Patricia Davies Clarkson
December 29, 1959 (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA)
It makes perfect sense that such an enchanting creature was born in the World's most magical place. Patricia Clarkson is one of my favorite actresses working today. She always brings so much charisma and warmth to her roles. In addition to that, she frequently plays the world's coolest mom - in Easy A, Friends with Benefits and One Day, only to name the few. But the kind of roles I enjoy her most in are the free spirited, artistic types - she played the wonderful character of Sarah O'Connor in acclaimed HBO series Six Feet Under. That role brought her two well deserved Emmy awards.
Clarkson is like the female equivalent of Richard Jenkins - she may be in the movie only for few minutes, but she totally steals the spotlight and her work is what you remember best. This is the case for many romantic comedies she appeared in but also for other movies - though people raved about Penelope Cruz's beauty in Elegy, Clarkson, statuesque, classy and insanely sexy stole the movie for me. She has only one scene in underrated The Pledge, but what a scene it is - she manages to create nuanced, memorable work with only few minutes of screen time.
She manages to impresses me even in films I don't like - for example Shutter Island and Dogville. She shines in her supporting turns in Woody Allen's movies - Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Whatever Works - I thought it was a big shame she didn't get enough recognition for the latter one. She played deeply religious, conservative wife and mother who changes upon meeting the artists and free thinkers. She turns into fun loving artist and her scenes are definitely the most hilarious in the movie.Clarkson only has one Academy Award nomination - for her role as Katie Holmes's mother in Pieces of April. She has starred in many acclaimed movies, though, including Far From Heaven and The Green Mile. This year she made surprise and hilarious appearance as Ron Swanson's evil and calculating ex wife - Tammy 1 - in Parks and Recreation.
Favorite films:
Lars and the Real Girl
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The Green Mile
Far from Heaven
The Station Agent
Favorite performances:
Six Feet Under
Pieces of April
The Pledge
Whatever Works
Lars and the Real Girl
5 fun facts:
- Some of her favorite movies are: Desk Set (1957), Driving Miss Daisy (1989), Gaslight (1944), Gosford Park (2001), Sexy Beast (2000), and Y tu mamá también (2001).
- Credits Ingrid Bergman as one of her favorite actresses, and the reason she became one.
- The youngest of five girls.
- Close friend of Amy Ryan.
- Clarkson took on the coveted role of Blanche DuBois in a Washington D.C. production of A Streetcar Named Desire in 2004
RELATED POSTS:
That comparison to Jenkins is spot on, both immensely talented and can show that in under a minute of screen time. She's so elegant and warm, it's impossible not to adore her. Oh, and she loves Ingrid Bergman, can she be more perfect?
ReplyDeleteThank you! I really wish both her and Jenkins had longer scenes in some of their movies, better yet that they both appear as leads in a film together :)
DeleteI can't say that I have seen a lot of movies she has done but I certainly have enjoyed every single role she did that I have seen. Probably one of the few character actors, I will not have any hesitation to watch a movie for. A Very Happy Birthday Indeed !!
ReplyDeleteGlad to read you like her too! She always shines on screen.
DeleteShe is a delight to watch. Any film she's in, she always does something no matter how big or how small. Plus, she's amazingly gorgeous for her age.
ReplyDeleteShe is so beautiful. In a classy and mesmerizing way, too.
DeleteExcellent choice, and I love the comparison to Richard Jenkins. You are right on the money. Two of her roles that stand out for me are in Pieces of April and Far from Heaven. The Station Agent is one of the films I really want to see but haven't gotten to yet.
ReplyDeleteThank you! You should definitely see it - it's a great film and the cast is doing an amazing job in this one.
DeleteCompletely agree with you about this post - she is one underrated actress. One of my favorites is her small part in Lars and the Real Girl. Loved her in Shutter Island too (one of my favorite movies too).
ReplyDeleteGlad you like her! She really deserves to have many fans, I think she is one of the best actresses working today.
DeleteOh, I love Lars and the Real Girl and her performance in it. Not a big fan of Shutter Island but she was one of the best things about it.
She's had some great leading roles as well. If you haven't seen Cairo Time, I'd recommend it. She also has a starring role in Stanley Tucci's Blind Date, but I've only seen part of that film.
ReplyDeleteI never saw these two but I'll definitely will! I noticed she played the part of Carrie's mother in TV version of the story, but I'm not sure if I can endure the film just to check out her performance :P
DeleteDefinitely one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you like her too! :)
DeleteGreat post Sati. I'm not familiar with her work as I've only seen her in Gosford Park and The Green Mile. I really want to see Cairo Time though, the trailer really intrigues me.
ReplyDeleteYou should see her other films, especially Whatever Works and Lars and the Real Girl - she is so lovely in those!
DeleteLove her in the Motherlover music video. And that has Susan Sarandon too. It's like a dream come true! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0DeIqJm4vM
ReplyDeleteIt really is! I think they appeared in SNL skit together once too :)
DeleteI haven't seen her in Six Feet Under. But I loved her in Pieces of April. She's got quite a charisma. Great actress to be appreciated!
ReplyDeleteYou should check out Six Feet Under, it's really one of the best series ever made!
DeleteLovely appreciation post!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let you know I've linked to it in the update page of the fansite I run for Patti.
Thank you so much! I LOVE your site!
DeleteLoved this your post . I found this site through the tumblr.
ReplyDeleteReally she's a magnificent actress, only first saw in The Station Agent in last November and soon became a fan of hers! Since this film I tried to learn more .. I've seen 5 movies in which she participates and will try to see all their work. It's my favorite actress since day 12/11/2012. It was the only actress that really caught my attention, it is totally different from all the other actresses who had seen in huge films ... She has attitude, elegant, beautiful, wonderful summarizing for me she is a Goddess, everything about her is beautiful.
I was surprised when I did my first research and noticed that had never won an Oscar. Only one nomination. I thought it strange because besides being beautiful has enormous talent.
I am completely in love with her. Do not get out of my head. I'd love to meet her personally, find it a fun and friendly person ... But our distance is huge, I am from Portugal.
My objective is see all her movies and perhaps travel to the USA to try to see / find. I love her.
Note: The strange thing is that I'm only 20 years old. But I have done several searches and I am not alone in this age who is attracted to her. I think that is a normal person like a pretty talented person working. To me age is a state of mind.
I love this woman. She is in so many films but is always a highlight in them, as you said. I think my favorite role will always be Six Feet Under -- it was especially great to see her AND Jenkins on that show (loved your analogy, BTW!).
ReplyDeleteThank you! Glad you liked her in SFU, they were both so great and I'm really in love in her wonderful character.
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