Much to my embarrassment I didn't know that Liv Ullman is Norwegian (not Swedish!). I did some homework to make up for it. Now I've read a bit more about this versatile actress, film and theater director.
I am fascinated by stories such as hers. Female actresses -- especially those who have been muses to famous men - who move on with their lives, not letting their aging stop them from evolving into more colorful versions of themselves. This is in contrast with the sad tales of forgotten actresses in Hollywood who once the looks are gone they fade away because the studios won't even talk to them even if they still have talent.
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| From Zimbio.com |
I like that in Scandinavia I don't see the toxic attitute toward aging (where signs of aging are treated as a disease rather than as natural part of life and death) that I see in other cultures, including mine. Much of the obsession with impossibly youthful ideas comes from Hollywood itself, spreading fast everywhere one looks.
Here is an interview from Charlie Rose where Liv Ullman and Cate Blanchett, one of my favorite actress, discuss their collaboration for the play "A Streetcar Named Desire" which Ullman directed and Blanchett. Interestingly, that play (and the famous movie) also deals with the tragic fate of an aging beauty.
Blanchett gave a fantastic performance. I saw acting live, in London, earlier this year. (blog entry).
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| From the New York Times |
Other facts about Liv Ullman is of course her story as partner and muse in 12 films of the late Ingmar Bergman, the legendary Swedish filmmaker, about whom I will write a separate entry.
I am writing about the subject of muses in my novel and clearly reading about Liv has been a tremendous boost to my imagination. It is good to discover that not all muses ended up in trouble!
