I just didn’t believe I was up there in fishnets and high heels actually doing it...It’s one of my strengths as a performer. I’ve got a kind of more developed feminine side so it was a chance to knowingly explore that.
--British actor Terence Stamp, on playing transgender woman/drag queen performer Bernadette Bassenger in the 1994 Australian comedy The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
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| 1938-2025 |
Bernadette was a great character. I remember Terence Stamp saying he was disappointed though because he always thought he would make a beautiful woman.
ReplyDeleteI saw the same interview, Mitchell.
DeleteI bet that movie is not shown at the White House with any degree of regularity!
ReplyDeleteDavid, in Superman II as General Zod, Stamp makes the President of the United States kneel before him. Ooh, how I'd love to see him do that to this President.
DeleteHe was a fearless performer alright. RIP
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, Debra, during his long career Stamp played many characters other than Bernadette, but that was the first role that came to my mind, so I went with it.
DeleteI try to think of Priscilla being a significant point for the advance of gays and dykes in Australia, and maybe it was, maybe. Stamp was terrific as a trans, long before the time I could write trans and it being understood
ReplyDeleteAndrew, here in the U.S, that movie certainly "inspired" To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar which came out a year later.
DeleteHello Kirk, It seems that Stamp would make a major film, then disappear for a while--perhaps more of his films were released in England and never made it here. I did see his Priscilla at the Cedar-Lee, a long time ago!
ReplyDelete--Jim
I think your probably right, Jim, that Stamp made a lot of movies in Britain that stayed in Britain. Fortunately, Priscilla (actually made in a British Commonwealth country) made it all the way to the shores of Lake Erie!
DeleteI've never seen Priscilla. Clearly I have to remedy this. I didn't know Stamp was in it.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend it, Boud. Though it wrings it share of laughs out of the drag scene, it's the steadfast dignity of Stamp's character that's at the core of the film. He should have won an Oscar.
DeleteRIP Terence. I haven't actually seen Pricilla. I do remember him in Superman.
ReplyDeleteI remember about 25 years ago when I found out I had a milk intolerance I used to buy Terence Stamp allergy free Chocolate. He has his own line of foods. He had a few food allergies which he openly spoke about.
Ananka, that's why I included the Superman card, in the OFF-CHANCE Stamp was known for something else.
DeleteI did not know he had his own line of foods. Guess you could say he was the U.K.'s Paul Newman!
Hi Kirk, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert wasn’t just fun and flamboyant it broke ground in showing identity, acceptance, and pride. Amazing how a film from 1994 still resonates so strongly today. 🏳️🌈✨
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Asep. And it resonates mainly because the factors that stand in the way of identity, acceptance, and pride are unfortunately still very much in force.
DeleteDon't take away my club card, but I have never watched Priscilla...and I am going to find it streaming and put it in my queue, I promise.
ReplyDeleteJM, your club card is safe with me, whether you watch the movie or not.
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