So, the other day I read one of Joshua's top-five Tuesday posts, this one was about underappreciated actors. And it got me thinking (ouch!) about some actors and actresses that I'm really impressed by, but seem to be lesser known. I do wonder if a lot of this is due to being in rural Kansas- maybe people elsewhere have heard more of these fine thespians- but I thought it would be a fun thing to run a few posts on! All photos in these posts do NOT belong to me, but the sites I found them are linksied for your further viewing pleasures. So without further ado, I present:
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The very first person who came to my mind- like right away- was this lady. I didn't know her name at the moment that I read that post, but I'd seen her around for a couple years and always wondered why she wasn't showing up more often on shows.
This week I watched BLEAK HOUSE and was ecstatic to see her in what I would call the lead role. Of course, BLEAK HOUSE wasn't the first thing I'd seen Anna in. That would be that one episode of Dr. Who with the cold top floor place and the gooey ceiling alien... a nice performance, of course, but nothing compared to her period pieces.
BLEAK HOUSE is phenomenal. I'll admit to never having read the novel by Charles Dickens- so continuity... beats me. But whenever I'd come to the end of an episode, I found myself just over the moon, needing to know what would happen next.
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Can't give Anna full credit for loving that show, because it seemed like every performance was extremely well done, as was the writing and the sets and the costumes and the... well, everything! But while watching it, it was her that I couldn't tear my eyes from. Her character was so strong and sensible and kind and good and wonderful. But that's all to Dickens' credit (or maybe in part the screen writer's) but it was Anna's ability to portray all of that so purely. she made Esther so very real, so very innocent, so very child-like. This lady just morphs into whoever it is she's playing. She isn't some one trick typecast, she's a true actress.
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Now, I don't know. She could be big as fish and chips in Britain, it's sort of hard to tell that kind of thing around here, but what I do know is that the people I know tend to blank out when I try to tell them of her amazing performances, seeing as most of them haven't even heard of the films/ shows/ miniseries/ plays that she's performed in. Even though I LENT my pal Jodi my well-worn copy of BECOMING JANE and insisted that she watch it. In which, by the way, I think Anna stole every scene she shared with Anne Hathaway.
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Writing this post has been really fun, because I've gotten to learn more about some other performances of hers, that I now really want to see. Like her role in something called POPPY SHAKESPEARE, where she plays a character called N in a mental hospital who is seemingly the most sane of them all until more is revealed... or at least that's the gist of the little summaries I've seen around the place.
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I forgot to mention her role in NORTH AND SOUTH! Oops! Loved her in that! She just mesmerizes and pulls at your heartstrings in that!
I also read that she has two newer projects coming out called SOUTH RIDING and THE NIGHT WATCH. I wonder how long those will take to become available over here.
*taps finger nails on desk impatiently*
Too long, I'm sure! :)
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I found a nifty quote while researching on Anna, from a blog called Old Fashioned Charm (also the source for one of the images here):
"Anna is very rare in this industry. She is without artifice as a person, and that is reflected in her acting. I remember sitting through a screening of Becoming Jane and there is a moment where Anna's character is grieving over the death of her fiancé that was just breathtaking in its simplicity.
"Anna is very rare in this industry. She is without artifice as a person, and that is reflected in her acting. I remember sitting through a screening of Becoming Jane and there is a moment where Anna's character is grieving over the death of her fiancé that was just breathtaking in its simplicity.
She is incredibly beautiful, inside and out – although she'll scream when she reads that. She is a great mate to have, because she will listen to me for hours on end..."
- Fellow actress Lucy Cohu on being friends with Anna
So, have you all heard of Anna Maxwell Martin? Seen her in anything? Who are some of your favorite actors who you think are underappreciated?
Getting all your New Year's resolutions ready to break?
I know I have a ton of them piling all around me!
Heard of her, but not seen her films.
ReplyDeletenever heard of her.
ReplyDeletei checked out her imdb page and the only thing i've actually seen her in was an episode of Dr Who.
never heard of her before, I'm afraid, but she seems quite cameleonlike!
ReplyDeleteI've seen her in a few things - an episode of Doctor Who springs to mind :-)
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of her before! Of course, I haven't seen any of the movies you listed either. :o
ReplyDeleteI just might have to check them out. :)
My favorite under-appreciated actor is Michael Shanks. I will watch ANYTHING he's in, even if it's a crappy "b" movie (and yes, I have done that) and he's the only one who can actually act.
Yes, I know who she is. I saw her in Bleak House and North and South. I was very impressed with her performance in both. That BBC version of Bleak House is fantastic!
ReplyDelete...you zazzed up your blog recently, right? Or has it been like this for a while and i'm just oblivious?
ReplyDeleteI have seen her, but like you, only in that episode of Doctor Who.
I hadn't known her name but I recognize some of those images. I think she suffers the 'too good a chamelion' thing--she looks really different in different roles, so people may not even realize it's the same actress.
ReplyDeleteI am so bad at remembering, but every once in a while I will look up somebody and be stunned to see all the prior stuff they've done.
I've seen her in North & South but now I want to watch Bleak House. She is an amazing actor.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with Anna, but thanks for introducing us to her. She projects an image that can take on a diversity of roles.
ReplyDelete