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The Liz Smith Column | 03/10/2009 12:00 am

Liz Smith: Scarlett Channels the Great Stars … Sly Stallone Channels Edgar Allan Poe … Jane Fonda's '33 Variations'

© Getty Images
“Give the people what they want,” says the movie bombshell Scarlett Johansson.

Maybe you do better with the younger famous names when somebody runs their “credits” past you. So here goes.  Some of us remember Scarlett from her days playing the troubled teenager in “The Horse Whisperer” with Robert Redford. And most recently she scored in the threesome that made up the acclaimed “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” opposite those Oscar winners Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem.

Scarlett is the pet actress of the moment for director Woody Allen, having made “Vicky,” as well as Woody’s “Match Point” and “Scoop.” She is also remembered for “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” “The Island,” “The Nanny Dairies” and who could forget her opposite Bill Murray in the black comedy “Lost in Translation.” She won many awards for that.

The Daily Telegraph’s Hilary Alexander characterizes Scarlett as “the red carpet’s most wanted blonde.” So what happened after Scarlett agreed to become the ideal Dolce & Gabbana woman for their makeup collection launched last week at Milan’s Fashion Week? She went overnight to being a dark-tressed redhead. 

“For a long time I’ve had really white-blonde hair. I’m naturally blonde – my dad’s Danish – and I was playing up to it. I wanted to act out all those famous blonde icons – Lauren Bacall, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe. Ever since I started on the red carpet, my idea of glamour was the Golden Age of Hollywood … the hair, the makeup, the gown, the diamonds. That, to me, is glamour.”

Scarlett said, "Perhaps the ‘blonde bombshell’ look is less suitable for a wife." (She wed actor Ryan Reynolds last September.) So when Scarlett goes on the red carpet again, who will she be channeling? Rita Hayworth or Ava Gardner?

Although Scarlett says, “I like to be feminine,” she adds: “I love the androgynous look. I love trouser suits, those ones from Yves St. Laurent, the three-piece jacket and trousers with a waistcoat. I also wear a lot of Rag & Bone. I look on style.com, I see the shows, I pull the vintage pieces, shopping for myself. I’d love to see a Dior couture show. I’ve never been to one.”

She is signed for the action drama “The Amazon Warrior” set in 200 B.C.“I think I’m supposed to be a gladiatrix. These film guys are crazy about gladiatrixes. But do I fit into the Amazon mold?

"I’m a Danish/Jewish girl from New York. I’ve done weapons training. I’ve fired all kinds of guns: 9 mm
semiautomatics, machine guns, shotguns. I’ve jumped off a 60-foot building. I learned to ride for ‘The Horse Whisperer.’ But I’ve never done a full-on action role. I guess I’m still waiting for my Cirque du Soleil moment. It would be fun.”

——————————-

I sent Sylvester Stallone a new book about Edgar Allan Poe, remembering that he has always been a fan of the historical American writer and crazy to make a movie about him.

Comes back a note from Sly on stationery with a pirate’s death head engraved: “Liz, you are constantly surprising this old pirate. Someday soon I’ll direct ‘Poe.’ If not, you’ll be seeing me staggering through graveyards spouting the ‘Raven’ for food! Love, Sly.”

I do enjoy movie stars. But does Stallone mean he won’t be playing the tragic writer, only directing?

——————————

Speaking of the “Jolly Rogers” death head, another aficionado of this signal is Elton John. He has it on everything he possesses. And the shop in NYC that carries the most elegant of these devices on bags, purses and in jewelry is at Jennifer Miller, 972 Lexington Avenue, a store where the merchandise and  prices collaborate to be something for everyone.

8 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

E .

Scarlett Johansson - a fierce beauty with great acting chops that men love to love and many women want to hate.  She’s a knock-out in every wonderful sense no matter what color hair she’s wearing.  Heck she’d be a stunner bald.

Edgar Allan Poe - who to play Poe?  Sean Penn has the face.  Oh yeah, he’d thrill playing EAP if he was on the right team.

Bill ann Barbara - fun

By E . on 03/09/2009 11:24 pm
cynthia holland

I am a big time Poe fan….  which book about Poe is Liz talking about?

Cynthia Holland

By cynthia holland on 03/10/2009 11:32 am
Rain in Minneapolis
Do you know about the Poe commemorative postage stamps?  I used them to send my valentines this year.  They are very cool.
By Rain in Minneapolis on 03/10/2009 12:59 pm
E .

Cynthia - Liz didn’t say did she?  Maybe this one:

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/feb/14/dream-within-edgar-allan-poe

Yet another Poe mystery?!

By E . on 03/10/2009 1:09 pm
joan larsen
I love to read of the making of plays from the rehearsals on, but if you would like to know what goes through an actress’ head in the weeks before the play up through opening night, start with the archives and then go up to the present to have it make sense on www.janefonda.com.  It’s her own blog of her sickness, nerves, the whole ball of wax of Jane coming out of retirement at 71 to star in what she hopes will be a hit.  Rather interesting for stage buffs!
By joan larsen on 03/09/2009 11:42 pm
Sharon Jones
jane fonda was a wonderful actress but poor politicalists. I love Scarlett J..she is a doll and can be as wonderful as she wants but never as great as Cate Blanchett.
By Sharon Jones on 03/10/2009 12:46 am
Grande Camper
Scarlett Johansson is beautiful no matter what she does.  She is her own showstopper.  Sylvester Stallone is still has respect.  His best movie was the first.  He may be a fighter but he’s a respectable fighter.  Jane Fonda never have cared much for her.  I think she should just fade away from showbiz.
By Grande Camper on 03/10/2009 10:17 am
Martha Alcott
"Grim Legion: Edgar Allan Poe at West Point" by Jack Alcott? http://www.redroom.com/author/jack-alcott
By Martha Alcott on 03/20/2009 6:19 pm