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Casablanca1990 — 14 years ago(May 12, 2011 03:05 PM)
Everybody has the right to have and express opinions (in a respectful way, of course). Personally, I agree with Emma Thompson. Lots of people have mentioned Audrey Hepburn as a legend. And it is true. But she is a legend because she was (and is) a beauty icon. She was a really solidary person too. Anybody would admire these qualities of her. However, Audery Hepburn is not a legend because of her acting skills. Hepburn was and is admired because of her beauty, personality and commitment with humanitarian causes. Thompson is admired (and I'm sure she will be remembered) because of her talent in acting and writing.
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mmitsos-1 — 14 years ago(August 07, 2011 04:20 PM)
I haven't been on here in a long time.
I can't believe people are STILL talking on this particular thread.
I love Emma Thompson, and I wish she'd do more adult-oriented roles.not so many children-oriented ones. I know she's now writing the film musical "Annie", for Willow Smithbut when is she going to do a leading role of her again? I miss seeing her so much. -
mlmerit — 14 years ago(December 16, 2011 08:09 AM)
Its rather odd that Ms Thompson would make such comments concerning Ms Hepburn. Their acting ability would appear to be on a par very equal. Both talented, both beautiful, possibly not given the best parts, but still their capabilities are much better than average, yet not the best. One would hope that Ms Thompson would take careful aim at her counterparts and make her point without being simply rude. She is of course one of those type of people who don't care if her comments draw fire and you can't blame her for being honest. Even if most of us who do care for Ms Hepburn are offended and she's not here to spit back a few acrid words of her own.
Quote from Ms Thompson: "I am who I am and there is nothing I can do about thb68at." -
x-nikki-xx — 14 years ago(February 06, 2012 01:51 AM)
She didn't really say it in an insulting way. I guess she said her blatant opinion. I mean, she should have known that she was going to get a lot of hate for saying her opinion about hepburn in public, but she chose to do that. And I agree with her that hepburn wasn't the best actress during her time. She was known for her delicate looks and classy beauty. She was also casted in movies with such good story lines and connections. For example, breakfast at tiffany's was connected to the renowned Tiffany's jewelry.
I'm not hugely fond of the film,' she says. 'I find Audrey Hepburn fantastically twee.'
When asked by The Hollywood Reporter what 'twee' means, Thompson says: 'Twee is whimsy without wit. It is mimsy-mumsy sweetness without any kind of bite. And that's not for me.
'She can't sing and she can't really act, I'm afraid.
'I'm sure she was a delightful woman - ab68nd perhaps if I had known her I would have enjoyed her acting more, but I don't and I didn't, so that's all there is to it really.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1300986/Audrey-Hepburn-twee-mumsy-really-act-Emma-Thompsons-scathing-appraisal-My-Fair-Lady-star.html#ixzz1larpxHBg -
StoneFacedTickler — 13 years ago(August 11, 2012 11:28 PM)
Yeah, she would have been better off taking the high road. It's moments like these which separate legends like Hepburn from actresses like Thompson, no matter how talented and accomplished she happens to be. Thompson simply will never achieve the level of respect that an icon like Hepburn commanded. She doesn't have what it takes.
My favorite weapon is the look in your eyesYou ran out of lies -
Emmywins305 — 12 years ago(December 09, 2013 07:19 PM)
Yes, Humphrey Bogart was classless and reportedly a real a-hole to everyone on the Sabrina set-including Audrey. To her credit, she never retaliated or badmouthed him back in public. That shows the kind of person she was-gracious and high above the rest of us mostly average "human" beings.
Audrey never thought much about her own talent, which is partly why she wasn't gung-ho about doing an endless stream of movies and remaining a big star. She wasn't like her first husband Mel Ferrer who desperately tried to become big-and failed. Reportedly he was jealous of her for it and took it out on her.
When Audrey was alive, she never once badmouthed anyone on the record. I'm sure she was aware of actors and actresses who were much worse than her, but she never criticized them. The fact that Emma would badmouth Audrey in public after Audrey's death (when Audrey can't defend herself) smacks of crudeness, vulgarity, low-class, pettiness, jealously, ugliness, and downright bness. Especially considering the fact that no matter what you think of Audrey as an actress, this woman was impeccably well-behaved and eventually gave her life to save starving children. YOU DO NOT PUBLICLY SLAM SOMEONE LIKE THAT.
Let's face it, Audrey was a classy and gracious lady with a loving heart. Emma is a vulgar, tactless woman who could stand to learn a few lessons from Audrey about graciousness and when to keep your fing mouth shut. -
jello-jewel — 11 years ago(February 20, 2015 04:57 AM)
And what exactly is bad about publicly stating your opinion on someone else's work - including negative opinion?
Audrey never, ever, publicly criticized her colleagues. That kind of behavior was beneath her. Throughout her life, she behaved with class, graciousness, and generosity towards everyone. Whether you like her acting or not, bad-mouthing her on the record is almost akin to bad-mouthing Mother Teresa. How would you like it if an actor and actress mouthed off on Emma in public, calling her an untalented British actress who always plays the same character all the time? If you're a fan of Emma, wouldn't you complain? -
estella2 — 12 years ago(January 16, 2014 08:45 AM)
Obviously Thompson has never seen the movie 'Wait Until Dark', where Hepburn played a blind woman. I thought Hepburn's acting was amazing in 'Wait Until Dark.' Also thought Hepburn was amazing in 'A Nun's Story.' and of course 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'.and also 'The Children's Hour.' Man, what was Thompson smoking??
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shopguyperry — 10 years ago(October 15, 2015 06:58 PM)
A great quote from actor Van Johnson (1916-2008):
"She's a lady. When she participates in the Academy Awards, she makes all those starlets look like tramps. Thank you for your class, Audrey, you're quite a lady.
If anyone said anything derogatory about her, Ib68'd push them in the river.
" -
paramitch — 9 years ago(May 16, 2016 05:48 PM)
I think Emma Thompson is brilliant and very funny as a person, but she's also unfiltered and pretty plainspoken, so she's certainly said a few unguarded, cringeworthy things. She's also said some hilarious things, like when she talked on Graham Norton about how miserable she was on "Me and My Girl," or when she admitted Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't act, etc.
So while this was unfortunate, I don't think Emma was trying to enrage people. I also loved Audrey Hepburn as a movie star (and my Mom was a huge, huge fan of hers). However, I will say that Thompson is only referencing what many, many critics themselves said about Hepburn, who was utterly miscast in
My Fair Lady
, and Hepburn herself knew it and was very gracious about it.
I think Audrey could be a wonderful actress in the right part I love her performances in
Roman Holiday
and
Wait Until Dark
, although I'm not a big fan of
Sabrina
, which to me ages badly and I honestly think the remake was better, as I've posted elsewhere). But I don't think she had a lot of actual technical acting technique a fact that showed just a bit in
Breakfast at Tiffany's
(I adore the film but she's very uneven in it she's pretty hammy in the early "bad dream" scene, but also superb in several others, too..
And as a musical theatre nut, I would agree with those critics who found Audrey's performance in
My Fair Lady
to be very uneven she's not terribly believable as Eliza during the first third of the film, and her Cockney accent is pretty wretched. But she's much better once Eliza becomes more posh, and I think she's really lovely for the second half entirely. Yet
My Fair Lady
is a beautiful film, regardless, and Audrey Hepburn brings a lot of charisma, beauty and elegance to the role, even with somewhat limited range. I really dislike that a non-singer who had to be dubbed was cast in the role (especially the role that made Julie Andrews a star onstage), and I also think Audrey and Rex had zero chemistry.
Do I think it was unfortunate for Emma to make those remarks about Audrey? Absolutely. However, it's just her opinion. And I also think it's simply Emma being her usual brash outspoken self, and I appreciate that Emma also seems pretty cheerfully willing to be judged for whatever opinions she she does have.
Last but not least, I know people are angry, especially those who love Audrey Hepburn. But the idea that Emma Thompson is not a good or beautiful actress just because she said something critical is absurd to me. Emma's gift is that, like Meryl Streep, she can be beautiful or homely as the part requires, and she is an absolutely superb and formidable technical actress anyone doubting this should watch her performances in, as others have commented,
Howard's End, The Remains of the Day, Wit, Sense and Sensibility, Angels in America
, or even
Saving Mr. Banks
(where I thought she brought to life an absolutely indelible, unlikable and yet fascinating character in PL Travers).
Audrey Hepburn's movies will live forever. I also think the same is true for Emma Thompson's. None of us has to choose.I keep thinking I'm a grownup, but I'm not. -
carrieandxtina — 9 years ago(June 22, 2016 11:15 AM)
I like Audrey a lot. She is one of my favorites. I don't think Emma should be attacked for it either. It funny how so many people are talking about how Audrey was classy, good person ect but your being just rude simply because she said something you don't like about complete stranger who you like as movie star. You might want to emulate what you admire in Audrey. There is no comparison between Audrey Hepburn and Mother Teresa.
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atomicstuffing — 9 years ago(June 28, 2016 03:42 PM)
We all have our opinions on actors. And I understand that Emma Thompson isn't obligated to love every single movie legend out there.
However, when you get to that level of fame, and magazines and TV shows broadcast most of your words, Emma could've found more tactful ways of expressing the same opinion.
The interview quotes made it sound like Emma dismissed Audrey like she was nothing. Like some random girl th2000at could be tossed off the side of a wagon.
and perhaps if I had known her I would have enjoyed her acting more, but I don't and I didn't, so that's all there is to it, really."
If she felt that Audrey played it too "softly" then that's an opinion she has a right to have. I just don't quite see the same thing that she's seeing. I've watched Wendy Hiller and Margot Kidder play the same Eliza role, and they're all very similar (if anything, Audrey projects her voice better than Margot, which suits the grand, theatrical designs in My Fair Lady).
It would be interesting to one day see this reinterpretation. Who knows, maybe Thompson is hanging on to a much more modern update of Eliza inside her head (one with more "bite" to it, as she says) and maybe it does work better. But I still don't get her savage attack on Audrey, when Eliza was played in a similar way by two other actresses. How much more biting and grating is a "bilious pigeon and squashed cabbage leaf" supposed to sound?