Vera Ann Farmiga
(6 August 1973, Passaic County, New Jersey, USA)Today is 39th birthday of incredibly talented and gorgeous Vera Farmiga. who is one of my favorite actresses. I'll see any movie she is in just for her. She always brings in so much charisma, charm and talent into his performances, actually becoming the character she is playing. Though she only received one Oscar nomination for her wonderful work in Up in the Air, one can only wonder that she would definitely get another for her mesmerizing performance in Nothing but the Truth, had the film didn't have massive issues with distribution and promotion.
Vera owes her unique beauty to her Ukrainian roots. She grew up in big family, having six siblings, one of whom, Taissa Farmiga is also an actress who even starred as younger version of Vera's character in Higher Ground which is Vera's feature film debut as a director. Vera began her career in indie films, slowly moving towards bigger productions and her big break and the part that made her recognizable was her performance in The Departed. Ever since that Vera appeared in a number of films, ranging in quality but one thing was constant - her amazing performances, no matter how long was she in the film or how good or bad the film itself was.
5 favorite movies:
- Up in the Air
- The Departed
- Orphan
- Source Code
- The Boy in Stripped Pyjamas
- Nothing but the Truth
- Henry's Crime
- Up in the Air
- Orphan
- Down to the Bone
- "You are an unpatriotic little cunt who's gonna walk right off the plank in the bowels of hell!" from Nothing but the Truth
- "You could have really screw things up for me here" from Up in the Air
- The realization in The Boy in Stripped Pyjamas
- The sex scene from The Departed
- "...and a nice smile" scene from Up in the Air
- Has six siblings, Vera is the second oldest of seven.
- Toured with a folk-dancing company in her teens.
- Vera has unusual pets - two angora goats and a chicken
- Auditioned for the role of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, but Eva Green was cast instead.
- Plays the piano
Absolutely adore her.
ReplyDeleteI loved her performance in Nothing But the Truth. She delivered some of those lines with such ferocity that I was startled. Always one of my favorites stories to tell is the one where they hooked her up to a real polygraph for the film, when asked if her name was Erica van Doren, the polygraph said that she was telling the truth.
Down to the Bone is still my favorite movie of hers.
Down to the Bone is such an amazing performance from her. So glad you liked Nothing but the Truth, it is crazy underated and I wish more people saw this movie.
DeleteOther than her entire performance in "Up In The Air", I loved her exchange with Leo in "The Departed" over valium: "Two pills? Great. Why don't you just give me a bottle of scotch and a handgun to blow me fucking head off?"
ReplyDeleteDidn't know she auditioned for Vesper Lynd. She'd make a good Bond girl.
She would be a terrific Bond girl, she was kinda like one in Up in the Air with all the deception and seduction. Love that scene from The Departed you mentioned!
DeleteMy favorite Vera Farmiga quote from Up in The Air : "We all fall for the prick. Pricks are spontaneous, they're unpredictable and they're fun. And then we're surprised when they turn out to be pricks."
ReplyDeleteI love Vera Farmiga, she's a perfect combination of beautiful and intelligent. I haven't seen much of her hilms though.
Have you seen Higher Ground?
Her character had such great lines in Up in the Air, quite possibly the best in the movie.
DeleteI saw HG few weeks ago, really liked it and loved that both Vera and Taissa were in it. She is pretty good director!
I love Vera Farmiga! She makes such smart choices; I think it's really to her benefit that she had her breakout roles after she'd passed the mindless rom-com age, so she can't squander all the good buzz she's gotten (as Reese Witherspoon seems determined to do).
ReplyDeleteThat's very good point - she is only choosing very interesting things now, even if the movies aren't the best or big success. I'm so glad she doesn't waste her time on moronic romantic comedies.
DeleteVera Farmiga is wonderful! I've loved her in everything I've seen her in, and I haven't even seen Down to the Bone, Nothing But the Truth, or Higher Ground yet. Also, it would be awesome if she were to play a Bond girl in the future.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be absolutly epic if someone like Fassbender was Bond and she was the Bond girl. You really need to see Nothing but the Truth - her best work and quite possibly the only decent performance by Kate Beckinsale.
DeleteOoh, that would be a dream project! I'll try to see Nothing But the Truth hopefully this month then.
DeleteI hope you'll like it!
DeleteI really love Vera Farmiga too! She's such a down-to-earth, really interesting actress. And like you said, she does have a unique beauty. My favourite performance of hers is probably in Up in the Air, but I loved her in Higher Ground and Henry's Crime too.
ReplyDeleteShe was fantastic in Henry's Crime, really made that mess worth watching!
DeleteGreat post. Vera is a very talented actress, I still can't believe she is 39. She looks great. My favorite scene is the one from "Running Scared" when she confronts the kidnappers. It is chilling. Have yet to see 'Higher Ground"
ReplyDeleteThanks! I saw HG, liked it a lot! Plan to se Running Scared this week, imdb score seems pretty high.
DeleteOh god she is lush. Probably in my top 5 'fancies'. Stunning and a great actress to boot.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Hopefully she won't disappear into tough to catch in theatres indie flicks.
DeletePut me down as another huge fan of Vera. She has the looks but there's plenty of talent to go with them. She always picks good quality roles too.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, I'm always excited to see a movie she is in, I know at the very least her performance will be worth seeing.
DeleteI just adore her! I could watch Up in the Air every single day and never get sick of it.
ReplyDeleteI love the "I like how you burrito'd me in the sofa cushions." line from that film.
Up in the Air is awesome, though Anna Kendrick was a tad annoying in it.
DeleteI LOVE your appreciation post, Sati. I first saw Vera in 'Up in the Air' and I thought she was wonderful. I've since saw her in Source Code and Henry's Crime, I think she's one of those actresses who can liven up any movie. I have to see Higher Ground too as it's her directing debut. She is stunning and definitely looks younger than 39!
ReplyDeleteThank you! She really does look younger, but my personal winner for an actress who looks so much younger than she really is would be Amy Adams, she looks at least 5 years younger than 38.
DeleteShe's almost distractingly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAlmost? :)
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