THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 21, 1995 TAG: 9504210060
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
VIRNA LISI, the Hollywood blond of three decades ago, is Virna Lisi, the award-winning actress of today. It is one of the strangest careers in movie lore.
``To Hollywood, I said `NO,' '' Lisi said, pounding her hand on the table during a recent interview in New York. ``I came to Hollywood from Italy as this `thing' to them, this girl they were going to make internationally famous.
``And, yes, I became internationally famous, but I wanted, instead, to play roles. I did not want to be a `thing.' ''
Now 57, Lisi scored her biggest triumph when she won the best actress award at Cannes for her portrayal of the evil Catherine of Medici in ``Queen Margot,'' the costume epic opening tonight at the Naro Expanded Cinema.
``I hear Clint Eeesstwood announce my name on the stage,'' she recalled. ``It was a shock. My God! This was just a small part. My son, who was sitting next to me, whispered and told me not to cry. I got up there and cried as if I were a little starlet. It was very stupid, but, then, it had taken me 35 years to get there. Yes, I have been in this business 35 years.''
Cannes was delightful revenge - a slap in the face to the Hollywood system that saw her only as decoration.
A stunning blond, she began appearing in Italian movies at age 16. In 1965, she was whisked off to Hollywood to star with Jack Lemmon in ``How to Murder Your Wife.'' ``It was very successful, but very light,'' she said with a wave of her manicured hand.
Lisi appeared with Tony Curtis and George C. Scott in ``Not With My Wife, You Don't,'' which she describes as ``trivial fluff.'' She then starred with Frank Sinatra in ``Assault on a Queen.''
``Eeet was not very good,'' she moaned with a profound sadness. ``You saw deese films? How UNFORTUNATE for you!''
Then came an offer to star in ``Barbarella.''
``I said `NO,' '' Lisi said. ``They said, `But you will look wonderful with wings and long silver hair.' I said that I wanted to play something, a role, a real part.''
She packed up and went back to Italy. ``Barbarella'' went to Jane Fonda.
Almost three decades later, after numerous serious roles in Italian movies, a telephone call came through at 12:30 a.m. to her home in Italy.
``Dey tell me I must rush up to France, to the Cannes festival,'' she said. ``I say, `Why? Don't you have enough people there?' My son and I got on a plane and got there at 1:30 p.m.
``Since I was complaining so much, they finally told me I had to attend the awards ceremony because I had won something. I thought it might be best supporting actress for the part in `Queen Margot' but then someone told me they don't give supporting awards. I couldn't imagine that they'd give me best actress for this part. Three of my best scenes were cut from it. But there you have it.''
Still, she believes she deserved the win because ``it must have been difficult for them to find anyone who was willing to look as ugly as this woman. I spent three hours in makeup every morning with them pinning things in my hair, to make me look ugly. During the filming, I stayed by myself all the time. I wouldn't associate with the other actors because it might ruin my concentration.''
``This woman was very difficult to play. She never let up a moment. She was very intense, never relaxed.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MIRAMAX
Virna Lisi, center, with Pascal Greggory, left, and Isabelle Adjani
in ``Queen Margot.''
KEYWORDS: PROFILE BIOGRAPHY MOVIES by CNB