inventive in its telling even though it does follow the classic biopic structure. i.e. bits of youth followed by bits of establishing romance w/ spouse followed by adult life with the major triump/setback/triumph arc that is common to these things. A lot will depend on the other films I suppose. As a film its a success. As an Oscar thing... not a slam dunk but it could happen.



It gets a lot of oomph from its unusual and rather epic (if you stop to think of it) subject. The acting is terrific all around but I'm not sure anyone within has a nomination locked up. Neeson is superb but there's heavy competition in his category. Linney seems to lack that one big scene that you know will be played as its awards show clip. That mythical scene usually lets you know if that person is surefire for a nod. This is not to negate her contribution to the film --she's wonderful as usual so it could happen. Lynn Redgrave is super also as you may have heard but despite Oscar 'Judi Dench cameo' buzz I'd be completely shocked if that talk continues. She's onscreen all of 3 minutes. Peter Sarsgaard is also good (no surprise there given his filmography) but I'd be surprised to see him anywhere near the supporting actor shortlist unless the film goes over really well with the public. We shall see.



Good show.

B