Getting Close with Glenn

Getting Close with Glenn

AT THE MODERN SCHOOL OF FILM

By Rachel Sokol

Close, dressed casually in jeans and a loose-fitting black top, recently sat down for a Q&A in Manhattan with Robert Milazzo, founder of The Modern School of Film, to discuss her role in the film Albert Nobbs. Earlier this year, Close was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Albert, but lost to her dear friend Meryl Streep.

The heart-wrenching movie didn’t break box-office records, and Close admits “reviews were mixed.” Regard - less, Close is proud of her work in Albert Nobbs, which she described as “a labor of love.”

The audience watched Albert Nobbs before Close answered questions, first talking about Damages, a show about a sharp-tongued litigator named Patty Hewes that recently wrapped its successful run on FX Networks. (Close joked to the audience, “I always asked the writers, ‘What is my backstory? Why am I so mean?’”)

“At this point in my career, I don’t want to be spending time with people who aren’t inspiring, with scripts that don’t present challenges,” said Close, about what attracted her to the role of Patty Hewes. Although that simple statement may seem closed-off, Close answered it honestly, while remaining humble and personable.

She adds that when the television drama had a negative stigma in Hollywood, “I used to tell agents, ‘Excuse me, the English do it; they have TV dramas, so why can’t we?’”

“In the 90’s, all we had was ‘Hallmark Hall of Fame’ for drama. Then came TV’s ‘Golden Age,’ such as HBO’s “The Sopranos,’” she adds. “What we achieved with Damages was a seamless, wonderful art form. The film industry was snob - bish towards television, but that’s basically disappeared.”

When asked about the cinematic role that ‘put her on the map’,--Fatal Attraction, of course--Close admitted, “I had a feeling it would be something special.”

Before watching Albert Nobbs, Milazzo encouraged viewers to pay close attention the the movie’s dramatic