The month of January has been exciting and eventful for talented actress Julianne Moore as she has deservedly received a number of honors. On January 11, Moore received a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a motion picture for her moving portrayal in Still Alice. The nomination was her seventh from the Foreign Press.
Three days later, the New York City resident was home to introduce a preview showing of her film at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria. The personable actress intrigued the audience in the filled small theater with insights regarding the indepndent film that she initially didn’t believe would receive the financial support to be filmed.
To her surprise, she was eventually invited to begin filming, but at that time, she was working on The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part I. To her elation and surprise, she was given one month to work on Still Alice. She told the audience at the museum, the consideration she was given to work on another film was almost unheard of. Moore concluded her remarks with the words, “I hope you enjoy the film.”
More than 1.5 hours later as the film was concluding and the credits were rolling, the audience expressed its approval by the eruption of warm applause. One woman in her 20’s was telling her friend how Moore’s character reminded her of her grandmother while older patrons spoke of their contemporaries.
In the film, the acclaimed actress portrayed a 50 year-old professor of linguistics at Columbia University who was happily married to a science professor with three grown children. Memory lapses entered her seemingly perfect world, and she was soon diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease.
The film centered on Moore’s character and her tour de force performance ran the gamut of emotions-fear, denial, anger, frustration, embarrassment and shame. Her emotions changed as her debilitating illness worsened. The realism of her performance gained the empathy of those watching the film.
On the morning following the showing of the film in Queens, Moore’s name was publicly announced as one of the nominees for the Academy Award for Best Actress. The nomination was her fifth.
The Moving Image Museum featured Moore’s outstanding work by screening 35 mm. versions of five of her films on January 23-25. In three of the films she earned Academy Award nominations, Boogie Nights, The End of the Affair and Far From Heaven. The Lost World Jurassic Park and Safe were the other two films shown.
The Museum in Queens moved its tribute to Moore to 583 Park Ave on January 20 as she was the subject of its annual Salute. The 29th annual fundraising event has previously honored such motion picture legends as Jimmy Stewart, Sidney Pottier, Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg. She told the crowd that she will never need a Memorial Service after the praise she heard. The funds raided that evening support the Museum’s programs, exhibitions and educational activities.
The tributes will probably continue next month as she is currently the overwhelming favorite to win the Academy Award as Best Actress on February 22.