Theresa Russell is an
AmericanThe people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
actress.
Biography
Russell was born
Theresa Paup in
San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, the daughter of Carole Platt (née Mall) and Jerry Russell Paup. She attended
Burbank High SchoolBurbank High School is the flagship public high school of the City of Burbank, California - located in Los Angeles County. It opened on September 14, 1908, and its inaugural class had 334 students...
, but did not graduate. She married English film director
Nicolas RoegNicolas Jack Roeg, CBE, BSC is an English film director and cinematographer.-Life and career:Roeg was born in London, the son of Mabel Gertrude and Jack Nicolas Roeg...
(born 1928), in 1982. The couple had two sons, Statten (born 1983) and Maximillian (born 1985); Roeg and Russell divorced.
Pete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
of
The WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
says that Russell was the inspiration for his song, "
Athena"Athena" is a song written by Pete Townshend and recorded by The Who. It appears as the first track on the group's tenth studio album It's Hard, released in 1982. It was released as the first single from that album, achieving moderate chart success at #28 on the US Billboard Hot 100, but received...
", which was first called "Theresa". She lives in California.
Career
Russell began modeling at the age of 12 and made her film debut in 1976 in
The Last TycoonThe Last Tycoon is a 1976 American dramatic film directed by Elia Kazan and produced by Sam Spiegel, based upon Harold Pinter's screenplay adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Last Tycoon, sometimes known as The Love of the Last Tycoon. It stars Robert De Niro, Tony Curtis, Robert Mitchum, Jack...
, starring
Robert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
. Russell's next notable appearance was in
Straight TimeStraight Time is a 1978 film directed by Ulu Grosbard, starring Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton, M. Emmet Walsh, and Kathy Bates.-Plot summary:...
(1978).
Bad TimingBad Timing is a 1980 British film directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas.-Plot:In Vienna, a young American woman in her twenties is rushed to the emergency room after apparently overdosing. With her is Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist teaching in Vienna...
(1980) was the first of six acclaimed indie films starring Russell directed by her former husband
Nicolas RoegNicolas Jack Roeg, CBE, BSC is an English film director and cinematographer.-Life and career:Roeg was born in London, the son of Mabel Gertrude and Jack Nicolas Roeg...
, whom she married in 1982. Other Roeg/Russell collaborations include
InsignificanceInsignificance is a 1985 motion picture drama/comedy directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas and Alexander Stuart, and adapted by Terry Johnson from his play of the same name. The film is set in 1954, with most of the action taking place in a hotel room in New York City...
,
Eureka,
Track 29Track 29 is a 1988 film directed by Nicolas Roeg. It was produced by George Harrison's HandMade Films with Rick McCallum. The film was nominated for and won a few awards at regional film festivals. The writer, Dennis Potter, adapted his own 1974 television play, Schmoedipus, changing the setting...
,
Cold HeavenCold Heaven is a film, released in 1991, which was directed by Nicolas Roeg. The screenplay, by Allan Scott, is based on a novel by Northern Irish-Canadian writer Brian Moore, which was published in 1983.-Plot:...
, and
Aria. She has also been widely praised for her roles in
The Razor's EdgeThe Razor's Edge is the second film version of W. Somerset Maugham's 1944 novel. The film was released in 1984 and stars Bill Murray, Theresa Russell, Catherine Hicks, Denholm Elliott and James Keach...
(1984),
Black WidowBlack Widow is a 1987 film starring Debra Winger, Theresa Russell, Sami Frey, Nicol Williamson and Dennis Hopper.It is a crime drama about two women: one who murders wealthy men whom she marries for their money, and the other an agent with the Department of Justice who grows obsessed with bringing...
(1987),
ImpulseImpulse is a 1990 thriller film about a female police officer who works undercover as a prostitute on the streets of Los Angeles. The film was directed by Sondra Locke, and stars Theresa Russell, Jeff Fahey, and George Dzundza....
(1990), and
The Believer (2001), as well as the HBO mini-series
Empire FallsEmpire Falls is a two-part mini-series that aired on HBO in 2005. It was based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name which was written by Richard Russo. It was nominated for and won multiple awards, including various Emmys and Golden Globes...
in 2005 with
Ed HarrisEdward Allen "Ed" Harris is an American actor, writer, and director, known for his performances in Appaloosa, Radio, The Rock, The Abyss, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, A History of Violence, and The Truman Show. Harris has also narrated commercials for The Home Depot and other companies...
. Russell appeared in 2007's
Spider-Man 3Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
as the wife of Flint Marko (
Thomas Haden ChurchThomas Haden Church is an American actor. After co-starring in the 1990s sitcom Wings, Church became well known for his film roles, including his Academy Award-nominated performance in Sideways and his role as the Sandman in Spider-Man 3.-Early life:Church, the fourth of six children, was born...
).
Filmography
- The Last Tycoon
The Last Tycoon is a 1976 American dramatic film directed by Elia Kazan and produced by Sam Spiegel, based upon Harold Pinter's screenplay adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Last Tycoon, sometimes known as The Love of the Last Tycoon. It stars Robert De Niro, Tony Curtis, Robert Mitchum, Jack...
(1976)
- Straight Time
Straight Time is a 1978 film directed by Ulu Grosbard, starring Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Gary Busey, Harry Dean Stanton, M. Emmet Walsh, and Kathy Bates.-Plot summary:...
(1978)
- Blind Ambition (1979)
- Bad Timing
Bad Timing is a 1980 British film directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas.-Plot:In Vienna, a young American woman in her twenties is rushed to the emergency room after apparently overdosing. With her is Alex Linden, an American psychiatrist teaching in Vienna...
(1980)
- Eureka (1983)
- The Razor's Edge
The Razor's Edge is the second film version of W. Somerset Maugham's 1944 novel. The film was released in 1984 and stars Bill Murray, Theresa Russell, Catherine Hicks, Denholm Elliott and James Keach...
(1984)
- Unsane
Tenebrae is a 1982 Italian horror thriller film written and directed by Dario Argento. The film stars Anthony Franciosa, John Saxon, and Daria Nicolodi...
(1984) dubbing Daria NicolodiDaria Nicolodi is an Italian actress and screenwriter.- Early life and career :Daria Nicolodi was born in Florence on June 19, 1950. Her father was a Florentine lawyer and her mother, Fulvia, was a scholar of ancient languages. Her maternal grandfather was composer Alfredo Casella...
- Insignificance
Insignificance is a 1985 motion picture drama/comedy directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas and Alexander Stuart, and adapted by Terry Johnson from his play of the same name. The film is set in 1954, with most of the action taking place in a hotel room in New York City...
(1985)
- Black Widow
Black Widow is a 1987 film starring Debra Winger, Theresa Russell, Sami Frey, Nicol Williamson and Dennis Hopper.It is a crime drama about two women: one who murders wealthy men whom she marries for their money, and the other an agent with the Department of Justice who grows obsessed with bringing...
(1987)
- Aria (1987)
- Track 29
Track 29 is a 1988 film directed by Nicolas Roeg. It was produced by George Harrison's HandMade Films with Rick McCallum. The film was nominated for and won a few awards at regional film festivals. The writer, Dennis Potter, adapted his own 1974 television play, Schmoedipus, changing the setting...
(1988)
- Physical Evidence
Physical Evidence is a 1989 crime thriller directed by Michael Crichton. It stars Burt Reynolds alongside Theresa Russell and Ned Beatty. Reynolds plays Joe Paris, a beleaguered ex-police officer, incriminated by the evidence but insisting on his innocence....
(1989)
- Impulse
Impulse is a 1990 thriller film about a female police officer who works undercover as a prostitute on the streets of Los Angeles. The film was directed by Sondra Locke, and stars Theresa Russell, Jeff Fahey, and George Dzundza....
(1990)
- Kafka
Kafka is a 1991 mystery thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh. Ostensibly a biopic, based on the life of Franz Kafka, the film blurs the lines between fact and Kafka's fiction , creating a Kafkaesque atmosphere...
(1991)
- Whore
Whore is a 1991 film by British director and screenwriter Ken Russell, starring actress Theresa Russell. While not a financial success grossing only $1,008,404, the film did attract some positive notices, and generated an unrelated sequel.-Plot summary:...
(1991)
- Cold Heaven
Cold Heaven is a film, released in 1991, which was directed by Nicolas Roeg. The screenplay, by Allan Scott, is based on a novel by Northern Irish-Canadian writer Brian Moore, which was published in 1983.-Plot:...
(1991)
- Being Human (1993)
- A Woman's Guide to Adultery (Made for TV) (1993)
- Thicker Than Water (Made for TV) (1993)
- The Flight of the Dove (a.k.a. The Spy Within) (1994)
- A Young Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1995)
- The Grotesque
The Grotesque is a 1995 British film by John-Paul Davidson, adapted from the 1989 novel by Patrick McGrath...
(1995)
- Hotel Paradise (1995)
- Trade Off (Made for TV) (1995)
- Public Enemies
Public Enemies is a 1996 film directed by Mark L. Lester. The movie centers on the 1930s figure Ma Barker and her criminal sons.-Cast:*Theresa Russell - Ma Barker*Eric Roberts - Arthur Dunlop*Alyssa Milano - Amaryllis*James Marsden - Doc Barker...
(1996)
- Once You Meet a Stranger
Once You Meet a Stranger is a 1996 Warner Bros. Television thriller directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. It is a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train. Yet in the remake the genders of the principal characters have been switched from male to female...
(1996)
- The Proposition (1997)
- Running Woman (1998)
- Wild Things
Wild Things is a 1998 erotic thriller film starring Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Kevin Bacon, Denise Richards, Theresa Russell and Bill Murray. It was directed by John McNaughton. In some countries the film was released as Sex Crimes...
(1998)
- Luckytown
Luckytown is a 2000 film starring Kirsten Dunst, James Caan and Vincent Kartheiser.-Plot:When she turns 18, unhappy Lidda Daniels leaves Southern California to look for Charlie, her father, a professional gambler who abandoned her years before...
(2000)
- The Believer (2001)
- Earth vs. the Spider
Earth vs. the Spider is a 2001 horror-thriller television film directed by Scott Ziehl. It is part of a series of films made for Cinemax paying tribute to the films of American International Pictures...
(Made for TV) (2001)
- The House Next Door (2002)
- Project Viper
Project Viper is a 2002 movie starring Patrick Muldoon, Theresa Russell, Curtis Armstrong, Tamara Davies. The movie was directed by Jim Wynorski under the pseudonym "Jay Andrews."-Plot:...
(2002)
- Passionada
Passionada is a 2002 romantic comedy film. It is directed by Dan Ireland and stars Jason Isaacs, Sofia Milos and Emmy Rossum, co-starring Seymour Cassel and Theresa Russell. The story is by David Bakalar, and the screenplay is by Jim Jermanok and Steve Jermanok...
(2002)
- Now & Forever (2002)
- The Box
The Box is a 2003 American film noir starring James Russo, Theresa Russell, Brad Dourif, Steve Railsback, Jon Polito, Michael Rooker, John Snyder and directed by Richard Pepin.-Plot:...
(2003)
- Save It for Later (a.k.a. Water Under the Bridge) (2003)
- Love Comes Softly
Love Comes Softly is a 2003 Christian drama television movie set in the 19th century, based on a series of books by Janette Oke. It originally aired on Hallmark Channel in 2003...
(2003) (TV)
- Empire Falls (2005) (mini) TV Series
- Blind Injustice (2005) (TV)
- Live to Ride (2005)
- Spider-Man 3
Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 American superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
(2007)
- On the Doll
On the Doll is a 2007 American drama film, and the first feature written and directed by music video director Thomas Mignone.-Background:The film's title comes from the phrase "Show me on the doll where you were touched", often asked of young children who have been the victims of sexual abuse...
(2008)
- Dark World (2008)
- Chinaman's Chance (a.k.a. I Am Somebody) (2008)
- Jolene
Jolene is a 2008 American drama film directed by Dan Ireland. It stars Jessica Chastain as the titular character. It is based on the short story, Jolene: A Life by E. L. Doctorow, itself inspired by Dolly Parton's song, Jolene. It premiered on 13 June, 2008 at the Seattle International Film...
(2008)
- Street (2009)
- 16 to Life
16 to Life is a comedy film directed by Becky Smith and stars Hallee Hirsh as Kate, a bookish teen about to turn 16 who plays match-maker for her friends. Co-stars include: Shiloh Fernandez, Mandy Musgrave, Theresa Russell, Carson Kressley and Nicholas Downs. The film was originally titled “Duck...
(2009)
- Baby O (2009)
- Legends of Nethiah: The Nameless (2011)
Television
- Nash Bridges
Nash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of...
– "Jackpot" (2000)
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
– "On Fire" (2006)
- Fringe
Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
- "Momentum Deferred"Momentum Deferred" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American science fiction drama television series Fringe. Screenwriters Zack Stentz and Ashley Edward Miller wrote the episode, and co-executive producer Joe Chappelle directed it...
" (2009)
External links