Show Notes
Dame Helen Mirren, an actress with a storied career, has at long last entered her villain era. “I think it has to do with getting older,” she told Chloe and Taylor Antrim on today’s episode, “when you’re older, if you’re a woman, you have to be an awful, ghastly person.” Her latest “villain” opportunity comes in the form of playing writer Patricia Highsmith in A Talent For Murder, the latest film from director Anton Corbijn.
The fictional film, based on a play, captures the final chapter of Highsmith’s life in which she was a devoted alcoholic and held many problematic views. She had become a recluse, living in a brutalist home in Tegna, Switzerland with her pet snails and drinking heavily. In this story, she is approached by a young, handsome New York publisher (played by Alden Ehrenreich) who has the impossible task of convincing her to write another book in her Ripley series.
Mirren was first introduced to Highsmith through her husband Taylor Hackford and became a fan of her books as well as the many film adaptations. For her own transformation into Highsmith, the costuming was of immense importance. Highsmith wore notably masculine clothing and had a short neck and a hunched posture, especially later in her life. “so I got the costume people to build the shoulder pads up,” she explained, “and it gives her that sort of look that she’s about to pounce.” There was also the rage associated with her alcoholism: “she must have been terrifying in those days,” Mirren mused.
When Mirren started her career, the roles were much less nuanced for women. “They really sucked,” she lamented, “and they’re so much better now.” If she were to give advice to that past self who was demoralized by the parts she was getting, she would tell her to be as rude as you possibly can! They also spoke about some of her recent iconic red carpet looks, the signature “stripper” heels she purchased on Hollywood Boulevard, and making her own clothes.
The Run-Through with Vogue is your go-to podcast where fashion meets culture. Hosted by Chloe Malle, Head of Editorial Content, Vogue U.S.; Chioma Nnadi, Head of British Vogue; and Nicole Phelps, Director of Vogue Runway, each episode features the latest fashion news and exclusive designer and celebrity interviews.
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