[IMG:L]Julie Christie, the first of 20 Oscar nominees to appear at the 23rd Santa Barbara International Film Festival, was greeted by two mic-holding students from the Santa Barbara Middle School when she walked down the red carpet into the Lobero Theater on Friday night.
“So what do you like to do?” one scoop-seeking teenager asked the recent Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild winner who will be 67 in April.
“Well, I live on a farm in Wales so I like all of my animals,” said the outspoken, left-leaning actress who won her first Academy Award for Darling almost 42 years ago and is a Oscar best-actress favorite for her role as an Alzheimer-afflicted patient in Away From Her. “And I like reading and being with my friends. I’m just the same as anyone else.”
The Golden Globes winner continued her Everywoman pitch when she spoke to Hollywood.com.
“Being here is just a job I’ve got to do and I’m doing it because I want more people to see this moving film,” said Christie, who sported a bright orange scarf and described herself as “haywire.” “I haven’t mellowed or succumbed to the allure of Hollywood and I’m not going to do a big number for the Oscars if they take place and I go. Absolutely no designer dress.”
Once inside the theater, however, Christie was welcomed with a flurry of superlatives that put her back on a pedestal.
[IMG:R]”Julie Christie has defied expectations and is legendary, tough, stellar, iconic, beautiful and vibrant,” festival director Roger Durling said before she sat down with moderator Leonard Maltin for a 90-minute conversation.
“She’s come and gone so many times that this year’s award hoopla is simply another milestone in her fascinating career,” added Maltin after showing clips from that ranged from Billy Liar, Darling and Dr. Zhivago to Afterglow, Finding Neverland and Away From Her. “She’s receiving so much acclaim that she figured it would be worthwhile for her to come here tonight and receive some applause.”
“Who was the actress in that fascinating retrospective?” Christie marveled when she took a seat next to Maltin after a standing ovation. “I usually cringe when I see myself on film but that was a lovely collage.”
Christie recounted her childhood in India, recalled that she always wanted to be an actress and mentioned that she was expelled from multiple schools.
“It would be shocking for you to know how little it took to get expelled in those days,” recounted Christie, who was born in India and raised in England. “Once it was because I had my school dress tucked in my knickers and was accused of enticing village boys.”
She and Maltin discussed her work with Robert Altman, Richard Lester, Francois Truffaut and other directors. But she got the biggest laugh of the night when she described her life with Warren Beatty.
“I can’t believe that I used to get to kiss Warren Beatty,” Christie said after watching a clip from Shampoo.”
[IMG:L]Then, after crediting “all my American boyfriends” for her involvement in feminism, the advocate of nuclear disarmament and animal rights summed up the political evolution during her lifetime.
“I’ve been very privileged since I was born and it’s been such an incredible time span,” said the outspoken actress. “But who could have dreamt that we’d get to the point that the world is ruled by a kind of impish privileged monkey?”
“And why haven’t you taken more of the many roles you’ve been offered?” Maltin asked. “Why does it always take so much convincing to get you to take a part?”
“I’m not very ambitious and I don’t take a lot of parts because I think there are others who could do it better,” Christie confided.
“Well, when it comes to Away From Her, you were wrong,” concluded Maltin. “You did a wonderful job and some good work. Are you enjoying the recognition?”
[IMG:R]”It’s certainly better than being told I’ve done bad work,” Christie concluded just before the audience gave her a standing ovation. “And another reason I’m here tonight is to see if I can finally enjoy all the attention. And I guess I do.”
Hollywood here she comes.
