Tonight (March 2) sees the release of the BBC's much-anticipated adaption of Agatha Christie's Towards Zero. Set in the 1930s, Agatha's novel centres around a tennis star Nevile Strange, who invites his new wife and ex-wife to spend the summer in his childhood home of Gull's Point.
At the heart of the story is matriarch Lady Tressilian, a bedbound yet fierce character who disapproves of the unconventional arrangement. In this adaption, Anjelica Huston takes the role of Lady Tressilian, adding it to the list of eccentric character roles she's played over the years.
But what do we know about Anjelica Huston's life and what else has she been in?
Famous family
Anjelica comes from a family that's full of talented people. Her father was John Huston, an actor, director, and screenwriter who won two Oscars and whose credits include many classic films including the 1952 version of Moulin Rouge, The Red Badge of Courage, and The African Queen. Her mother was Enrica Soma, a model and prima ballerina.
Anjelica grew up in rural Ireland in County Galway and has four siblings. Two of her brothers work in Hollywood as actors and directors, while her half-sister Allegra Huston is an author and editor.
She has also confirmed she's had romances with several famous men. She had a well-publicised romance with actor Jack Nicholson which was on and off for 17 years. She also dated actor James Fox, photographer David Bailey, and Albert II, Prince of Monaco whose mother was Grace Kelly. Anjelica was married to sculptor Robert Graham until his death in 2008.
Her glamorous career
Anjelica got her big break in 1969 in A Walk with Love and Death, a movie that was directed by her father. However, the movie was not well received by critics, so Anjelica spent a few years as a model, working with designers such as the iconic Halston.
In the mid-70s, she moved to California and over the years starred in a few movies including her father's last film, The Dead. But her breakout role came in 1989 when she appeared in Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors, receiving a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
In 1990, she starred in one of her most recognised roles as the Grand High Witch in the film adaption of Roald Dahl's The Witches. The movie was critically acclaimed and became a cult classic. In the same year, she also starred in The Grifters, which earned her an Oscar nomination.
However, it was her role as Morticia Addams in the 1991 movie The Addams Family which made her a household name. Two years later, the sequel Addams Family Values was also a big hit, and she received nominations at the Golden Globes for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for both films.
She was also in the Cinderella-inspired movie Ever After as the wicked stepmother character, and even started working behind the camera. In 1999, she directed, starred in, and produced Agnes Browne, an Irish romcom based on the book The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll. Brendan went on to create the sitcom Mrs Brown's Boys.
00s kids may recognise Anjelica from her role as Miss Battle-Axe in Horrid Henry: The Movie, while musical fans may remember the short-lived musical drama show Smash, where she played a Broadway Producer.
Comments
Leave a Comment