Theresa Russell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Theresa Russell
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Russell in 2007
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Theresa Lynn Paup
March 20, 1957 San Diego, California, U.S.
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| Other names | Theresa Roeg |
| Alma mater | Lee Strasberg Institute |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Spouse(s) | Nicolas Roeg (m. 1982; div. late-1990s) |
| Children | 2 |
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Theresa Lynn Russell (born March 20, 1957) is an American actress. She has been acting for over 40 years. She has appeared in more than 50 movies. These include big Hollywood films and smaller, independent movies.
Theresa was born in San Diego, California. She grew up in Burbank, near Los Angeles. Her family faced financial challenges. She left high school when she was 16 years old.
After leaving school, Theresa started modeling. This led her to meet film producer Sam Spiegel. He helped her get her first movie role. She appeared in The Last Tycoon (1976).
In 1978, Theresa starred with Dustin Hoffman in Straight Time. Her next big role was in Bad Timing (1980). This film was directed by Nicolas Roeg. Theresa and Nicolas started a relationship while making the movie. They later married in 1982. They worked together on six films.
She appeared in Roeg's film Eureka (1983). Then she was in The Razor's Edge (1984). Theresa played Marilyn Monroe in Roeg's movie Insignificance (1985). She also had a main role in Black Widow (1987). This movie made her very well known.
Theresa continued working with Nicolas Roeg. She was in his part of the film Aria (1987). She also starred in Track 29 (1989) and Cold Heaven (1991). Other movies from this time include Physical Evidence (1989) and Impulse (1990).
In 1991, Theresa was in Kafka with Jeremy Irons. She appeared in many independent films in the 1990s. She had a supporting role in Wild Things (1998). She also appeared in the praised drama The Believer (2001). In 2005, she was in the TV series Empire Falls. She had a small role in Spider-Man 3 (2007).
A song called "Athena" by the band The Who was written about her. It is on their 1982 album, It's Hard.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Theresa Russell was born in San Diego, California. She was the oldest of three children. Her parents were Carole Platt and Jerry Russell Paup. When she was five, her parents divorced. Her father moved to Mexico. Her mother remarried and moved the family to Los Angeles County. Theresa grew up mostly in Burbank. She has two half-siblings from her mother's second marriage.
Theresa has shared that her family was poor. Sometimes they needed food stamps to get by. She had a difficult relationship with her stepfather.
Theresa left high school at age 16. She then moved in with a 28-year-old boyfriend. He worked as a therapist. When she was 17, she started studying acting. She went to the Lee Strasberg Institute in West Hollywood.
Acting Career
Starting Out (1976–1980)
Theresa's modeling work led her to meet photographer Peter Douglas. He was the son of actor Kirk Douglas. Peter introduced her to film producer Sam Spiegel in 1975. At that time, Spiegel was making a movie. It was based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's book The Last Tycoon. Elia Kazan directed it.
Spiegel suggested that Theresa try out for a role. She auditioned for the part of Cecilia Brady. This character was the daughter of a movie studio boss. Theresa got the role.
The next year, Theresa was cast in the drama Straight Time. In 1979, she starred in the TV show Blind Ambition. This show was about the Watergate scandal. She played Maureen Dean, the wife of a White House lawyer.
Later, Theresa played Milena Flaherty in Bad Timing (1980). This was the first of six movies she made with English director Nicolas Roeg. She started a relationship with him after filming. Bad Timing was a talked-about film. Critics praised Theresa's acting in it.
Working with Nicolas Roeg (1981–1986)
Theresa became a favorite actress for Roeg. They got married in February 1982 in London. They had two sons together. Statten was born in 1983, and Maximillian in 1985. They lived mostly in London. Theresa also kept a home in Los Angeles.
After Bad Timing, Theresa did voice work for a movie. She dubbed the English voice for a character in Tenebre (1982). Her next on-screen role was in Nicolas Roeg's Eureka. She played the daughter of a gold prospector.
The next year, Theresa was in The Razor's Edge. This movie was based on a book by W. Somerset Maugham. She starred with Bill Murray. The film did not make much money.
She then played Marilyn Monroe in Roeg's unique film Insignificance (1985). This movie imagined a different history. She acted alongside Gary Busey and Tony Curtis.
Gaining Wider Attention (1987–1998)
In 1987, Theresa became more widely known. She played Catharine Peterson in Black Widow. This thriller also starred Debra Winger. Critics praised Theresa's performance. That same year, she was in a segment of the film Aria. Nicolas Roeg directed her part. The next year, she appeared in Roeg's Track 29 (1988).
Next, Theresa played a public defender in Physical Evidence (1988). She starred with Burt Reynolds. Michael Crichton directed the film. Many critics did not like the movie.
In 1990, Theresa got a main role in Kafka (1991). She starred with Jeremy Irons. This black-and-white film was based on stories by Franz Kafka. Some critics felt Theresa was not right for her role. She worked with her husband Roeg again for his film Cold Heaven (1991). She played a woman whose husband mysteriously comes back to life.
Theresa narrated the British drama Being Human (1994). Robin Williams starred in it. She then appeared in the British comedy The Grotesque (1995). She acted with Alan Bates and Sting.
Theresa was later cast in the thriller Wild Things (1998). She played the mother of Denise Richards's character. The movie was a success at the box office. It also became a favorite film for many fans.
Later Roles (1999–2014)
After appearing in Luckytown (2000), Theresa was in The Believer (2001). This drama was praised by critics. It won a special award at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival.
In the early 2000s, Theresa mostly appeared in smaller, independent films. These included The House Next Door (2002) and Now & Forever (2002). She also starred in The Box (2003).
In 2005, she played Charlene in the HBO TV series Empire Falls. She acted with Ed Harris. She also had a supporting role as Emma Marko in Spider-Man 3. Emma was the wife of Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church). The next year, she was in the drama Jolene. Jessica Chastain starred in it. Theresa also had a small role in He's Just Not into You (2009). Her scenes were later cut from the final movie.
In 2012, she appeared in the Lifetime TV movie Liz & Dick. She played Sara Taylor, the mother of Elizabeth Taylor. Lindsay Lohan played Elizabeth Taylor. The next year, she had a guest role in the TV series Delete.
Filmography
See also
In Spanish: Theresa Russell para niños
