Geraldine Chaplin

Geraldine Chaplin

Chaplin in Madrid, October 2007
Born Geraldine Leigh Chaplin
July 31, 1944 (1944-07-31) (age 67)
Santa Monica, California, United States
Occupation Actress
Years active 1952–present
Spouse Patricio Castilla (2006-present)
Partner Carlos Saura (1967-79)

Geraldine Leigh Chaplin (born July 31, 1944) is an English-American actress and the daughter of Charlie Chaplin.

Chaplin first came to prominence for her Golden Globe-nominated role of Tonya in David Lean's Doctor Zhivago (1965). She received her second Golden Globe nomination for Robert Altman's Nashville (1975). She also appeared in his other pictures, Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) and A Wedding (1978) . She received a BAFTA nomination for her role in Welcome to L.A. (1976). She then appeared in Roseland (1977) and Remember My Name (1978). She played her grandmother in the biopic, Chaplin (1992) for which she received her third Golden Globe nomination. She also appeared in The Age of Innocence (1993), Jane Eyre (1996), Mother Teresa: In the Name of God's Poor (1997) and The Wolfman (2010).

Chaplin has notably been involved in European cinema, most notably taking French and Spanish-speaking roles. She starred in Claude Lelouch's Les Uns et les Autres (1981), the Alain Resnais comedy, Life Is a Bed of Roses (1983) and the Jacques Rivette experimental film, Love on the Ground (1984). She has, arguably, enjoyed her greatest critical success collaborating with Carlos Saura. She starred in several notable films by the director, such as Ana and the Wolves (1973), Cría cuervos (1976), Elisa, vida mía (1977) and Mamá cumple cien años (1979). She collaborated with Pedro Almodóvar in Talk to Her (2002). She was awarded a Goya Award for her role in En la ciudad sin límites (2002) and was nominated again for The Orphanage (2007). Her contribution to Spanish cinema culminated in her being awarded the Gold medal by the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences in 2006.

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Personal life

Geraldine Chaplin was born in Santa Monica, California, the fourth child of actor/director Charlie Chaplin. She was the first of his eight children with his fourth and last wife, Oona O'Neill (daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill and author Agnes Boulton). When Chaplin was 8, the family moved to Switzerland where Chaplin attended boarding school and became fluent in French and Spanish. In 1967 she began what would become a twelve-year relationship with Carlos Saura, who directed her in several Spanish-language pictures. In a 1977 interview, Geraldine Chaplin explained the difficulties of working together: "On the set it's easy. But at home it's hard. For me, anyway, everything I don't say on the set.."[1].

In 1978 the Chaplin family were the victims of a failed extortion plot by kidnappers who had stolen the body of Charlie Chaplin. Geraldine negotiated with the kidnappers, who threatened to shoot her infant son in the knees.[2]

After living in Spain for over 25 years, she left in 1992 after being accused by Spanish intelligence services of being a terrorist arms dealer. The Basque terror group ETA had made a false claim that Chaplin supported the group's cause. Although Chaplin was cleared of any association, she was still viewed with suspicion, and she returned to the family home in Vevey, Switzerland[3]. In the same year, a detainee from a left-wing Chilean group that collaborated with ETA alleged that plans for the 1988 kidnapping of Madrid businessman Emiliano Revilla were made during meetings at the Madrid home of Chaplin's partner, Chilean cinematographer Patricio Castilla.[4]

She married Castilla in 2006. She has two children: Shane, a psychologist[5] (b. 1974, by Saura), and Oona, an actress (b. 1986, by Castilla).

Geraldine Chaplin is also the half sister of Sydney Chaplin, Charles Chaplin, Jr. and Norman Chaplin. She has a beachside home in Miami, Florida and also lives alternately between Madrid and Switzerland.[6]

Career

When Chaplin was eight years old, she appeared uncredited in her father's film Limelight. She attended the Royal Ballet School[7] but, when her dream of becoming a ballet dancer ended, she followed her father into the acting profession. David Lean chose her to play Tonya[8], the main character's wife, in his film Doctor Zhivago, (1965) for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. In an interview to publicize the film, she explained, "Because of my name, the right doors opened."[9] In 1967, she made her Broadway debut in Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes.[10] Her performance was praised by Clive Barnes in a review published in The New York Times. Barnes noted that Chaplin "acts with spirit and force," all the while "acting with a magnificently raw-voiced sincerity" in what was a performance of "surprising power."[11]

In the same year, she also began what would become a significant collaboration when she starred in Carlos Saura's Spanish-language psychological thriller, Peppermint Frappé. She later starred in (and occasionally co-wrote scripts for) later Saura films such as Ana and the Wolves (1973), Cría cuervos (1976), Elisa, vida mía (1977) and Mamá cumple cien años (1979). Cría cuervos is regarded as their finest collaboration, winning the Special Jury Prize Award at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival. Vincent Canby praised Chaplin's "superb" performance.[12]

In 1970, she starred alongside Charlton Heston in the American historical film The Hawaiians. In 1974 she starred in The Three Musketeers, as well as the sequel a year later, The Four Musketeers. In 1975 she starred as a BBC reporter in Robert Altman's Nashville, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She later starred in the Altman films Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976) and A Wedding (1978).

In an interview with The New York Times in 1977, Chaplin cited that her career was going more successfully in Europe than in the United States. She complained that that "I only seem to work with Altman here ... I don't have any offers in this country, none. Not even an interesting script to read. The only person who ever asks me is Altman - and James Ivory."

Chaplin starred in several films produced by Altman and directed by Alan Rudolph, with a BAFTA-nominated role in Welcome to L.A. (1976), in which she played a housewife addicted to cab rides. She received critical acclaim for her role in Remember My Name (1978), in which she played Anthony Perkins' murderous estranged wife. She also starred in Rudolph's 1920s set film, The Moderns (1988).

Chaplin has starred in several French-language roles, including Jacques Rivette's Love on the Ground (1984) and the Alain Resnais films Life Is a Bed of Roses (1983) and I Want to Go Home (1989).

In 1992, she played the role of her grandmother Hannah Chaplin in the biographical film about her father, Chaplin, for which she was nominated for another Golden Globe award. A year later she was directed by Martin Scorsese in The Age of Innocence. In 1996 she appeared in Franco Zeffirelli's Jane Eyre.

Chaplin received a Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Spanish-Argentine thriller, In the City Without Limits (2001).[13] Other notable Spanish films she appeared in include Pedro Almodóvar's Talk to Her (2002), and The Orphanage (2007), for which she received a Goya Award nomination. She also recently starred in the Catalan drama, The Mosquito Net (2010), for which she was awarded the Crystal Globe. In 2006 Chaplin was awarded the Gold medal by the Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España for her contribution to cinema.[14]

In 2010, she was cast alongside Peter O'Toole in the UK-French ballet drama Jennifer and the Swan.[15]

Most recently, she appeared in There Be Dragons (2011) and The Monk (2011). Her upcoming films include Americano, a drama also starring Salma Hayek, as well as ...And If We All Lived Together with Jane Fonda.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1952 Limelight Little Girl in Opening Scene (uncredited)
1965 Crime on a Summer Morning Zelda
Doctor Zhivago Tonya Gromeko Director: David Lean
Golden Globe Awards Nomination: Most Promising Newcomer - Female
1966 Andremo in città Lenka
1967 A Countess from Hong Kong Girl at dance Director: Charlie Chaplin
Casino Royale Keystone Kop (uncredited)
I Killed Rasputin Mounia Golovine
Stranger in the House Angela Sawyer
Peppermint Frappé Elena Director: Carlos Saura
1968 Stress Is Three Teresa Director: Carlos Saura
1969 Honeycomb Teresa Director: Carlos Saura
Writer (also story). Film entered into the 19th Berlin International Film Festival
1970 The Hawaiians Purity Hoxworth
The Garden of Delights Actress Director: Carlos Saura
(uncredited)
1971 Perched on a Tree Mme Muller (as Géraldine Chaplin)
Carlos Lisa
1972 Innocent Bystanders Miriam Loman
Z.P.G. Carol McNeil
A House Without Boundaries Actress Film entered into the 22nd Berlin International Film Festival
1973 Ana y los lobos Ana Director: Carlos Saura
The Three Musketeers Anna of Austria
Marriage a la Mode Actress
Yankee Dudler Kate Elder
1974 The Four Musketeers Queen Anne of Austria Director: Richard Lester
¿...Y el prójimo? Luisa
Sommerfuglene Anne Zimmler
1975 Cría cuervos Ana The Mother Director: Carlos Saura
Nashville Opal Director: Robert Altman
Golden Globe Awards Nomination:
Best Supporting Actress
1976 Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson Annie Oakley Director: Robert Altman
Welcome to L.A. Karen Hood Director: Alan Rudolph
BAFTA Awards Nomination:
Best Supporting Actress
Scrim Actress
Noroît Morag by Jacques Rivette; episode from an intended four part series "Scenes from a Parallel Life"
1977 Roseland Marilyn Director: James Ivory
Elisa, vida mía Elisa Santamaria/Elisa's Mother Director: Carlos Saura
In Memoriam Paulina Arevalo
1978 Remember My Name Emily Director: Alan Rudolph
A Wedding Rita Billingsley Director: Robert Altman
One Page of Love Lise
Blindfolded Eyes Actress Director: Carlos Saura
1979 L'Adoption Catherine
Mama Turns 100 Ana Director: Carlos Saura
La viuda de Montiel Adelaida Entered into the 30th Berlin International Film Festival
Mais où et donc Ornicar Isabelle Director: Bertrand Van Effenterre
1980 Le Voyage en douce Lucie Entered into the 30th Berlin International Film Festival
The Mirror Crack'd Ella Zielinsky
1981 Les Uns et les Autres Suzan/Sara Glenn Director: Claude Lelouch
The House of Mirth Lily Bart TV film
1982 Casting Actress
1983 Life Is a Bed of Roses Nora Winkle Director: Alain Resnais
My Cousin Rachel Contessa Rachel Sangalletti TV mini-series
1984 Love on the Ground Charlotte Director: Jacques Rivette
1987 White Mischief Nina Soames Director: Michael Radford
1988 The Moderns Nathalie de Ville Director: Alan Rudolph
1989 The Return of the Musketeers Queen Anne Director: Richard Lester
I Want to Go Home Terry Amstrong Director: Alain Resnais
1990 Gentille Alouette Angela Duverger
The Children Joyce Wheater
1991 Buster's Bedroom Diana Daniels Director: Rebecca Horn
Duel of Hearts Mrs. Miller
1992 Chaplin Hannah Chaplin Director: Richard Attenborough
Golden Globe Awards Nomination:
Best Supporting Actress
Hors Saison Anarchist by Daniel Schmid
1993 A Foreign Field Beverly
The Age of Innocence Mrs. Welland Director: Martin Scorsese
1994 Words Upon the Window Pane Miss McKenna
1995 Para recibir el canto de los pájaros Catherine
Home for the Holidays Aunt Gladys Director: Jodie Foster
1996 Jane Eyre Miss Scatcherd Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Gulliver's Travels Empress Munodi TV mini series
Os Olhos da Ásia Jane Powell
Crimetime Thelma
1997 Mother Teresa: In the Name of God's Poor Mother Teresa
1998 Cousin Bette Adeline Hulot
Finisterre, donde termina el mundo Madre/Mother
1999 To Walk with Lions Victoria Anrecelli
Beresina oder Die letzten Tage der Schweiz Charlotte De Director: Daniel Schmid
2000 In the Beginning Yocheved television film
2001 Just Run! Madre
The Faces of the Moon Joan Turner
2002 Dinotopia Grandmother
En la ciudad sin límites Marie Goya Awards
Best Supporting Actress
Talk to Her Katerina Bilova Director: Pedro Almodóvar
2004 The Bridge of San Luis Rey The Abbess
2005 Heidi Rottenmeier
Oculto Adela
Melissa P. Nonna Elvira Director: Luca Guadagnino
BloodRayne Fortune Teller
2006 Agatha Christie's Marple Mrs. Fane Sleeping Murder
Les aventuriers des mers du Sud Maggie TV film
2007 The Orphanage Aurora Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Goya Awards Nomination:
Best Supporting Actress
Teresa, el cuerpo de Cristo Priora del convento
Miguel and William La dueña
Los Totenwackers Salgado
Boxes Maman Director: Jane Birkin
2008 Inconceivable Frances Church-Chappel
Parlami d'Amore Amelie
Parc La mère de Marteau
Ramírez Galerist
Diario de una Ninfómana Abuela de Valére/Valeré's grandmother
Brontë Aunt Elizabeth
2009 The Island Inside Victoria
Imago Mortis Contessa Orsini
2010 Hostias Jean
The Making of Plus One Geri - the casting director
The Wolfman Maleva Director: Joe Johnston
There Be Dragons Abileyza Director: Roland Joffé
The Mosquito Net María
The Trick in the Sheet Alma Director: Alfonso Arau
2011 ¿Para qué sirve un oso? Josephine
The Monk L'abbesse Director: Dominik Moll
Americano Linda premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival
...And If We All Lived Together Annie
2012 Connemara Days Heather O'Dea - Present Filming

References

  1. ^ Klemesrud, Judy. Her Name Helped - So Did Her Talent. The New York Times. 21 September 1977
  2. ^ Kennedy, Dana. Geraldine Chaplin: Living Among Ghosts in the Eye of the Storm. The Associated Press. 20 December 1992
  3. ^ Middlehurst, Lester. Charlie's Girl, Happy to Trade on Daddy's Name; as Geraldine Goes Home, New Life Fills the Tramp's Swiss Retreat. Daily Mail, 17 September 1993. pp. 48
  4. ^ Walker, Jane. Spain holding Chileans who 'admit aiding terrorists. The Guardian. 21 January, 1992
  5. ^ Oona Chaplin: The Chaplin kid The Evening Standard. 12 February 2010
  6. ^ Your instrument is your sensitivity – Geraldine Chaplin RT. 8 July 2011
  7. ^ Women In the News. The New York Times. 25 November 1962. pp. 272
  8. ^ Geraldine Chaplin to Make American debut in 'Tonia'. The New York Times. 21 November 1964. pp. 26
  9. ^ Reed, Rex"If My Name Was Annie Smith". The New York Times. 10 December 1967. pp. x7.
  10. ^ Zolotow, Sam. Changes coming in "The Little Foxes". The New York Times. 2 November 1967
  11. ^ Barnes, Clive. Theater: 'The Little Foxes' Revisited. The New York Times. 6 January 1968. pp. 24
  12. ^ Canby, Vince. "Cria! Film on Childhood". The New York Times. 19 May 1977. pp. 71
  13. ^ CINE-PREMIOS GOYA Geraldine Chaplin recibe Goya Mejor Actriz de Reparto. Spanish Newswire Services. 1 February 2003.
  14. ^ La Academia de Cine concede la medalla de oro a Geraldine Chaplin. El Pais. 7 July 2006
  15. ^ Peter O’Toole and Geraldine Chaplin to star in Paris ballet drama Screen Daily (30 April 2010)

External links