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Post by pupdurcs on May 15, 2019 19:44:37 GMT
Figured I might as well do a sequel, as the male Australian actor thread went swimmingly enough.
As I mentioned in the actor thread, the female bench seems stronger and deeper than the males. In the late 70's and 80's, Judy Davis was arguably the only Australian actress who had ever staked a major international reputation. But the floodgates opened and produced a remarkable generation that followed Davis.
I''d say the primary contenders by far are Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman, for me both GOAT contenders who have built up a remarkable body of work on film and on stage. Of the two, only Kidman has conquered TV, but Blanchett looks to be making a move into that arena, and will likely succeed. But Kidman going head to head with Meryl Streep on Big Little Lies season 2, looks to be the main acting event of the summer season.
After that, I'd say Davis, who was the trailblazer, but has been mostly surpassed in international repute by Kidman and Blanchett. Then you have Toni Collette, the same vintage as Blanchett and Kidman. After that, Naomi Watts. Then the brilliant Rachel Griffiths, who has found much of her success on TV (including Six Feet Under). All the same generation (apart from Davis)
Special mention to Claudia Karvan and Deborah Mailman, two exceptional Australian actresses who never really had international breakthroughs, but consistently delivered first rate work in Australian Film and TV productions.
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Post by notacrook on May 15, 2019 19:53:20 GMT
So many greats, but it has got to be my ultimate favourite regardless of nationality, Nicole Kidman.
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Post by stephen on May 15, 2019 19:58:04 GMT
As you say, it's the ladies that seem to have made the transition to universal acclaim over the gents, as the most acclaimed male actors from Down Under are either overlooked as Aussie for whatever reason (Rush), had their candle burn extremely brightly and then fade over time (Crowe, Gibson), haven't quite hit the big time like one would've expected (Pearce, Mendelsohn to an extent, Clarke, Edgerton), or just haven't made the transition to international superstardom (Gulpilil, Bryan Brown, Noah Taylor).
I'd personally say Blanchett is the top dog here, and I know you stump for Kidman, and anyone (Wendy from IMDb, for starters) could make a strong argument for Davis or Collette, and the evidence is there for them to warrant that title.
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Post by pacinoyes on May 15, 2019 20:05:27 GMT
Davis for me - she was really something when on her game and up until '92 or so was pretty much like Depardieu, Irons, Streep were in the 80s where everything she did was an "Oh wow" performance. She's in that class for that time period in particular - that's a long run and some great stuff afterwards too even - she's pretty ace nowadays actually too. Blanchett I adore but lately to me seems lost in film - her Phyllis Schlafly TV show will be a big deal and is stacked in the casting so 2020 will be a sort of re-emergence for her maybe. Kidman I also like and can be great though sometimes I don't get her at all - she's not hit or miss exactly - but sometimes she misses and misses hard for me......I like her versatility though. I like all the ones you mentioned as well. I physically have an insane crush on Naomi Watts but I try to keep that stuff out of it and say my feelings for her are because she's a fearless actress......... but I can't say that with 100% certainty.
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Post by TerryMontana on May 15, 2019 20:12:06 GMT
I can't be objective on this one. The Queen!
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Post by pupdurcs on May 15, 2019 20:15:29 GMT
As you say, it's the ladies that seem to have made the transition to universal acclaim over the gents, as the most acclaimed male actors from Down Under are either overlooked as Aussie for whatever reason (Rush), had their candle burn extremely brightly and then fade over time (Crowe, Gibson), haven't quite hit the big time like one would've expected (Pearce, Mendelsohn to an extent, Clarke, Edgerton), or just haven't made the transition to international superstardom (Gulpilil, Bryan Brown, Noah Taylor). I'd personally say Blanchett is the top dog here, and I know you stump for Kidman, and anyone (Wendy from IMDb, for starters) could make a strong argument for Davis or Collette, and the evidence is there for them to warrant that title. Kidman, Blanchett, Collette and Davis are literally the 4 most awarded actresses by the Australian Academy Of Film And Television arts (AACTA, formerly known as the AFI). Blanchett has 5 competitive awards. Kidman and Collete are tied on 6. And Davis has 8. It's the equivalent of BAFTA having 4 Judi Denchs. Davis is going to be surpassed though by one of the other three in their local tally (my money is on Kidman)
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Post by fujiwarafan on May 15, 2019 20:29:12 GMT
Kidman. Let's not talk about her career. Just for "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" is enough for me.
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speeders
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Post by speeders on May 15, 2019 20:55:32 GMT
Kidman.
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Post by stabcaesar on May 15, 2019 21:04:19 GMT
Blanchett
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2019 0:16:49 GMT
Hopefully we can settle this definitively: Naomi Watts is British.Now that's done ( ), my personal choice is Nicole Kidman.
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Post by pupdurcs on May 16, 2019 0:27:48 GMT
Hopefully we can settle this definitively: Naomi Watts is British.Now that's done ( ), my personal choice is Nicole Kidman. I feel like the Aussies can have Watts. She claims to be Australian when it's convenient for her, which is her choice. And the UK has an even more stacked roster than Australia, so Brits have no need to claim her, and never really have. Watts wanted to be part of the "Aussie Hollywood invasion" when it was most beneficial to her career, so let the woman have her wish. Crowe doesn't have an Australian passport either by the way. I see Watts and Crowe as dual nationality, because they have actively claimed to be Australian, even without the papers.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2019 0:40:01 GMT
Hopefully we can settle this definitively: Naomi Watts is British.Now that's done ( ), my personal choice is Nicole Kidman. I feel like the Aussies can have Watts. She claims to be Australian when it's convenient for her, which is her choice. And the UK has an even more stacked roster than Australia, so Brits have no need to claim her, and never really have. Watts wanted to be part of the "Aussie Hollywood invasion" when it was most beneficial to her career, so let the woman have her wish. Crowe doesn't have an Australian passport either by the way. I see Watts and Crowe as dual nationality, because they have actively claimed to be Australian, even without the papers. Don't really see how that works... Spending some of your formative years in a country does not make you a citizen of that place. Just because Watts "wants" to be seen as Australian doesn't mean that she is.
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Post by pupdurcs on May 16, 2019 0:49:08 GMT
I feel like the Aussies can have Watts. She claims to be Australian when it's convenient for her, which is her choice. And the UK has an even more stacked roster than Australia, so Brits have no need to claim her, and never really have. Watts wanted to be part of the "Aussie Hollywood invasion" when it was most beneficial to her career, so let the woman have her wish. Crowe doesn't have an Australian passport either by the way. I see Watts and Crowe as dual nationality, because they have actively claimed to be Australian, even without the papers. Don't really see how that works... Spending some of your formative years in a country does not make you a citizen of that place. Just because Watts "wants" to be seen as Australian doesn't mean that she is. That's a legal technicality. Like I said, legally Crowe is not Australian, but the entire world recognises him as such, and he's twice been rejected for citizenship because the laws in Australia regarding citizenship are so draconian. I suspect the only reason Watts doesn't have Australian citizenship is because the rules are so draconian, as with Crowe. But Australia has no issue promoting Crowe and Watts as true blue Aussie cultural exports, while denying them official citzenship. Especially because of that, they both have a moral right to claim Australianess. And Australia is a relatively young country built on immigration. The country and Government have used both Crowe And Watts to promote Australian cultural values and identity. www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/25/russell-crowe-twice-denied-australian-citizenship-its-so-so-unreasonableCrowe "wants" to be be Australian. Morally and culturally he is, if not legally. You can have this conversation about millions of immigrants who have settled in a land and want to culturally claim that land as their own. Sometimes you can claim citizenship of a country purely for reasons of convienence, but have no true cultural affinity or allegiance to that country. It's not a black and white situation for me. Anyway, this is a conversation between Naomi Watts and the immigration office.
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2019 1:22:58 GMT
pupdurcs - I don't see Watts and Crowe as being similar in this, though. Watts spent a few years of her life in Australia - Crowe has spent nearly his entire life in Australia... Anyway, didn't mean to cause a tangent. Carry on.
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Post by bob-coppola on May 16, 2019 1:45:50 GMT
I'm trying not to be redundant, but if my 2932498 posts on here haven't made that clear: Kidman.
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Drish
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Post by Drish on May 16, 2019 1:46:33 GMT
NAOMI FUCKIN WATTS is the best AUSTRALIAN actress alive. Thank you very much. And all that "she claims to be Australian when it is convenient for her career" is so ridiculous and kinda insulting to her. She's proven her mettle and doesn't need a citizenship to advance her career.
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wattsnew
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Post by wattsnew on May 16, 2019 1:58:25 GMT
I feel like this thread has already been done a million times before, yawn. How about a Best Canadian actress thread?
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Post by Deleted on May 16, 2019 1:59:40 GMT
NAOMI FUCKIN WATTS is the best AUSTRALIAN actress alive. Thank you very much. And all that "she claims to be Australian when it is convenient for her career" is so ridiculous and kinda insulting to her. She's proven her mettle and doesn't need a citizenship to advance her career. "I spent the first 14 years in England, just under 10 in Australia, and then the rest in America. I've still got only one passport and that's British..." - Naomi Watts
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Post by pupdurcs on May 16, 2019 2:03:34 GMT
Just to get us back from this Watts nationality tangent....
Consensus so far seems to be going for Kidman, with Blanchett as runner-up. Feels about correct.
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Post by bob-coppola on May 16, 2019 2:09:59 GMT
One thing I'm sure: Naomi Watts is the best actress who has ever lived in Llanfairpwllgwyngyll!
But in all seriousness, she lived in Australia from age 14 to 24. That's as formative to a person than early childhood, it's their coming of age. I believe nationality is something as cultural as bureaucratic. I lived in Rio de Janeiro, here in Brasil, until I was twelve, and then moved to Salvador - a city whose culture I completely embraced and I'm willing to stab someone in the eye if they try to tell me I'm not from Salvador. I think it all depends on what Watts views herself as. She could be british and aussie!
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Drish
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Post by Drish on May 16, 2019 2:21:29 GMT
NAOMI FUCKIN WATTS is the best AUSTRALIAN actress alive. Thank you very much. And all that "she claims to be Australian when it is convenient for her career" is so ridiculous and kinda insulting to her. She's proven her mettle and doesn't need a citizenship to advance her career. "I spent the first 14 years in England, just under 10 in Australia, and then the rest in America. I've still got only one passport and that's British..." - Naomi Watts
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demille
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Post by demille on May 16, 2019 11:27:46 GMT
Kidman
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Post by tastytomatoes on May 16, 2019 21:02:51 GMT
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Post by MsMovieStar on May 16, 2019 21:16:00 GMT
Oh honeys, it's a tie between Judy Davis & Blannie (who cited Davis as a mentor at the beginning of her career).
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Post by fiosnasiob on May 16, 2019 22:47:58 GMT
Cate The Great is my favorite, I have been closely followed her career since Oscar and Lucinda (long before the fanboys ), I knew instantly that she was one of a kind, she's is a mesmerizing talent. I have been less excited by the major part of her work post Blue Jasmine and if she keep getting outshined by the likes of Sandra Bullock and Awkwafina it won't work girl, I tell you, I might change of favorite ! Kidding, it's also good to see her try, do less serious/heavy stuff. That being said, I won't put her above Judy Davis yet, Davis is still the reigning Aussie Queen as far as body of impressive performances goes but she better watch out because Blanchett and then Kidman are just around the corner looking at the throne. Meryl can sleep confortably well when she sees the next generation of American actresses but Judy might have some hard sleep (j/k, hope she's proud of them). Honorable mention to the amazingly talented and beautiful Wendy Hughes, probably Davis main rival during the 80's, sadly she didn't had the luck to find her Woody Allen/Coen bro to possibly make it bigger overseas but she had it all. And I wish Rose Byrne would do less so-so comedies and more dramatic stuff, she's seriously talented, where is my girl from The Goddess of 1967 ??
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