💭 Niamh Algar for ODDA Magazine
Niamh Algar stars in the hot new Ridley Scott science fiction drama television series “Raised by Wolves.” But the Irish actress, who last year was named one of BAFTA’s Breakthrough Brits, has already made a name for herself for playing strong women who stand up for themselves and know how to throw a punch.
This article first appeared in the ODDA Magazine 19th Issue “You, Me, and Everyone We Know”.
NIAMH ALGAR
Niamh Algar stars in the hot new Ridley Scott science fiction drama television series “Raised by Wolves.” But the Irish actress, who last year was named one of BAFTA’s Breakthrough Brits, has already made a name for herself for playing strong women who stand up for themselves and know how to throw a punch.
Starring alongside “Vikings” album Travis Fimmel, who was a bit of a prankster on set, Algar enjoyed having the time that shooting a series allowed her to get deeply immersed in her character. Throughout the 10 episode series, there were many great scenes where she showed off her acting talents. But a viewer of the show should take extra time to savor how she plays an early scene in episode 2. When after a plastic surgery Sue discovers her new face, the horror she portrays as she glimpses her reflection for the first time is palpable. It’s almost as if she was dealing with the real-time onset of a dissociative disorder.
Dress and shoes REJINA PYO. Earrings COMPLETEDWORKS.
Algar shares why she’s always been drawn to portray complex female characters: “When I was growing, Sigourney Weaver’s performance in Alien was incredibly influential. She takes control of that entire world and isn’t defined by the men in the story. That planted a seed in my head. And Ridley is iconic for enabling these female leads in his stories.”
Dress and shoes MIU MIU.
The actress also talks about her love of boxing and the importance of working on your physicality as an actor. In fact, because of the physicality of her character Sue in “Raised by Wolves,” Algar decided that instead of sending in a classic video audition of her reading lines, she would get some friends together and film herself boxing and sparring. Needless to say, it got Scott’s attention and got Algar her highest-profile acting job to date—a job that had her spending eight months in South Africa on an arid futuristic film location that made pretending she was on a different planet an easy task.
Blazer, dress, tights, bra and shoes PRADA.
“It was so surreal because I was working with one of my heroes in cinema on this massive production on the other side of the world,” says Algar of her experience on the set.
Shoes TOGA - Skirt SIMONE ROCHA - Ear cuff SIMONE FAURSCHOU
Much will be discussed and debated about “Raised by Wolves”, which is Scott’s first-ever television series, not the least of which is its startling season finale. But one thing is for sure—there will be consensus on all fronts that Algar is an actress who has the talent and the acting chops to become one of Britain’s most celebrated actresses.
‘Raised by Wolves’ streaming now on HBO Max.
Photographer LIBERTO FILLO
Fashion Editor ANNE LAURITZEN
Make-up Artis GINA KANE
Hair Artist JON CHAPMAN
Videographer HARRY CLARK
Interviewed by JESSICA MICHAULT
Edited by ULYA ALIGULOVA
Photo Assistant JESS ELLIS
Fashion Assistant GRETE MÖLLER
Special thanks to EMMA JACKSON, PREMIER COMMS
💭 The Floral Dress for The Outnet
At first blush, the floral dress might not be thought of as a wardrobe icon in the same way as, say, a blazer, a crisp white shirt or a little black dress. But dismissing the floral dress would be a mistake. It has just as important a role as any of those other icons in our closets and has an evergreen staying power.
This article first appeared on The Outnet.
THE FLORAL DRESS
VOGUE Japan January 2019.
At first blush, the floral dress might not be thought of as a wardrobe icon in the same way as, say, a blazer, a crisp white shirt or a little black dress. But dismissing the floral dress would be a mistake. It has just as important a role as any of those other icons in our closets and has an evergreen staying power. Floral dresses have been a fashion hallmark for centuries, long before any of those other pieces came along. In fact, ever since the tastemakers of ancient Rome began accessorizing their togas with fresh blooms, fashion and the power of the flower have been interlinked. Once the silk producers of medieval Asia worked out how to weave patterns like the exotic peony into their fabrics, the floral trend blossomed everywhere it was imported.
There are some women, I was once one of them, who have a fear of wearing florals. “I’ll look too girly!” or, “prints and I just don’t get along,” are some of the phrases I have heard come out of the mouths of colleagues who forgo florals. How wrong they are. They offer a uniquely beguiling mix of nature and femininity that can emulate every mood – from prim to pretty to deeply dramatic. If you’ve got a tough message to deliver, they can soften the impact. Michelle Obama’s love of large-scale florals was a masterclass in using their power to signal her own strength. Or think of Reese Witherspoon, attending hotshot Hollywood meetings clothed not in power separates but in sweet, flowery tea dresses. In 1954’s Sabrina, Audrey Hepburn outshines a ballroom full of guests in conventional evening attire, by way of a floor-sweeping, white Givenchy gown – embellished with navy flowers. When Hepburn accepted her Best Actress Oscar for Roman Holiday the same year, the cinched, white floral Givenchy dress she wore is the style peak in combining glamour and girlishness to devastating effect.
Florals can convey any mood, depending on the pattern you pick. For historical romance, a delicate botanical inspired by the Liberty print is hard to beat. William Morris, icon of the early 20th century Arts and Crafts movement, made Indian chintz-inspired designs all the rage. Find the modern iteration in dresses from the likes of Zimmermann and Emilia Wickstead. If you want to exude a sweet, Little Women-ish innocence, there are ruffled prairie dresses scattered in small sprigs from brands like GANNI and Les Rêveries. There’s something about the irony of retro upholstery florals that designers love to subvert. In his work at Balenciaga and Vetements, Demna Gvsalia inspired a street-style mania for the kind of prints you might have found on granny’s curtains, but draped and spliced in new ways. Of course, some houses have made florals their calling card – whether it’s Mary Katrantzou’s dizzying digital designs, Dolce & Gabbana’s bold baroque blooms or Preen’s endless innovation with shirring and asymmetry that gives their floral frocks a cool twist. Then there’s the bold exuberance of 1960s and 1970s designs – think of Mary Quant’s signature monochrome daisy and the stylized poppies and tulips of Celia Birtwell, whose prints combined with husband Ossie Clark’s clothing designs are now some of the most collectible vintage pieces. Find the same graphic mood in brands like Diane von Furstenberg and Emilio Pucci. Your choice speaks volumes about who you are and how you want to be viewed by the world.
The floral dress has endless styling potential. Mix it with flat sandals, loose locks and long earrings and it’s the perfect sunny weather ensemble. Layer under a fitted blazer, add a pair of creepers and a high ponytail and poof! A modern update on the ‘90s grunge-floral aesthetic.
The day I met my future husband, I was wearing a blue, empire-waist chintz dress, covered in sweet little pink blooms. I remember (even before his green eyes alighted on me in the University cafeteria for the first time) feeling especially beautiful and self-assured. I’d finally taken the plunge and embraced my feminine side. Up until that fortuitous day, you have to understand, I was a 24/7 trouser and suit-wearing kind of woman. But putting on that dress was a sartorial awakening for me. I discovered that, as pretty as flowery frocks might be, they can also wield some serious power. They’re unapologetic in their use of some of the world’s most beautiful creations to adorn women in ways that elevate them, connect them to Mother Nature and quite simply, make them look and feel beautiful. That’s something we all need…
💭 Tilda Swinton for VOGUE Japan
“Fun”. That was how the Oscar winning actress Tilda Swinton described working on her latest film, Suspiria.
This article first appeared in the VOGUE JAPAN January 2019 Issue No. 233.
TILDA SWINTON
VOGUE Japan January 2019.
“Fun”. That was how the Oscar winning actress Tilda Swinton described working on her latest film, Suspiria. Now this is not really the first word most people would think of in relation to a very dark supernatural horror film, that takes place at a world-renowned dance academy and deals with witches, the occult and the immortal soul. But Swinton has never, ever, been someone to see the world, her work or the roles she takes on in a traditional way.
She said that “comradeship and fun” helped her to deal with the day to day filming in an unheated and abandoned hotel on the top of an Italian mountain in the dead of winter. That these two things were “the best talisman combo possible” to protect the actress from the dark subject matter of the script.
She went on to say that she was initially drawn to the role of Madame Blanc because of how the character’s commitment to her art came above all else. [She is] “the artist amongst the witches, deeply compromised by the deal she had made with the supernatural for the sake of the survival of her art, is a compelling one for me,” explained Swinton. “I thought a lot about Mary Wigman, the pioneer of New Expressionist Dance, who kept her company afloat throughout the occupation of Germany by the Third Reich and was psychologically delicate and troubled. And I also thought about the character of Lermontov - played by the great Anton Walbrook in Powell and Pressburger’s The Red Shoes - who exerts himself to persuade the red-haired dancer, Vicky Page, to choose art above life. I also borrowed certain aspects of her look from the extraordinary Pina Bausch, whose ever-present cigarette seemed appropriate in this fable about breath.” added the actress about how she prepared for the demanding role.
Swinton is a woman that holds a very particular place in most people’s consciousness. She has acted in almost 80 films so far in her career and her characters, in movies as diverse as The Grand Budapest Hotel, Doctor Strange, Orlando, We Need to Talk About Kevin and Okja, make her an actress that is hard to pin down. In fact, that seems to be the one common thread in the roles she takes on. She disappears into each part, often via transformative costumes and make up (and in a few cases some impressive dental prosthetics) becoming a true storytelling vessel.
Peter Lindbergh Cover Story for VOGUE Japan, Tilda Swinton Paris 2018.
“Sometimes, a person’s mouth is the principal focus of a portrait: their words, their attachment to the truth or their version of it, needs a little heightening... so it was with Minister Mason and the dreadful Mirando twins in the films I have made with Bong Joon Ho - Snowpiercer and Okja,” explained Swinton. “But, in general, it is always fun to put together a unique disguise for a performance, with an enjoyment in detail and a spirit of playfulness. For me, filmmaking, as life, is always part rock and roll, part kindergarten playtime, with a big dash of family vacation adventure holding it all together,” she added.
If this has been her goal, then she has more than succeeded. For some of the most common adjectives to describe Swinton include; eccentric, chameleon, unique, muse, statuesque, iconic and gifted. One attribute however, that is perhaps less well known is what a stalwart friend she can be. And it is a friendship that brought her to Suspiria in the first place.
For this film she once again teamed up with director Luca Guadagnino, who has been one of her closest friends for nearly 25 years. And apparently over those years, while they worked on such memorable movies like I Am Love and A Bigger Splash, they often discussed doing a remake (or as Swinton likes to call it “a cover”) of Suspiria together. “Working with my friends is one of the greatest blessings in my life: it means a deep trust, a playful atmosphere and a sense of freedom to explore territories and subjects that take real comradeship to approach,” said Swinton.
She felt that Guadagnino could bring unique and new perspective to the story. “Luca is an extremely cinematic filmmaker,” she said. “His passion for a kind of ‘sensational’ cinema - meaning a cinema of the senses, one that sets up a particular and unique atmosphere into which we might be absorbed and by which we might find ourselves affected and transformed - is developing all the time. I love our lifelong work very dearly.”
Besides getting to once again team up with Guadagnino, Swinton was drawn to the subject matter for other reasons as well. Both the focus on the world of dance, and the opportunity to work with a cast of over 40 women on this film had its appeal. Each of these aspects are rarities in the film world today and the actress relished the beautiful atmosphere on the set and how the dedication, focus, stamina and skill of the dancers assembled by Damien Jalet for the film played the vital role of giving the narrative a rigor and texture.
Many of the women who started alongside Swinton, including Dakota Johnson, Mia Goth, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jessica Harper and Alek Wek, joined her at the film’s world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September, where it got an eight-minute standing ovation after the screening. For the big event Swinton sported a high necked scarlet red column dress from one of her favorite designers, Haider Ackerman.
Just like with the directors she works with, Swinton is also a faithful fashion friend. Returning over and over again to designers she has built long lasting relationships with, like Ackerman, Alber Elbaz, John Galliano for Martin Margiela, Bertrand Guyon for Schiaparelli and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. “I am, naturally, someone who is pretty shy about being the center of attention and if I can stand up in a creation by someone I love, with whom I have developed the look, I feel less alone in that brightly-lit moment and I have the company of my accomplice by my side and their hand in mine,” she explained.
Peter Lindbergh Cover Story for VOGUE Japan, Tilda Swinton Paris 2018.
Coincidentally it was another film screening that Swinton also attended at the Venice Film Festival, the remastered version of the iconic film Last Year at Marienbad (which was supported financially by Chanel) that inspired the photo shoot that accompanies this article. Recounted Swinton, “Peter Greenway deployed his legendary response to shadow and magic in movement to create a story closer to a set of film stills than a traditional fashion study. There are unspoken depths to each image, as if each represents a scene, an individual drama. It was a dream to shoot and we were aiming for a dreamy essence: a very sweet memory.”
Mission accomplished.
💭 Elle Fanning for VOGUE Japan
“Come on over and take a look Pamela,” said photographers Mert and Marcus as they shot Ella Fanning for the cover of this issue. The moniker wasn’t a slip of the tongue, it made sense, because the woman in the photos was not the girl that we have all come to find delightful in films like Maleficent, Super 8 or We Bought a Zoo.
This article first appeared in the VOGUE JAPAN November 2018 Issue No. 231.
ELLE FANNING
VOGUE Japan November 2018.
“Come on over and take a look Pamela,” said photographers Mert and Marcus as they shot Ella Fanning for the cover of this issue. The moniker wasn’t a slip of the tongue, it made sense, because the woman in the photos was not the girl that we have all come to find delightful in films like Maleficent, Super 8 or We Bought a Zoo. Instead the blond bombshell looking back at us, dressed in the latest resort collection from Miu Miu, had the same sexy playfulness of a young Pamela Anderson, Brigitte Bardot or even Claudia Schiffer. The images showed Fanning to be in that fleeting sweet spot in a woman’s life; where innocence swirls with fully formed femininity for a powerfully potent cocktail.
Fanning, who is 20 and has been acting for 17 years, has already started to explore this new power. Recently taking on roles in films with very adult subject matter such as The Neon Demon, The Begulied, Galveston and Mary Shelly - a film about the life of the author of Frankenstein, which included Fanning’s first on screen love scene. But even that celluloid milestone didn’t seem to faze Fanning, “It’s like a rite of passage I guess. As you get older, it’s like it’s going to eventually happen. I never really thought that much about it because it was so technical getting that scene right,” she said.
The actress’s comfort level with such a scene probably has to do a lot with the way she approaches acting. She has always been surrounded by her close knit family on set. While her older sister Dakota Fanning (an accomplished actress in her own right) has been there to help point her little sister in the right direction, even if their acting styles are completely different. “People say that we work differently,” explained Fanning who said she would love to act with her sister one day and that the two of them are actively looking for a project to share. “I don’t really know her process. But for me, I am someone who really lives in my head. I am always reading and thinking a ton. Also I don’t really learn my lines until like the night before a scene. I kind of like to keep them feeling fresh in my mind,” she added.
Maybe it’s this freshness, or the aforementioned sweet spot that Fanning currently finds herself in that makes her the perfect ambassador for Miu Miu. She has already shot advertising campaigns for the brand and she opened the Fall/Winter 2018 runway show in Paris. “Oh, that definitely made me nervous,” Fanning admitted. “I’ve had dreams before, vivid dreams of walking a runway. It’s also something I used to do when I was a kid, and I would make everyone sit in the house and watch me just walk in different outfits and stuff. So I was very excited about that show and Mrs. Prada made me feel really comfortable, like a proper model backstage.”
Fanning is a fan of Miu Miu in real life too. She has been spotted wearing the brand’s distinctive mix of happy go lucky prints, brightly colored separates and rhinestone embellished outfits numerous times over the years. She has always loved fashion that helps her stand out and likes to pick out outfits for her friends. “I remember we would have Free Dress Fridays at school. We had to wear uniforms, and on Fridays you could wear whatever you wanted. I would wear very strange things sometimes,” she said adding that she would top off her eye catching school outfits by wearing platform shoes so that her 5’8 frame looked even taller.
VOGUE Japan November 2018.
Standing tall on screen is something Fanning is also learning to do thanks to the interesting career choices she is making. In a field where there are very few female directors, Fanning’s filmography is filled with some of the best in the business, like Sophia Coppola, Mélanie Laurent and Haifaa Al-Mansour. “I’ve been lucky. You know, I didn’t just choose to work with them, they also chose to work with me too. And one of the first movies where people started recognizing me for me was Somewhere directed by Sofia. She gave me such a big opportunity and I remember being on her film set, run by her, the respect that she has… Her sets are very unique and special and if I ever direct something one day, I would want to emulate the environment that she creates,” said Fanning.
VOGUE Japan November 2018.
While directing might still be a distant dream for the actress, there is one other skill set she seems even more eager to explore. Fanning just became the face of Tiffany jewelry. Her first commercial campaign for the brand, which is a modern day take on the famed opening scene from the film Breakfast at Tiffany, shows the actress in a Tiffany blue hoody and diamond tiara and features her voice softly singing the iconic song Moon River, that is the bedrock of the film’s soundtrack.
“When we were shooting the video I was singing the song, humming it off camera and then Francis Lawrence, the director, came up and was like ‘Hey I have an idea, why don’t you just sing the song?’ because he has had experience with Jennifer Lawrence on Hunger Games where she sang the song and it became a crazy hit,” recounted Fanning. “I think that if I wasn’t an actress, I’d be a pop star, like I love singing, I sing all around the house!”.
Fans of Fanning will get to enjoy more of her melodic voice in the upcoming film Teen Spirit, which she just completed with rumored boyfriend, actor Max Minghella. He also wrote and directed the movie, which is about a shy teenager who dreams of being a pop star to escape her broken family. “I sing five songs on that. I guess this is the year of me singing. It’s going to be a surprise to some people but my family, and my close friends are happy that I finally get to share my singing with people,” said Fanning.
Looking at Fanning as she sat on a bridge overlooking pond feeding ducks in a bucolic country home, getting the last shots of the day for this issue’s cover spread its easy to imagine her breaking into a love song. Instead, the only musicality to be had is the sound of her laughter as she warmly says good-bye to everyone on the crew before pulling on a cream colored slip dress and flats. Pamela is gone and Fanning is simply a young girl, once again.
💭 Sigourney Weaver for ODDA Magazine
Sigourney Weaver is an icon and a role model for women across the globe. Not just for the breadth and width of her work as an actress in films as varied as the Alien and Avatar series as well as Gorillas in the Mist, The Ice Storm, Galaxy Quest and Dave; but also in the way she has lived her life and career fully on her own terms. Weaver has worked consistently over the past 40 years while raising a daughter alongside her husband of over 30 years, stage director Jim Simpson. If she has one defining characteristic, it is her endless curiosity about the world around her. And it is this inquisitiveness that makes her such a delight to watch on screen and to speak with in person.
This article first appeared in the ODDA Magazine, Issue 15.
SIGOURNEY WEAVER
Sigourney Weaver is an icon and a role model for women across the globe. Not just for the breadth and width of her work as an actress in films as varied as the Alien and Avatar series as well as Gorillas in the Mist, The Ice Storm, Galaxy Quest and Dave; but also in the way she has lived her life and career fully on her own terms. Weaver has worked consistently over the past 40 years while raising a daughter alongside her husband of over 30 years, stage director Jim Simpson. If she has one defining characteristic, it is her endless curiosity about the world around her. And it is this inquisitiveness that makes her such a delight to watch on screen and to speak with in person.
Total look 1 MONCLER PIERPAOLO PICCIOLI
I know you are currently shooting back to back films Avatar 2 and 3 with James Cameron, so let’s talk about what it is like to work 24/7 in a capture suit that tracks your movements to create a totally virtual character?
Yes, we’re doing 2 and 3, and it’s been a very exciting year. But we have been in capture suits or in sort of silver, wet-capture suits, and then we have a third capture suit for when we’re half in the water and half out. It’s kind of technical, but yeah it’s been a wild year and I’ve had a lot of fun! I can’t really talk about the part but it’s been great to work with Jim again, he’s in great form. I think this one as much as the first one. The story is so compelling and so moving, full of action, but also tender and funny. And I think, technically, we’re working at a completely new level, I can’t understand half the conversations the tech guys have! I only know that whatever we’re going for is much more ambitious than what we did before, so it’s quite exciting.
And you’ve had to learn free dive and scuba diving?
It was fun because my husband actually trained with me. We started before the film, we went down to Florida Keys, we were certified and had the most marvelous instructor, who worked with Jim all the time on the other side of his life which is, you know, inventing, developing, and building submarines.
So, he worked with Jim on all the deep sea exploration and he was our teacher, so we couldn’t be in better hands.
What is it like to be under water like that? I mean, I’ve only ever snorkeled, what is that experience like?
Well, it’s wonderful, you feel like a whole new universe is opening up in front of you, that you never were allowed to go in. And suddenly, like we’re in Hawaii, we went there for rehearsal in deep water before we started shooting. One time we did a night dive and we went to this place where the manta rays love to congregate. And we were all laying on the bottom of the ocean and these manta rays, these beautiful 8/10-feet long manta rays, just went right over us. Sometimes, skinning your forehead, they were kind of playing with us. So it opens up this world, it’s just extraordinary!
And then the free diving, Jim Cameron decided that we’re not going to pretend that the actors are under water, but we’re going to teach them to hold their breath for three minutes, so we can do takes under water.
It’s been incredibly challenging because there’s so many things about shooting in water that they had to deal with, like the reflections. The surface was covered with these plastic balls, very easy to swallow by mistake, you don’t want to do that! But, to cover the surface, when the camera’s under water, it’s just one thing after another and we got these amazing tanks that can change into all kinds of different environments, but you know it’s very very ambitious.
But I mean, honestly, between you and me, do you do anything other than ambitious films? Because Gorillas in the Mist, Aliens, Galaxy Quest and Dave, I mean all of that is really ambitious stuff. Is that what drives you to your roles, pushing yourself? What do you look for as far as that is concerned?
Oh, gosh. Well, you know, I never look for anything in a role. I never look for the role, I look for the story and if the story, to me, is something I would want to see and something that I think is relevant and has a good beginning middle and end, and a very good structure.
When it passes all those tests, and the biggest test is: is it about something more than just a character? Then, if it passes this, if there’s enough for me to make something out of this, because I feel like in some of the movies you’ve mentioned, I’ve been very fortunate to be involved in, so many good movies that I think hold up pretty well because of the stories. I certainly don’t consider myself charming enough to sustain an audience’s interest for two hours if I’m not riding on a fantastic story. And I don’t really think any actor is. So that’s what I look for. I’m not seduced by a role if it isn’t a project that I want to be a part of, or a director that I would like to work with because I have structured my career that way. It allows me to bounce around to so many different genres and work with all kinds of directors.
You do bounce around, so it’s the story that brings to a comedy or to a drama, but what about the director? You’ve read the story, you liked the script, do you prefer a director that’s hands on or one that lets you go with your gut and let things roll a little bit more freestyle? Where do you feel comfortable?
Well, you know, you have to be just opened to whatever happens. I think that there are some directors, like Roman Polanski, who is very hands on, and that can be also liberating, although it takes the whole film to learn how to deal with that. But it is very liberating when someone has a very specific idea of what it is, and I find that most directors, especially ones that I’ve worked with before, kind of trust me, and kind of let me go.
The only kind of director I don’t like to work with would be one that is caught up in how to shoot the day’s work, you know, who isn’t interested in talking about the scenes or talking about the characters. But that’s very rare and you get that, frankly, mostly in television, because they’re trying to make their day, using all the cool shots they can and it seems like they could care less, which kind of leaves you high and dry. I like to be directed.
Have you actually directed anything yourself, and if not is it something that you’ve ever fantasized about doing?
You know, I have thought about it because I think I would work well with actors. I could certainly tell them what not to worry about. Actors worry about so many things!
What shouldn’t they worry about?
You know, they are always worrying about how they look, stuff like that, and they don’t realize probably that the reason they’re cast is because of who they are, actually, as people. The sense of character, within the character they’re playing. You sense their character, who they are as a person in the character, and I would encourage actors to be more themselves. It sounds like a contradiction, but brings your life forth to your character, I think that’s what people want to see.
And I think that this can hold young actors up because they feel that there’s a certain thing that they’re supposed to be doing, they don’t realize that they’re already doing it. They don’t have to worry about it.
Ok, so you’ve done all these amazing roles. Which character do you feel that was the closest to you in real life?
Well, I’m not trying to be difficult but really the one that’s closest to me, and the most challenging, is the one I’m doing now in Avatar 2 and 3, but I can’t talk about that, sorry!
I know it’s ridiculous, and some day you’ll see the film and you’ll laugh because you’ll remember that I’ve said it’s the closest to me and it really is.
And it is kind of wicked that they’ve cast me as this character because they know me very well, it’s not a side I show.
Total look PRADA
Can you tell me if it’s a new character?
It’s a totally new character. Other than that, I’m just trying to think who would be like me. Oddly enough, I think of Tawny, Gwen, in Galaxy Quest. Which was what I’ve said to the director. You know they didn’t want to see anyone who’s done any science-fiction for that movie, my agent told me that and I thought, “They’re out of their mind!” You know, if anyone can make fun of this genre, it’s the people who have done these movies. I had to kind of talk my way in. And then it was my decision to make her blonde, and she was already insecure, but I just decided to go with how I would sometimes feel if I had to go to outer space, really as Sigourney, and play that. So really, Tawny and Gwen are pretty close to me.
Is Tawny the character you’re recognized most for these days? Do people still come up and quote a line she says from that film or is it a different character from another film?
You know it’s all over the map. Certainly, kids think of me from Alien, or Avatar, or Finding Dory because my voice is in that. And then, people who are older, recall Gorillas in The Mist, Years of Living Dangerously, The Ice Storm, things like that. It really depends and it’s so nice to jump around a lot because, to do comedies and more serious kinds of films, that’s the joy of being an actor.
Why do you think you’ve never have really been pigeon holed? I mean, that’s exceptional. You never had a low, you’ve really been able to move throughout the Hollywood system all these years. What is your secret?
Well, it’s not really a secret. I was told when I was at drama school that I had no talent and that I’d never get anywhere. So, I remember thinking I was crushed because what my goal was. My mother was a British actress, she worked in Repertory theater for a couple of years and that was my dream. To be in a company, and do big parts, small parts, comedies, and just do everything!
And when I was told I had no talent I though, “Ugh, now I have to rethink everything.” So, eventually, I got out of that place and I started working on all these new plays with my friends and I was thinking, “Well, I can’t work in a repertory company, but I can think about creating my own repertory, doing the same thing but with whatever jobs I’m offered.
So that being my kind of structure, like I don’t care if I’m playing the maid, I’ll play the queen in the next one… you know what I mean? I just like to jump around and do different things. It all makes sense to me because I’m in this sort of invisible repertory company of actors where we all take turns doing different things ad having different responsibilities. I love that, I love being part of an ensemble.
My part in Avatar is not the biggest part but, to me, of course, it is the most interesting part!
Let’s talk about your voice now, because while researching you I’ve discovered how much voice work you’ve done on Wall-E, Dory, and everything, does that use a different creative muscle for you? What is that kind of acting like?
I love doing it, first of all some of the things I have done are just so interesting. And what I find is since I know nothing about narration, really, I kind of go in and take a whack at it and let them kind of tell me who I should be. In other words, for Planet Earth I had to very much flatten down what I said, and so I did quite a few of those and that was very interesting for me because it was more narration that I have ever done before.
And other times, clearly, they want to have a more personal approach; so I would say every single job is quite different and I have a wonderful voice over my agent who’s always coaching me to bring more of myself to the narration, which is a tricky thing. Not necessarily narration, but sometimes I read for other things and to put yourself or your voice and have that represent you is a very interesting challenge. I enjoy it, but it’s not easy I must say.
That’s really interesting to know. We were talking earlier about the motion-capture suits that you were wearing and, because this is an interview for a fashion magazine, I’m wondering if you can talk a little about fashion in your life, like clothing getting you into a role, or maybe a moment when fashion really was impactful for you, like when you were growing up something your mother wore or something you wore at the Oscars. Do you have a moment when you really felt the power of clothing in your life to a certain extent?
You know, I think one of the funny things about doing motion capture is you don’t get a costume. I’m so dependent on costumes, and it’s such a big partner for me for all the roles I play. I would say the best example would be The Ice Storm because Janey was such a cypher and I felt that thanks to Carol, who designed the costumes and found these old fabrics, all these horrible polyester fabrics. The clothes were practically falling apart by the time we finished, but my costume was so incredible, and between that and my hair and makeup, the outside absolutely told me where I was going.
Same thing with Galaxy Quest. Sometimes, the costume is so simple, like in Death and the Maiden, that red, white and blue costume, and that tells you everything. I get more from costumes than just about anything else. I think of my capture suit, which is unique to my character. And we have stickers we put on this like Velcro. Patches we put on, we stick them on each other’s costumes and they say ridiculous things like, “Follow me on Tinder!” and things like that. Because they’re just black with a few bright markings. So you have to develop a costume even if you have no costume. You have to develop an identity.
What do you attribute your long and happy married life to, in Hollywood, which really doesn’t have that great of a track record when it comes to marriages?
Well, first of all we live in New York. I think it’s a big plus. We’re not a Hollywood couple, and I’m not sure that anyone is. And, you know, we’re a very normal, boring couple. My husband ran a theater company for 20 years. We’re very active downtown with this wonderful group of young actors, young writers and directors. And, you know, I just think when you’re in the world, you forget it’s such a tiny microcosm where you’re a movie star and it’s fine. You go on the red carpet… but that is such a micro part of what you do.
T-shirt VERSACE
Pants ROBERTO CAVALLI
Boots and gloves RAF SIMONS
Coat OFF-WHITE c/o Virgil Abloh
What about aging in such an image-driven business. You are in your 60s now, what are your impressions, reactions or your life history been as far as you’ve been experiencing this progression through your career?
I think it’s an amazing time for women now and in every way. I think that we’re seeing so many women directors, women writers and so many actresses starting to direct like Greta Gerwig. Not waiting, but just jumping in!
I just feel, in spite of what may be going on politically, in this country in many other ways it’s the most interesting time for women. But I also feel there’s been a great sense of sisterhood and pride in who we are. And the women coming forward about #MeToo really changed the landscape. I don’t think the same stuff will be able to go on like that. We have a long way to go. In Hollywood, for instance now, there really are more roles for women, but when you look around and it would be nice to see women in all these different capacities: in sound and in construction, in lighting and all these different things, that has not happened. I think partially because the unions have training programs, but maybe they don’t have enough support to train people to make sure your crew is diverse.
I think the bigger worry for me is not Hollywood, but when I look at the fast-food industry and the hotel industry: think of how much might be going on there that can keep women down. A manager who requires sexual favor if you want to keep that low-level job. We have a lot of work to do in these various industries. In November, we’re going to see this army of women running. I don’t know when, but they are certainly out there now.
What kind of advice would you give to your 25-year-old self or a young person coming into the industry?
It is very hard to give anyone advice I think, but I would say to myself, “Don’t be so serious.” And, in fact, I think Jim Cameron has observed. I’m much less serious about my work than I used to be. In my 20s especially, I missed out a lot of things because I was thinking about work and looking for work.
I would say to my 25-year-old self, “Just relax, don’t stop having fun because you’re hoping for a job.”
I feel like the universe will sort this out for you. I think you can just be in the moment and you know life will let you know pretty quickly whether you’re on the right path or not. So just go for it. I wasn’t sure if I was in the right business I kept being offered work, but I couldn’t actually say out loud or to myself, “I want to be an actor” until I had my first paying job, which wasn’t till I was in my early 20s.
What is it like to be nominated for an Oscar?
Well, it’s a terrific acknowledgement by your community. That’s what’s so cool about it. The nomination is a kind of a “job well done” clap on the back. To actually win is the whole community vote. And it’s quite an amazing night to be there with all these people. You have so much in common with many, most of whom you’ve never met. People outside think you all know each other really well. I don’t of course! But it’s a chance to be with your community and celebrate what you do.
I think, ironically, that I’ve done better work that has not been acknowledged, but that’s just because you have to be in a movie that catches fire and that has support.
That’s a large part of what seems to get you to the Oscars. The movie has to catch the attention of the audience and the community. And I think that’s perfectly valid, but they do miss out on a lot of wonderful films like Detroit, which was an amazing film last year. Awfully difficult to watch and I was very shocked.
You have done dream things like going and hanging out with gorillas in the wild, freediving and scuba diving, traveling the world for your work. What’s left on your bucket list of things you still really want to do?
Wow, what a wonderful question! I think now that my husband is retired, it’s also funny because he’s younger than I am, but he’s retired! And he’s been out here really for the first time ever in my career. I’ve been in a location where my husband and my daughter are both out here and we’ve had the most wonderful year to sort of enjoying life in California and the farmers markets and the wonderful LA Philharmonic and all the things that are out here.
What I would say is I’m looking forward to doing more traveling with him. We’re just trying to figure out all the places we would like to go. Also I feel like I’m at the top of my craft and I’d love to sink my teeth into something that’s very challenging. So, I am looking around for that kind of story.
But, on the other hand, I feel like there’s so many things I haven’t done: I’d love to go around the world just listening to music. Just immerse myself in the world music and see more of the world.
Being able to travel for my job is one of the greatest things I’ve been given in my career. This chance to work all over the world with people from those countries doing something we all love.
Photographer JENS INGVARSSON @2DM
Interviewed by JESSICA MICHAULT
Talent SIGOURNEY WEAVER
Fashion Editor GEORGIA TAL
Creative Director DAVID MARTIN
Casting Director CLARE RHODES @Castingbyus
Make-Up Artist BRIGITTE REISS-ANDERSEN @Starworks Artists using MAC Cosmetics
Hair Stylist REBEKAH FORECAST@The Wall Group
Photographer’s Assistant SHAWN CUNI
Fashion Assistant MIRKO PEDONE
Location SPACESCOUT
Special thanks SOMAR, MARJAN and NINA
🎙️ Joanne Palmaro
Joanne Palmaro is a budding actress of Italian and German descent who looks like a modern day boho version of Peggy Lipton with just a soupçon of Bridget Bardot. This twenty-something is in the ingénue phase of her career having had just a few acting roles under her belt in some short French films like "Errance" and the TV mini series "Addict". And she has been featured in short films for brands like Miu Miu, Armani, Jour/ne and H&M.
Joanne Palmaro is a budding actress of Italian and German descent who looks like a modern day boho version of Peggy Lipton with just a soupçon of Bridget Bardot. This twenty-something is in the ingénue phase of her career having had just a few acting roles under her belt in some short French films like "Errance" and the TV mini series "Addict". And she has been featured in short films for brands like Miu Miu, Armani, Jour/ne and H&M.
Joanne Palmaro
But like any good contemporary feminist she is taking her future into her own hands. She has already written a short film called “Fille Dentaire” in which she stars and co-directs. And she has also started working on a new script for a full length film, where again she plans on playing the protagonist.
We sat down to talk about her career, how fashion effects what she does and the impact her grandmother had on Joanne’s choice to become an actress.