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InsIder’s PoInt of VIew: ActIng for the cAmerA
Selma Blair:
modeSt,
VerSatile.
and on Fire!
Conservatory of Acting (www.stellaadler.com)
to which she had been invited after her
initial seminar.
She gave herself a deadline. If she couldn’t
support herself acting by that time, she
would investigate other professions. Needless
to say, she started working well before that
deadline, breaking into the world of camera
acting with several supporting roles until
her starring turn as Cecile Caldwell in
Cruel Intentions (1999). At 26, Selma
played a 14-year-old girl. The cult teen
film started as an indie, but was picked up
by Columbia Pictures, winning a number of
awards—including MTV’s Best Kiss between
Cecile (Selma) and Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah
Michelle Gellar).
Selma as Liz Sherman in Hellboy II: The Golden Army Here’s something you should know about
this respected actor: she’s incredibly, sincerely,
self-effacing. Not in the British humourous,
If there were an Actor’s Dictionary, next
Well, the list goes on. Briefly, Selma Blair Jack Davenport, Hugh Grant or Emma
to “versatile” would be Selma Blair’s
has a career to which most actors can only Thompson way. No. She states honestly what
aspire. Incredibly, she did not become an she sees as her “deficiencies”. Frankly. Openly.
photo. Check out this very brief
actor intentionally. No, she was determined As if stating a fact. Several of her self-
rundown of just some of the roles she’s
to become a writer. But when her college deprecating “facts” will leave you perplexed.
played: a deranged mother, a self-
English (writing) teacher saw her in a school However, I have to say that, when
absorbed adult daughter, the
play, he stayed long after the curtain fell and challenged, she does admit she “has her
the audience dispersed. To, um, encourage moments” on the plus side of her deficit
pyrokinetic girlfriend to Hellboy, a
Selma to pursue acting. list. You’ll see what I mean.
married woman who falls in love with
After the initial double take of a dream
another woman (and leaves her
dashed, she took his advice. First, she From your gut—or your heart—what made
husband), a rape victim who survives a
attended a summer acting workshop in New you choose acting?
York to explore the idea. After graduating I think I was too terrified to do anything
horrific family tragedy.
with combined degrees—a BA in English else. There’s not a lot that gives me joy in
and BFA in Fine Arts from the University this life. I don’t really engage with much.
By Colleen Patrick
of Michigan—she studied at the Stella Adler This was one of the things that brought me
30 By fIlmmAkers. for fIlmmAkers.
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