Jennifer Jason Leigh

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 9:28am

Why do you think it is that she's never been nominated for an Oscar? Is she not that talented? Too mannered? Voters are turned off by the rawness of the characters she plays?

[madbrian]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 9:34am

Don't have an answer, but loved her in Dolores Claibourne, one of my favorite movies. JJL and Kathy Bates were terrific, and Judy Parfitt was absolutely amazing. It's a shame that Parfitt was overlooked at awards season.

[blueroses]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 9:40am

I'm surprised, Matt...I thought she had been nominated for Georgia.

I think she's excellent.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 10:45am

I love JJL in most of her roles, but sometimes she does come off mannered.

I actually do not like her in DC, I think it's one of her more mannered performances.

I agree about Parfitt, however. She deserved an oscar nod.

[blueroses]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:05am

I LOVED her in The Hudsucker Proxy! Who knew she could be so funny?

[StageManager2]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:06am

Re GEORGIA: I recall her being up for Oscar consideration for that movie (as well as MRS. PARKER), but it was Mare Winningham who got the nod in the supporting category.

Updated On: 1/30/09 at 11:06 AM

[blueroses]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:09am

Ah, okay. Mare was great, too.

[Radiana]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:30am

Is she the girl who played in the Audrey Hepburn Story? Sorry for my ignorance but I'm not a movie goer.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:38am

"Is she the girl who played in the Audrey Hepburn Story? Sorry for my ignorance but I'm not a movie goer."

No.

BTW, Mare was nom'd for Georgia the same year Kevin Spacey was nom'd (and won) for Usual Suspects.

They had played Maria and Captn Von Trapp in high school together.

Updated On: 1/30/09 at 11:38 AM

[blueroses]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:43am

Radiana, you're thinking of Jennifer Love Hewitt.

[Radiana]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:47am

Thank you.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 11:57am

I can't put my finger on it, but there's something about her that bugs me.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:04pm

I was staying out of this because I don't enjoy threads that bash (not that anyone's doing that) performers I do like, but since Stockard spoke up . . .

She bugs me too. "Mannered" is as good a word as any, I guess. I've always described her performances as "acting-class acting." It's like, yeah, you're not doing it wrong, but . . .

[Jane2]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:13pm

I think she's fine as a film actress, but I don't think I'd put her in the league with award winners or nominees.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:36pm

People! Her dad was beheaded by a prop chopper. Have some sympathy.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 1:47pm

Did anyone see the tv version of Picnic that she did in the 80s?

[blueroses]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 1:53pm

No, but I'll never forget her as an anorexia sufferer in The Best Little Girl in the World. Melanie from thirtysomething was her roommate in rehab. She had bulimia!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:35pm

I honestly thought she should have been nominated for Rush. Her performance was flawless.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 2:50pm

I did like her in the one about the psycho roomate!

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/31/09 at 12:40am

"Did anyone see the tv version of Picnic that she did in the 80s?"

No, but I saw that production live on stage at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. It was her and Gregory Harrison in the leads, with Rue McClenahan, Michael Lerner, Dick Van Patten, Dana Hill (who stole the show) and Conchatta Farrell. I thought it was great, but I only found out recently that it aired on TV.

As for Leigh, yeah, she's good. But she bugs me, too. And I don't think any of her performances have been obviously award-worthy, although she received a couple of Best Actress honors from various film critics' groups.

The one time I thought she gave an Oscar-nomination-worthy performance was in Dolores Claiborne, in a supporting role. But that entire film was overlooked, despite it being (to this day) Kathy Bates' best work on film. And Judy Parfitt should have won Best Supporting Actress for playing Vera, as well. Even Christoper Plummer should have gotten a supporting nod. No one got nominated. But DAMN, that movie was good.

[KrissySim]

Posted: 1/31/09 at 2:09am

Tralala.

The film Last Exit to Brooklyn made a powerful impression on me when I first saw it and that is where I first saw Jennifer Jason Leigh. Not that others couln't have done the role, but I think she fit well.

[nmartin]

Posted: 1/31/09 at 5:54am

She seems to have gone to the Edgar Bergen School of Speaking.

[LaurenB]

Posted: 1/31/09 at 6:28am

"She seems to have gone to the Edgar Bergen School of Speaking."

LOL. I was thinking the same thing, that she speaks sort of lockjaw. The other person who has a similar peculiar style is that singer Peter Cetera (Chicago).

[Hank]

Posted: 1/31/09 at 2:31pm

"She must be somebody's baby. She's so fine."
Indeed!