Julia Ormond got her start doing some period work, playing Catherine the Great and Guinevere. Then they put her in that horrible reboot of Sabrina, and it seemed like she was headed for mass-market appeal. And then I’m not quite sure what happened! She’s been working steadily — apparently she was on CSI and Law & Order, and I loved seeing her in Mad Men and (modern-set) Witches of East End (oh the hair extensions!), and apparently she’ll be back to form in the rebooted Howards’ End and a forthcoming comedy/drama set in an Australian department store in the 1950s (Ladies in Black).
What’s your favorite of Julia Ormond’s historical costume roles?
Not seen her period work, alas. My first view of her was in “Similla’s Sense of Snow,” which was a murder mystery set in Scandinavia. I particularly liked the fact that they showed a woman who was not a trained fighter still able to handle herself when things got rough.
Always gorgeous, although she let me down with Vivien Leigh. She didn’t even try to act / sound / look anything like her, which to me is a cardinal sin — here you are, playing one of the bitchiest, most gorgeous actresses ever to walk the earth and you give a bland performance?
Perhaps Kenneth Branagh didn’t want her to BE Vivien, because then everyone would notice how he also did not bother to BE Laurence Olivier?
I need answers.
Try not to snark First Knight too hard. I kinda love it. ;)
In college there was the drinking game “Camelot” for how many times Sean Connery said Camelot in First Knight. Basically you have to stop it ten minutes in – it is that bad.
In high school my sister and I loved to hate watch Julia Ormond in her films – she was cast opposite with pretty much every eye candy guy back in the 90’s.
As an adult, I will have to check out her recent work. Her role of Catherine was my favourite back in the day.
I think it mostly comes down to writing/directing/how much did they bother with spending on accurate costumes and hairstyles, etc.
There is the novel by Kate O’Brien, ‘That Lady’, based on the Princess Eboli, Ana de Mendoza. It was made into a 1955 film with Olivia de Haviland (with eyepatch!).
Barber of Siberia is……quirky and hard to follow at times but it’s really cute and good overall. Plus THE BUSTLE GOWNSSSSSSSSSS
Wasn’t she in Against the Wind as Judy Davis’ daughter?
I had not heard of The Conspiracy until this post. Thank you!!!
She was great as Hannah in the English Patient, don’t forget that one. She was the best part of that movie.
That was Juliet Binoche. They look very similar though! In the same lovely way.
A word of warning and a spoiler: The Baby of Macon ends with de facto executing Ormond’s character via gang rape. I first saw this movie as a fairly young teen and it was legitimately traumatizing.
Ooh, my straight-girl crush on her started in First Knight. She’s elegant and her skin is porcelain and ethereal and perfect! Thanks for the update on the forthcoming “Ladies in Black!” I’ll be watching for it.
Young Catherine wins… by far! It has the gone-too-soon most beautiful man ever, Mark Frankel, saying one of the best lines ever, “If you need them, both my sword and my life are yours to command.” Plus…Vanessa Redgrave and Christopher Plummer. Also, I also loved First Knight.