Meryl Streep, Jessica Lange and Glenn Close

From all accounts Meryl is a great mom.

I hate Meryl. She gave some good performances early in her career but every movie she's made since Silkwood has been like watching "The Meryl Streep hour" show. Bitch needs to go away for a couple of years and return in some low-key indie film (sans any horrible accents).

I like Glennie. Terribly ugly but a wonderful actress. Her Marquise de Merteuil will go down in film history as one of the most powerful female performances of all times.

Never got the love for Jessica Lange. She's always been a mediocre actress but a great beauty. Well, she WAS a great beauty until she decided to ruin her face with all the plastic surgeries. She now looks like Beth Grant.

But I'd still pick Helen Mirren, Susan Sarandon or Sissy Spacek over these three anytime.

A friend of mine from the deep South said that the accent Meryl used for her character in "The Seduction of Joe Tynan" was authentic but it belonged to an uneducated hick, not the upwardly mobile character she was playing.

One of these things is not like the other.

The French greats do all this better, in better movies, too.

All three are still hugely popular and going strong.

R5 The French Greats play themselves over and over and over again.

I mean, they do it all in French.

Streep is classical music. Lange is punk rock. Close is muzak.

Agree, [R5], though each of these three actresses *has* given a truly great performance at one time or another. (Meryl is my least favorite of the three, as--for me--her performances are 100% expert on a technical level, but leave me cold emotionally. She performs things, but I don't think she feels them.)

I also would take Sissy Spacek over these 3 any day (though Glenn has given some electrifying performances in "Dangerous Liaisons" and "Fatal Attraction"). None of them could have done what Sissy did in "Coal Miner's Daughter" (a full, emotional, lived in performance that was both truthful and understated.) That remains one of my most favorite Best Actress winning performances ever.

Funny enough, the least respected of the three at the beginning of her career but the one who has managed to conquer all acting mediums is Jessica Lange, having become the 22nd thespian to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting.

I was right.

R9 Mary Tyler Moore was all of these things times 10 in "Ordinary People".

She should've won.

Compared to Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Imelda Staunton, all three are lousy.

R12 Smith, Dench and Imelda Staunton never break character...

They're ALWAYS themselves.

I love your post, r8! How neat to liken them to different musical genres!

Glenn is the best of the 3, but they are all good.

r13, I would rather watch them play their very interesting selves, then watch Meryl Streep play another overblown character, Jessica Lange flutter her hands or Glenn Close bore the hell out of everyone with her vanilla performances.

When was the last time any of them created a character like Maggie did in Downton Abbey? Upper crust, acerbic, and yet you can't help loving her.

Judi Dench does not play herself. Watch her body of work. She can be a loving grandmother or a vicious bitch. Tell me that her roles in "Cranford" and "Notes On A Scandal" are anything alike. Streep, Lange and Close would give their left tit to be playing "M" in the James Bond franchise.

When was the last time those three did a scene like Imelda did in Vera Drake. Go back and watch that scene when the police show up. Imelda gives the best one camera full on face shot since Judy Garland did in A Star Is Born. That moment is a master class in acting.

R15. You need to watch Streep, Lange and Close more before you dare elevate other actresses above them. Especially just because they're British/European. These three blow them all away. They've each played nearly every type of character.

Watch Judi in THE SHIPPING NEWS. Very different from her turn in LADIES IN LAVENDER. Of those three, I'd say Judi is the best, but Maggie has the best work.

R15, I agree that Jessica is a very nerous, fluttery actress. But, you have Glenn and Meryl confused. Glenn is the one who plays grand dames, while Meryl is vanilla. They're good at it though.

Click, click, click.

Lange can do nervous/fluttery great (like Geraldine Page/Kate Hepburn/Sandy Dennis/Kim Stanley or she could play retro badass like Bette Davis/Joan Crawford or be the ingenue like Marilyn Monroe or play crazy/emotiinal like Isabelke Huppert.

She can do it all, including playing completely opposite of her "type" (see Sweet Dreams, Music Box, Men Don't Leave, Titus, Grey Gardens, etc.)

Everytime someone calls Meryl Streep "The Greatest Living Actress" God kills a baby kitten.

[quote]But, you have Glenn and Meryl confused. Glenn is the one who plays grand dames, while Meryl is vanilla. They're good at it though.

Did you see Glenn do "South Pacific"? She out-vanilla-ed anything Meryl ever tried to vanilla. It was like watching paint dry.

Glenn Close is the best Cruella DeVille and nothing from the others comes, er, close to that!

[quote]Click, click, click. —K. Hepburn

I watched "A Delicate Balance" last night. Kate Reid, as the drunk sister, stomped all over Hepburn's acting. Reid was creating a real person, Hepburn was playing her grande dame shtick to the balcony, of which there wasn't even a live audience.

R2 is an idiot. Meryl's daughters are famously messes -- spoiled drunks who think the world owes them everything. Trust me, I've had to deal with one of them at work once. She made Leona Helmsley look sweet.

That's shocking, r24! They seem so nice!! But, what about Glenn's daughter? She seems like a real *beep*!

Streep wins on technical skills but sometimes never gets beyond that. Close is best sticking to roles that are close to her Waspy roots (and Cruella is not far removed). Lange is just overrated--never got the love when she was younger and now that she looks like she's had plastic surgery by way of a belt sander, there's even less to like. She has little range and her marriage to the overrated Sam Shepherd just seems to fit my sense of her as not worth the effort. Spacek showed that she could outclass all of them--Cole Miner's Daughter is both technically strong and lived-in. She gets stuck playing somewhat stereotypic mothers in low budget indies or tv efforts and almost always brings more to the table than anyone else. She stands out in movies "Home at the End of the World" despite the lack of explanation for her Texas accent in Cleveland (the book explains it) and supporting the talent-free Dallas Roberts.

Specek seems like a sweetheart, but I'm just meh about her.

For me, they are in this order: 1. Glenn 2. Jessica 3. Meryl

Of the three, I like Jessica Lange. The other two don't matter to me. Streep is overhyped and Glenn Close doesn't have a great body of work.

Sissy Spacek is marvelous at the country bumpkin routine. You could classify all of her best work under that heading.

Close is good but leaves me meh.

Streep and Lange are my go-to's. Always surprising, fun to watch and deeply compelling.

It's no wonder they're the most revered, honored and awarded of all the girls mentioned in this thread.

You all need to go out more.

None of them come anywhere near Lois Smith.

Who, r30? Never heard of her!

None of them hold a candle to Ellen Burstyn or Clo Leachman. THEY are truly great actresses.

I always used to confuse Ellen Burstyn with Gena Rowlands, sort of like when people confuse Glenn and Meryl or Bette and Joan.

R32 When I hear that I should apologize to the likes of Vanessa Redgrave, Meryl Streep and Jessica Lange, and all the other great actresses who are slighted by high praise.

Meryl Streep = Bette Davis/Kate Hepburn; multiple winner/nominee, technically proficient but not always emotionally accessible

Glenn Close = Barbara Stanwyck; raw talent, austere looks, superb when given the righ role, Academy bridesmaid.

Jessica Lange = Joan Crawford ; beautiful and talented good at playing the neurotic. Known for her looks and love life as much as her talent.

r5 French films?

A natural remedy for insomnia.

You're right about all but the Glenn/Stanwyck comparison, r35. Glenn is more Mary Martin meets Jean Arthur than she is another Stanwyck. She's much more theatrical and even a bit more on the gentle side than Stanwyck, who was way more intimidating later in life---even more than Patty Hewes!

R35 I kind of like these comparisons.

Stanwyck had a hard edge, whereas Glenn's edge is soft.

Jessica Lange = Bette Davis

Meryl Streep = Kate Hepburn

Glenn Close = ?

I see Glenn as more Norma Shearer

R35 here-I compared Glenn to Barbara because they both started out on stage, had strong independent streaks and despite all the great performances, never got the Oscars they deserved. And for those who think Stanwyck was only hard edged, watch her in STELLA DALLAS and MY REPUTATION.

R41 omg. I almost fucking posted that!

Glenn does a great "little girl" voice, not in the sexual way, like Monroe or something, but in the innocent, cute way, like Mary Martin in Peter Pan.

Jessica: a combo of Davis AND Crawford Streep: Hepburn and Stanwyck

Close: Mary Marin and Jean Arthur---with a hefty dose of Joan Crawford thrown in

During Stanwyck's time if you weren't associated with one studio for any length of time your chances of winning an Oscar decreased considerably.

Then like now it's politics and favoritism.

Sorry r42. I've seen Stella Dallas and My Reputation. But, other than business-wise, I see nothing in common between Stanwyck and Close. Close is more Crawford than Stanwyck, if you look at the type of women she plays. And her energy---her vibe---is very different from Stany.

Lange in "Titus" swallows them ALL. I should know, I was there (and "Frances" is my favorite performance by anyone ever).

Close as a doctor in the recent zombie film, GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS is comparable to Joan Crawford as a doctor in the monster film, Trog. And Close in FATAL ATTRACTION is like Crawford in POSSESSED. And Close as Cruella DeVille is like Crawford in Queen Bee. More and more, her resume is resembling Crawford's.

She acted like Mary Martin/Jean Arthur in MAXIE though.

R48 But Close was never as beautiful as Crawford so no.

r48 hate to break it to you, but there are a lot of people who think Crawford was NEVER beautiful and a lot who think Close is seductive, so yes.

Anyone who thinks Glenn was never beautiful needs to watch 101 Dalmatians again! She was one sexy villain!

Close was sexy in the 1980s with Fatal Attraction.

I like Meryl, but as previous posters mentioned, she doesn't exactly exude warmth. In fact, when she plays colder characters, she's especially stunning.

I never really got Lange until I saw her in the first season of American Horror Story. She was extraordinary, burning up the screen ever second she was on.

Close--I'm indifferent to. She's was great in Dangerous Liaisons. The rest, she unmemorable.

Close is far from "unmemorable" in 101 Dalmatians and plenty of other roles. I beg to differ, r53!

I agree with Meryl Streep.

But Julianne Moore is up in the Top 3 for me.

Glenn Close owns this thread!

R56 M and J do.

They look like they're at their 25th year high school reunion.

I love Cissy Spacek, but I can never take my eyes off of her horribly done nose, which seems to be an unfortunate mix of Michael Jackson's and Nanette Fabray's noses.

2017 is the year of Pfeiffer's comeback. If the films she has coming out this year can make up for the horrible career choices of the last decade, I'd put her alongside Lange, Streep and Close.

R60 Pfeiffer and Lange were exquisite together in "A Thousand Acres".

Crawford was photogenic, and was quite striking when younger, but she morphed into a drag queen in the 50s and 60s...Close is not conventionally attractive, but has interesting features and a surprisingly curvy body.

I want to be with Close now that she's divorced. But, I don't know if she'd fancy a woman.

@R61 Totally underrated performances.

With every year that passes, that Oscar Cher won for Moonstruck becomes more upsetting. (And I remember Meryl basically jumping up for joy in the aisle. That must piss Glenn off to this day.)

I mean, Fatal Fucking Attraction! What more do you have to do to win a goddamn Academy Award? There is not a single Meryl or Jessica Lange performance that is as iconic.

Glenn's performances in Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liaisons are two of the most Cunt-tastic performances of all time. They are gifts from the Homo Gods. All of us queens on DL should be on Team Glenn.

R64 Agreed!

Just look at them!

Streep - probably one of the best screen actors of the 20th Century

Lange - Never liked her. Her work is mannered and she always plays crazy women. Trashy TV suits her

Close - Competent but forgettable just like Amy Adams

This video is so fucking well done.

Jessica is talentless. She's played the same character in every role she's ever gotten. And she's a mean, nasty drunk.

R69 Awww. Sad little hater -

No one can top Lange in a role never mentioned here--Cousin Bette. She has a range and a control that is unmatched by any US, English or French actress.

R67. Thank God Meryl know better, is smarter and has better taste than you.

R71 So good in "Cousin Bette".

I love all three, but Lange excites me more. She's like a jazz musician--not so much concerned about precision (à la Streep), but in reaching deep down into the soul and discovering what lurks within.

R74 So true. Great pics, too!

The old movie analogies don't really work because the expectations of acting have changed.

Streep's technical roles most approximate the career of Paul Muni who did money losing prestige biopics.

Close is a bit like Hepburn in terms of social background (unconventional old money), but has more range. hepburn could never have done Fatal Attraction. her closest role to that was Suddenly Last Summer and she really couldn't get to that "boiled rabbit" part of teh character.

Lange is a farm girl like Donna Reed but with more actress-y pretense despite starting as a model who played girlfriend to King Kong with dumb dialog. Reed was better actress than most of her parts allowed, whereas Lange comes across as a less crazy Tuesday Weld much of the time. Weld would have made a great "Frances", given that her life had similarities.

I'm the Fatal Attraction fan at R65. I wouldn't say that Close has more range than Hepburn. Could she have done the 30s screwball comedies? I don't think so.

But I would have loved to see Close tackle The African Queen or Summertime. Those are two roles she could have nailed. Spinster on the outside with a deep repressed sensuality.

Please don't hate on Lange.

She's beyond.

Fuck Frances and Sophie can kiss my choice. I'm the one that vibrated the masses.

R80 Bitch, I would've kicked the crazy straight out your ass.

Cher kissed so much ass to get that Oscar. I like her but I cannot stand MOONSTRUCK. Cheesy dago ass movie. Glenn didn't campaign hard enough for that movie. She also should have won for ALBERT NOBBS...

R82 Agreed

Fatal Attraction was a controversial Oscar Nomination. Even at the announcement ceremony bitch Shirley MacLaine announced she didn't like it or any other "stabbing" movie.

Close was also very pregnant during that time so she probably didn't see much point in campaigning. Holly Hunter and prior to the nominations Lillian Gish were the main canditates anyway.

It doesn't matter about Glenn losing to Cher. She was still new-ish to the leading-lady scene, so it's understandable. But, there's NO EXCUSE for her losing to Meryl in 2011! That was Glenn's year more than any other! She wrote the lyrics to the theme for Albert Nobbs, co-wrote the screen-play, AND gave a great performance!

If they HAD TO give it to Meryl, Glenn should have at least won the Oscar for best song---which would set her apart from all her peers, talent-wise! 2011 was Glenn's year!

Oops! I meant 2012. 2012 was the year of Glenn! It was HER YEAR and it was kept from her. It's not just because of Meryl though, it's also the slight she got for her song, like I said.

Posting a bunch of Jess gifs is not an argument. Her films are terrible with the exception of Tootsie. AHS is trashy television and Feud looks to be the same

R67 Rgardless of what you think of the quality films, she's a brilliant actress who always pushes herself.

Also, AHS and Feud will probably remembered more than anything your fave has done.

As bad television? You are biased and irrational

Lange's performances are legendary and will withstand the test of time, elevating her films with her.

Those films are rotten - except Tootsie

Nobody in this thread has as many iconic roles as Close. So, she wins!

R91 That's the best you got? Can't attack her as an actress 'cause she's brilliant.

Who the fuck cares what you think of her films?

If we ranked them based on how they treat their fans, it would go a little something like this:

1. Streep 2. Close 3. Lange

R94 She's shy and reclusive, but does sign and if she feels the person is genuinely moved by her work - not star-hungry - she'll pose for pics.

Jessica blows off autograph seekers.

Okay, but that's always an iffy move isn't it? Making a judgement call on whether or not to sign based on how you feel about the person making the request is a little unfair, in my opinion. She should just sign.

Jessica disappoints a sweet little girl.

Lange made an announcement last year to stage door fans saying she loves her theater fans but she couldn't sign because she was having stalker issues from American Horror Story

the staff would then repeat it nightly at the stage door

R96 R97. And sometimes she does.

Jesus, you girl(s) are really grasping at straws.

What a bitch.

Back in 1997, Entertainment Weekly made a list of the 100 greatest stars in which they said Streep was a movie star as a medicine - good for you, but not much fun. And in a way, they were right (for that time - back than she didn't have that many Mama Mias on her résumé). She was not there to seduce, comfort or reassure the audience. She didn't exuded sex appeal, warmth or friendliness. She was professionally, methodically, some would used the term academically, studying an array of characters, which formed not a continuous, relateable persona the way Movie Stars usually do, but a rather challenging accumulated critical examination of traditional female roles after the feminism of the '70s. And yes, there was something Brechtian about her acting (no wonder she made her rare c theater comeback in Mother Courage). I think it's a testament to her greatness, but I can see why many are put off by it.

Meanwhile, here's Glenn, signing her little heart out!

Cunt

And another

And another!

God, she's awful to her fans.

She actualls posts a table in a middle of a chaotic room of fans who can randomly approach her, strike up conversations and ask her to sign things.

That whore!

I just find Jessica blowing off fans hilarious. She just doesn't give a damn.

And another event.

Yeah, and she probably got paid for it too, r107! It was a planned event, much different than having grace under the fire of random autograph hunters!

Over this shit.

Glenn is so good, she signs on a car roof!

R110 Like this?

Can someone post pics and videos of me signing like you've done with Jess and Glenn?

I feel left out.

Glenn is so good, she stops to sign, even when busy on the phone!

I have to admit, Glenn is too fucking cute.

R115 You know Glenn is talking to no one on that phone, lol.

She's like, get me the fuck out of here.

Here is Jane Fonda signing

Jessica has been known to kick little children in the face. She is a dreadful person

r114. Here you go, Meryl, dear. One for you. Though, that signature! Tisk, tisk.

R119 No, you are, honey. And you know it.

R118 lmfao!

R120. Meryl was not having them, lol.

Lmao.

r18, this is the Meryl, Glenn, and Jessica club. No Jane's allowed!

*Sigh* Fans. Who needs 'em. Just leave me with my merlot.

Geez, I'm beginning to think Meryl is not as friendly as everyone claims!

Meanwhile, here's my baby, being a low-key pal

Meryl won't answer paparazzi.

They confused M for Tracey Ullman, lmao.

Not nearly as prolific as these three but one of my favs is ANGELICA HUSTON!

All 3 are good but Meryl has always been the most gifted. She is arguably the most famous actress in the world and millions of people love her movies. Glenn also has some classic films on her resume. Lange is a great actress but I don't like her film or TV product.

But are they really the three best? Seems like a very narrow view

Jess at the airport.

Keep hating. So tacky, lol.

Of the three actresses in this thread, Glenn seems to be the most approachable generally. But, if we bring in others, I think Sarah Paulson is probably the best signer, cause she doesn't even care if you sell her stuff on ebay---she'll still sign whatever. Plus, she has a nice relationship with the paparazzi.

If stars are nice to them, they'll generally be nice back. It's a relationship---one in which Streep and Lange seem particularly bad at.

What is a Sarah Paulson?

I'll bet r114 is sorry we complied with her request now!

R135 lmao

Jessica Lange is the queen among today's actresses. She's the best.

OP writes,

“Probably the three greatest American actresses of the last 40 years.”

No.

A lot of people figure they projected the most intelligent—and that adds up to talent—but, no, they have their limits.

[quote] What is a Sarah Paulson?

She's "The Bette Davis of America".

Is there a global mime union? Is Jessica Lange in it? Has Jessica ever been honored by the world's mime community? Will she ever return to her mime roots?

Actually, r77, Close can do comedy very well. Catch her in MAXIE, and you may agree.

R139 lmao

I think we can conclude based on the consensus of all these replies here that Meryl is not as all-around good as she's said to be, Lange is just complicated, and Close is better than them both.

[quote]And yes, there was something Brechtian about her acting (no wonder she made her rare c theater comeback in Mother Courage).

Uh, she did the starry "The Seagull" before Mother Courage.

Here's a piece of gossip for you. When Glenn Close was doing "Sunset Boulevard" the first time on Broadway, she specifically would wait in her dressing room until the fans at the door got tired and went away. It caused problems at the theater because the security guard wanted to lock up and go home.

Glenn seems like a very introverted woman. No crime in that. In that way she's just like Stanwyck. Lots of celeb actors are painfully shy people.

[quote]Lots of celeb actors are painfully shy people.

Vivien Leigh and Barbra Streisand to name two others.

Even DL hottie Chris Evans admits to having a problem with large crowds and people shoving microphones in his face.

Is it gossip, or do you know that for a fact, r145?

If true, it proves that Glenn must have really changed over the years, because evidence shows that she now signs/sees fans after shows all the time. It doesn't sound like her to leave them standing there.

R143. No. She's just hungrier.

"She" who, r143? What do you mean?

[quote]Is it gossip, or do you know that for a fact

This was early in the run and I knew it for fact. I had a friend who waited her out after one performance. However, somebody spilled the beans because I remember having it confirmed when I read it in the theater gossip pages of one of the NY papers. It was presented as there were "budget" problems at one theater because the producers didn't want to pay overtime, yet the star refused to leave at a specified time.

Okay, strike one against Close!

Bummer.

I doubt it was a case of Glenn "refusing" to leave, r152. It was probably just her following her instincts and she felt nervous at the prospect of being met with such a noisy mob, so she (to her great shame) waited in the hopes that they would leave and she could therefore subvert any awkwardness.

It probably didn't even enter her mind at the time that she was costing the theater money, and I seriously doubt anyone there pressed her to leave. So, she wasn't "refusing," she was simply following her whim.

[quote]So, she wasn't "refusing," she was simply following her whim.

Gossip columnists don't bother themselves with facts. They are there to create drama.

The critics are raving Lange in Feud.

[quote] Close--I'm indifferent to. She's was great in Dangerous Liaisons. The rest, she unmemorable.

You should watch Damages. She was as exceptional in this as Lange was in American Horror Story. Sometimes good tv series trump (sorry) movies.

In my opinion Glenn is the only one who doesn't leave a thread from movie to movie. The two others have mannerisms / tics that they cannot seem to let go of. For that reason I think Glenn is the best actress of the three.

People need to stop crapping over Cher's Oscar win. At the time, she had just come off of a very successful year, and a rarity for an actress. Three movies in one year, two of them huge hits. Moonstruck was a well liked movie by public and critics. She was arguably the hottest, most sought after actress working at the time of her Oscar win. Add to that her being snubbed for Mask and not winning for Silkwood. No one was surprised when they called her name, except perhaps Sally Kirkland.

Glenn would have won were it not for that ridiculous ending to an otherwise great movie. Hence, why she fought to keep the original ending in tact. Feminists HATED the outcome, and some critics disliked that it went from a suspenseful romantic thriller to a 80's slasher film within one scene.

It's disingenuous to say that the transition between romantic thriller and 80 slasher happened within the span of a few minutes in FATAL ATTRACTION, r159. It's just not the case.

Alex Forrest was showing signs of violence – even if only toward self – fairly early on in the film. Don't forget the scene where she slits her wrists, right after Michael Douglas declares that he won't be with her anymore, if I remember correctly. This happened well before the ending that you are referring to.

So, I don't think the ending the film ended up with was ridiculous at all. It was simply more theatrical, which is probably the one and only reason the film remains so iconic. Notice I didn't say that it's the only reason the film was good, but it is what gave it the iconic status. That ending is unforgettable. And besides, I saw footage of the alternate ending on YouTube – I wasn't impressed. It left me underwhelmed. I think in the end, the movie makers made the right choice – and even Glenn close eventually agreed, even if somewhat begrudgingly.

That ending to Fatal Attraction is what made the film. By the end, everyone (except the feminists) wanted that bitch to die. (And when I saw it opening weekend, middle class white people were screaming at the screen to kill her.) It was old school entertainment with its finger on the pulse of changing sexual politics. Truly iconic.

What female performance since has had that kind of impact? What Streep or Lange performance has even come close?

It may not have been a surprise Cher won...but it was a shame. Moonstruck is fluff. Her performance is adequate, nothing more. And since winning that Oscar, what has she done? Mermaids? Burlesque? Pathetic.

I hated Fatal Attraction's ending and much preferred the original ending. I didn't see Alex as a villain.

I was also very happy that Cher won the Oscar for Moonstruck. Great film, great performance. I also loved Holly Hunter in Broadcast News.

Lange kicks all their asses.

This montage is broken up into two songs. Sooo good.

R74 Beautifully put.

Meryl Streep - Classical Music/New Age

Jessica Lange - Jazz/Punk Rock

Glenn Close - Country/Muzak

Film: Streep, Close, Lange

Theater: Close, Lange, Streep

TV: Lange, Close, Streep

Actually, Streep has Angels in America so it should be

TV: Lange, Streep, Close

That way they all get gold, bronze and silver medals

So, by that measure, Close is the clear winner, r167. Great post!

She's also the winner when it comes to being sexy and playful at the same time! Nobody can stuff her face with more gusto than my baby! Such a turn-on, especially near the end, when she rubs her face against that of the host. Sexy, sweet animal, she is!

Always close, bout no cigar

Give Glenn Close and Annette Bening an Oscar, and I'll be happy.

By the time Lange hit it big in movies, her looks weren't all that anymore.

But in the 70s she was quite beautiful.

R172, I beg your pardon?

Smoldering

R172 her career was far from a sure thing at that point.

By the time of Tootsie she was pretty but in a far more ordinary/accessible way.

By the mid/late 80s there was nothing all that great about her looks.

R175 It is known that Lange downplayed her looks. She could've looked as gorgeous as she wanted to, but has never been that type.

She was 42-43 when she made "Blie Sky" and was a knockout.

Gorgeous.

She was Monroe-esque in "Blue Sky". Sublime.

So, could somebody tell me what that weird tattoo is that Lange has on her lower arm near her hand?

Of the three, Glenn has the most interesting, thoughtful quotes. So, score one more point for Close!

If Lange is the beautiful body, Close is the beautiful mind.

R179 It's a Celtic Knot she got in Paris, I believe, in the late 90's, early 00's. Her daughter Shura got a matching one.

She got the Celtic knot tattoo with Shura. She got a crescent moon tattoo in Paris in the 1970s.

r182 Never would have guessed that. It's always so distracting, cause it photographs as just a blue-ish blotch. Thanks for the info!

Crescent moon

re: r180 But, some of the things Close says, even though they come from an honest place, are, I must admit, just a tad ill-thought-out or unsatisfying. For example, she says that she refuses to "judge" her characters, because she wants to love them all. Well, that's sweet, right? But even after consciously choosing not to label ANY of her characters as evil, she steps back from that a bit, by relenting that Cruella is the exception, that she "is evil, cause she's the Devil". When I read that, I was like---now, there goes your perfect record of empathy and non-judgement, my lady!

She concludes that "truly evil people" are the result of genetics. I know she is spiritual, so maybe she didn't mean that in a strictly scientific way, like an atheist would... maybe instead, attributing evil to genetics is her way of stopping just short of/refraining from judging the soul?

Hard to tell, but if her theory is correct---which I believe it may be---then her quote needs to be amended a bit, to say that truly evil people are the "victims" of bad genetics, rather than just the results of them.

Monroe-esque if you mean a horny middle-aged woman. Wasn't she a prostitute? She always has to be sexual and crazy, which to me means no range.

Is Glenn even in the business anymore?

Meryl now has bodyguards so we are in a tough chapter for older broads

[quote]Is Glenn even in the business anymore? r187: Glenn is busier than she had been in years! What a question!

Who the heck are you talking about, r150?!

Fatal Attraction also had detractors because it was so obviously rip off of "Play Misty for Me."'

Holly Hunter was actually Cher's main competition in 87 for Broadcast News.

I love Glenn Close and just wish she'd get in touch with her inner lesbian already!

I doubt every woman has an "inner lesbian" but I think Glenn does. If only she'd allow herself to go there.

r191: I AM NOT interested, Meryl. Give it up already!

r183 - So, Jessica must use body make-up to cover them up when not filming then---or jewelry. I am in the process of watching her in "Wild Oats" right now and don't notice the arm tattoo. Though, I do notice that she's wearing a lot of bracelets in this movie, so that's probably why.

LOL @ r191

r193---no, seriously! Glenn would make a great lesbian!! And if I had my way, she and I would be lovers, fully and completely in-love with each-other!

and someone started this thread so soon after my thread about Glenn, that some of you may have missed that one! Here it is, if interested. Please post Glenn stories, if you have any!

I think Glenn IS a repressed lesbian. Just a hunch.

I don't get it, r200. But trust me, under the right circumstances, and with the right woman, Glenn would erupt with passion and lust she'd never known. All she has to do is try it, and she'll never look back! I think she probably has some mad un-tapped love-making skills that she'll only truly know of with a woman.

Just like her lesbian character in SERVING IN SILENCE (1995) says of herself at one point in the movie, "You know, I finally realized--I can be awfully slow sometimes." I think the same is true of Glenn.

Another thing---note how when discussing her teen years in THE MORAL RE-ARMAMENT (conservative group), she says that she was made to feel ashamed of "any unnatural desire" and that she was taught not to trust her instincts.

Hmmm... wonder what she could have meant by that? Well, I can think of one possibility!

Moral Re-Armament was more of a hippy/jesus freak thing than a really conservative one. Lefty's can be prudes and nnoying Christians, as well.

Yeah, I figured it probably had a religious basis, r203. But, I appreciate you pointing out that leftys can have those things in common with rightys. It's good to find common-ground, in all its forms :-)

But, when Glenn mentions that she was made to feel guilty for any "unnatural desire"- what could she have been talking about, if not same-sex desire? Do you think that's what she meant? She was pretty vague, which suggests to me that it might be something like that.

the OP asked what are some things we like AND dislike about each of them, so I'd like to add some dislikes to balance out the likes:

GLENN: I like that Glenn wasn't an Obama suck-up, like most of Hollywood. During his 2nd term, she was asked about her opinion, and was smart enough to say that celebs who lend their voices to politics "very quickly lose their credibility"; it's quite telling, when given the chance, she didn't praise him to the hilt. Nor did her sis.

DISLIKES: I don't like some of the decisions she's made in her personal life, nor her disdain for our current prez. But, at least she has handled it a lot more fairly than most of her Democratic peers, refraining from posting Trump hate online and such.

MERYL: I like that she's so revered and seems so down-to-earth too.

DISLIKES: I dislike that she acts like she thinks she's a politician and and has recently polarized her fan-base, which shows a lack of respect on her part.

JESSICA: I like the career resurgence she has experienced and like the others, I find her even more interesting now, in her older years. I also like that, unlike Streep, she keeps her politics mostly to herself.

DISLIKE: I dislike that she doesn't embrace her fans more and basically lets them know that they are nothing to her in the grand scheme of things. Well, I'm glad motherhood and her personal life is so fulfilling to her, but geez---we get the message, Lange!

[quote]Meryl now has bodyguards so we are in a tough chapter for older broads

What does that have to do with anything, r187? Except to show that Meryl's fame has finally gone to her head or something.

What I love about Jessica, Meryl and Glenn is that all three can be subtle amd unassuming, but also grand and larger than life like no others.

They're fab!

If Lange was younger, I think she would have been great in a Madeline Kahn biopic. Every time I see her, she reminds me of Kahn.

Check out this video of Glenn and Tracy Ullman going at it; pure gold!!

Glenn does a better British grand dame accent than most British grand dames!! She's so fab!!

Here's the vid of Lange winning for TOOTSIE. And you can see Glenn, looking so sweet, when they call the nominees.

And for those who are curious about what Glenn would have looked like going up to accept the Oscar in 2012, here she is on the Red Carpet, along with many other arrivals. Once again, she looks so sweet! I don't care for the dress, but she herself just has a sweet vibe. Love it!

R205, Jessica keeps her politics to herself NOW. But during the Dubya years she was very vocal in her hatred for Dubya and the Iraq invasion.

R212 She's a liberal democrat who was always for the Clinton's until The War...

She campaigned for Obama and made no bones about no longer being able to back Hillary due to her flip-flop politics.

However, Lange has always been classy and in the intervening years her star has risen so high I think she knows it's best to keep her politics to herself now. Especially this election after Bernie was dumped.

Smart move.

Reese loves Lange.

Win.

Her star has risen so high? Feud on F/X?

R215 That'll get a lot more viewers than your fave's next three projects combined

Queens, all of them.

Bacall was badass.

[quote]Q: Since we're on the topic of actresses, who’s on your list of current-day great actresses?

[quote]A: It’s a short list. I love Jessica Lange, always been a fan of hers. Annette Bening. And Kate Winslet. She’s always been good, even in those early movies in England.

Lange wins.

Close owns my heart AND this thread! Love ya, Glenn!

R219. Nah. M and J still do...

r220- Ha! M is barely even acknowledged here, poor thing! This is a G vs. J battle, and I think Glennie wins! Even her initials are first, as is she! :-D

R221 Now you and M are somewhat even since you barely get acknowledged by the Academy...

r222-Touché, little Lange, touché.

P.S. Be careful how you speak to your elders, young lady! I still have a couple years---and a couple credits---over you.

R223 And ZERO Oscars.

Tut, tut, Meryl, my pet. We all know that the honorary Oscar is where it's really at, which will be MINE someday!

R223 Yes, but whom did Bacall love as an actress...?

r226- I will just let my laughter speak for itself, darling! I'm laughing as we speak!

R226 Good one, J. I think you've finally driven her mad with the truth. Our work is done here.

r228- WAIT!!! I'n not finished yet!....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................still laughing!!! Bwahahahahahaha!!!!

Your fourth thread of the night! Binge poster!

Glenn fans, post here!

...it's the Official-est Glenn Close thread on DL! :-)

...it's the Glenniest Glenn Close thread! :-D

A funny Meryl vs. Glenn video that will make you LOL!

...lovin' that guy at the end! I bet Glenn would love him too.

Jess turns down an autograph hound again.

r236- Geez, that really makes one appreciate Glenn more!

r236- I do think Glenn turns down one person here, but that was after she signed a couple, and the guys filming were rather crude by mentioning her sex scene to her! So, all things considered, I think she handled this pretty well too. She could have responded rudely to that, but she didn't.

I noticed that Glennie walks slow, like the old lady she is, while Jessie still has some pep in her step.

r239- Watch it, Meryl! You're soon to follow, babe! You always follow in MY footsteps!

r236/r238- I wonder how those paps know to be there with a camera at the exact time a star walks in? Are they just always there by the door, in case one comes by, like being on guard, or do they somehow know these stars' schedules?

R241, at LAX, there are a group of paps who patrol the terminals every day looking for celebrities. They work for international conglomerates and get paid salaries plus commissions, so it's a pretty easy gig.

god, a half dozen years of camp for Ryan and now Jessica Lange is one of the great actresses of all time. I know you're excited about the Crawford Davis thing, but lets not lose our minds entirely.

All three of their pussies stink.

R243, But Lange was considered one of the greats before she ever met Ryan Murphy. Her stature declined in the mid-nineties, but Murphy revitilized her career.

[quote]the 22nd thespian

She's HETEROSEXUAL!!!

I love Glenn! The other two mean a hill'a beans to me. Glenn has my heart!

Thank you for the great reply, r242. That explains it!

publicists tip off the paps, too.

r249- But, aren't publicists on the star's side? That would mean the stars want the paps there to follow them, yet they more often than not act appalled by the paps. So, it doesn't make any sense.

that's the game.

R250 oh but it does.

r252- How so?

99 percent of the stars have their publicists tip off the paps as to where they are going to be. So, even in between projects (which can be a while for some of these people), they are constantly in the tabloids so they can still be considered "relevant."

Then, "influencer" agencies keep track of who is constantly in the media (both regular and social) and approach these same celebrity handlers about collaborations in the fashion and lifestyle industry to guarantee these people another generous flow of income.

But of course everyone pretends the paps of coming after THEM. Yeah right.

Even if you are a very big star, if you want to stay out of the public eye, you basically can. Do you see the paps trailing M? Not really.

r254- the paps don't trail G either. The video of her at the airport posted above was the only video of its kind that I've seen of Glenn. So, I doubt her publicist (if she even has one) tips anybody off in that way. Glenn is most likely above that sort of thing.

As for M, the one time I did see a video of the paps following her in the airport, she was mighty rude--unlike my Glenn.

R255 no of course not,,,most of the actors of that generation are above that sort of thing.

As for Jane Fonda, I know it's sort of popular to say she's not great at comedy, or doesnt have a sense of humor in real life, but I actually have never found either to be true. And I think she's very funny in 9 to 5 - albeit in a different way from the other two.

She also shows some great comedic timing in Fun with Dick and Jane and saved that crap movie Monster in Law.

Just finished watching FEUD on FX, and couldn't shake the thought of how much Meryl and Glenn are like Bette and Joan 2.0

They aren't *exactly* alike personality-wise, but they have enough similarities between them, that I'll say this:

Meryl = Bette Glenn = Joan (which is so fitting, as I'm team Joan anyway!)

Love ya, Glenn and Joan!

Meryl = Bette, whereas Glenn = Joan, in case it wasn't clear above (darn formatting issues!)

Glenn should have won for Dangerous Liaisons. Of the three, though, she is the one who most needs the "right" role. She stinks up Lion in Winter and South Pacific.

r259- I think Glenn should have won for Cruella De Vile. I mean, why can't an actress win for a family comedy? She was superb in it!

As for SOUTH PACIFIC, I beg to differ. She was the best Nellie Forbush ever!

r259- I mean, HOW can anyone watch this show-stopping opening number and NOT conclude that it and Glenn were better than SOUTH PACIFIC original? Just compare them! Seriously---It blows the original outta the water!!

Bless Ms. Close for doing it and helping produce this superior remake, cause I've never enjoyed SOUTH PACIFIC until Glenn's version. (Thank you, dear Glenn!)

...Also this. Glenn's I'M GONNA WASH THAT MAN RIGHT OUTTA MY HAIR is head and shoulders better than the original movie version---so much better, in fact, that it makes the original look like...well, crap (no offense).

Glenn should have washed the man out of that performance.

r263- Have you seen other versions to compare? Hers was much more lively and fun---the way the song should be!

I'm better than these three mediocre actresses!

Mitzi owns the role of Nellie Forbush.

The people who say Glenn is like the "Barbra Stanwyck" of her generation must be speaking from a purely business standpoint, considering Oscars and such. But, as people and as actresses, they really aren't alike at all.

r266- No, Glenn does. Could Mitzi cry real tears and sound anything other than a forlorn teenager throughout? Na uh. Check out this touching scene. Mitzi could NEVER have done this scene justice. Glenn is so adorable in her heartbreak. I just want to kiss her face all over!

Glenn, quit posting about yourself. You sucked in South Pacific. You were 300 years too old for the role and looked like a man. Give it up.

....actually, the scene starts at 1:29:53

r269- Maybe you are just too young to appreciate a sexy older woman!

Lange and Sarandon have done their homework. These are two very full performances, emotionally. Sarandon has Davis’s aggressive shuffling walk down, as well as the downturned mouth, the biting-off of consonants. But, more important, Sarandon gets at the essence of this woman who had been going to bat for herself since her earliest days at Warner Bros. Years ahead of her time, Davis walked out on her contract in 1936, demanding more control and better roles. Warner Bros. took her to court. (She lost and was called “a naughty little girl” by Warner’s lawyer during the proceedings.) As she wrote in her 1962 memoir, “The Lonely Life”: “I was thought to be ‘stuck up.’ I wasn’t. I was just sure of myself. This is and always has been an unforgivable quality to the unsure.”

Lange faces a larger challenge playing Crawford, mainly because of the still-looming specter of Faye Dunaway’s Kabuki-style performance in the 1981 film “Mommie Dearest,” an adaptation of Crawford’s daughter Christina’s poison-pen memoir. That film was so hostile to Crawford that even a simple afternoon jog is presented as a psychotic break. One of the things that “Feud” highlights, and that Lange nails, is Crawford’s insecurity about herself as an actress. The best moment in the pilot comes when Bette admits, “When you’re good, Joan, you’re good.” Lange turns to look up at Sarandon, her face so alight with need that the overwhelming impression is one of fragility, a woman who always wanted what Davis had. Respect.

This is Glenn's Oscar role right here. Not sure if it's coming out next year. They've finished filming so it should be ready by Oscar season.

Most likely Best Supporting Actress...but it depends on the script, I guess. Gillian Anderson has a great part, too. Julian Fellowes wrote at least the first draft. You can see why he'd be interested. It's got a Gosford Park vibe in that it's a bunch of characters mainly in a house together.

It is truly one of the great Agatha Christie books and has the potential to be a gay film classic. Trust me. Read it and we'll talk.

r269- And no, my darling Glenn was not too old for the part. There's nothing that says an older woman can't be a chipper optimist! There isn't an age-limit on romance or happiness, and it's not as if she was trying to pass for 20! Quite pickin' on my baby! She was great---and the only Nellie Forbush to me!

Glenn is never winning an Oscar. She's done.

r275- She'll get an honorary Oscar, just like destiny planned for her, ever since she presented one to another sweetheart of a 6-time nominee, Deborah Kerr. It's destiny that they be linked in this way. They are/were both gentle, sweet, and under-appreciated. I can think of no better actress to tie with Deborah Kerr than Glenn.

r273- Perhaps, but the idea that Glenn would win an Oscar for that instead of for her passion-project, ALBERT NOBBS, disgusts me. I'd rather she (with still 6 nominations) win an honorary Oscar at the end of her career, to serve as one great, big thank you for all her great roles. And that way, the link between she and Deborah Kerr will remain, which I think is nice.

G made such a mistake not having them hold Albert Nobbs for a few months. Had it come out in the next calender year she'd have been in a very weak Oscar Best Actress field and she'd have probably beat Jennifer Lawrence.

r278- That's very true. But, I really think there is something symbolically sweet about her getting an honorary Oscar with 6 nominations, just like the genteel lady she presented to all those years ago... As I said elsewhere in the thread, it could be destiny---a possibility I like much more than her winning an Oscar in a weak year.

I'd rather destiny preserve that sweet link.

Another thing... the OP asks what do we love about them--well, I love the sound of Glenn's voice in scenes when she is being sweet, cute, playful, and/or vulnerable---the way she often sounded in SOUTH PACIFIC. It gets me every time! It turns me on, making me wish I could take her in my arms and just smother her with love and kisses!

Oh no, R279...what are you going to do when she gets Nomination #7 for "Crooked House"? That symbolic sweetness she shares with Deborah Kerr will be no more. The chance for destiny...gone forever.

How disgusted will you be then?

r281...I will be SOOO DISGUSTED if that happens, that I will write scathing, angry letters to destiny a la Will Smith in "Collateral Beauty".

So there!

I love Meryl and Jessica.

Good, r283. At least they aren't left out (^_~)

Debra Winger doesn't rate a mention?

Feud is lame. Only Ryan Murphy would cast Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford.

Glenn is in another depressive bout. Buck up!

[quote]Glenn is in another depressive bout. Buck up!

Huh? What makes you say she's depressed, r286?

She has talked about having depression and starting medication for it.

r288- Okay, but what about when r286 referred to her being in "another" depressive bout? That part struck me, because it implies she's been public with depression before, but I don't think I've ever heard her talk about it until recently. So, what were the other times, I wonder?

And, not to be a stuffy ol' skeptic, but I sort of think that Glenn is only talking about it now because of her mental health org. She doesn't seem like the depressive type to me.

Who the hell keeps bringing up Spacek? She's great, but has the least range out of Streep, Close or Lange.

It's hard for Glenn because every morning she looks into the mirror and a man says good morning

Streep raving about Lange in "Sweet Dreams".

Shoulda, woulda, coulda. These kinds of topics are useless. Nobody's gonna get their Oscar taken away because some armchair "critic" thinks somebody else shoulda won it. Never liked Streep in anything. Even that overrated hack, Katharine Hepburn, said of Streep: "Click, click, click. You can see the wheels turning." Of the three, Lange is best and infinitely more interesting to watch than the other two. And, of course, there's always some Cher basher that wishes Glenn would have won for Fatal Attraction. Cher's got that Oscar. Deal with it!

I feel bad for Glenn Close. She has given a lot of iconic performances but Emma Stone , JLaw , and Goop all have Oscars >_>. I know sometimes you just can't help if someone was in a more Oscar bait movie than yours and the shift in politics in the Academy ... but DAMN!

Still generations will remember her for Fatal Attraction.

[quote]Still generations will remember her for Fatal Attraction.

r295- I don't disagree. But, I think that while she will always be remembered for her role in that film, as the years go by, the film she will ultimately be more associated with than any other is 101 DALMATIANS; it's appealing to a wider audience and people tend to hold the movies they grew up with most dear, which will only increase as more kids see it over the years and share it with others.

Interestingly, Glenn herself has said that one of her biggest dreams as a child was to meet Mr. Disney and act in his movies (she was convinced as a little girl that if he met her, he would put her in his movies right away). So, even though she may not have been able to meet Mr. Disney, how fitting that that little girl grew up have one of the most memorable roles ever in a Disney film!

Yes, I think more and more, Cruella De Vil will be recognized as Glenn's most beloved role. And I have a feeling she wouldn't mind that at all.

Lange is mannered and repeats herself. Only Ryan Murphy hires her. Crazy lady

Queens.

Love them. Imagine these three in a "The First Wives Club" type of movie.

They should star in something together.

"3 Women Revisited"

Where is the adorable G fan that was posting in this thread?

Please, I'm sick of hyperbole like "the greatest actor," "the greatest playwright," etc. Sure, they do good work, more power to them...but there are SCORES of performers, writers, what have you, who do consistently excellent work below radar. To say ANYONE is the best ANYTHING is just so much nonsense.

You should've capitalized the names, op...

All three will soon be ascending.

Gaga has invited Glenn to her Vegas show and they'll duet on The World Is Your Hometown.

M and Jess yes but I'm reconsidering the third...

Charlize Theron.

I love Jessica Lange. But she was living in New Orleans last year and walking around quite a lot, so I could see that in person she’s gotten too much surgery. She looks kind of alarming IRL, though she still photographs well.