Evil Heroines: Glenn Close, the undisputed villain
updated the 14 July 2015 à 18:35When talking about the villains of cinema, a name emerges on everyone’s lips: Glenn Close. With her crazy charisma and undisputed game as an actress, she wins the award for the most evil characters ever portrayed.
In cinema, she trapped a girl’s rabbit in a pot, tried to tailor a coat from baby Dalmatians, and catalysed the downfall of a damsel in debauchery. On television, she was also seen as a Machiavellian lawyer through five seasons of Damages. Just a brief filmography of Glenn Close is a testament to the glory of the wicked. This trend can already be explained by her late big screen debut. “She shot her first film at age 35,” recalls Didier Roth-Bettoni, “so the younger roles escaped her. And, in the Hollywood of the 1980s, romantic comedies were not for her. ”
At the question of timing is added “a hardness in the face”, a profile of an eagle, a piercing look that makes her the perfect candidate for any bitchy roles. Yet, with the same kind of physique, Meryl Streep manages to avoid this cataloguing. “Streep melts into a role, whereas Glenn Close imposes her personality in it. It is necessary for the character,” says the critic. With six Oscar nominations, two Golden Globes and three Emmy Awards, the star is certainly living proof that wickedness does indeed pay.
“MARQUISE DE MERTEUIL FASCINATED ME!” CAMILLE, 42, EDITOR.
“Growing up, I was really a ninny when it came to relationships. Suffice to say that the Marquise de Merteuil, played by Glenn Close in the adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons, fascinated me. I also would have loved to have Valmont anything to lead me and my world to the ground. Merteuil knew how to decipher all the codes and use it to her benefit. Her wickedness almost faded into the background in my eyes. On hindsight, I am still drawn the most to her, though she ends up alone and syphilitic…”.
READ MORE from OUR REPORT “WHY DO WE PREFER THE VILLAINS?”
The wicked stepmother’s raging ambitions
The femme fatale brings men to their knees
The madwoman draws us in with fear
The manipulative one boosts our ego
The excessively dramatic one who awakens our savage side
The 5 most evil heroines we love to hate!
Josephine LEBARD
