Celebrity interview

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• E T H “Women Elizabeth M CGOVERN don’t just curl up and die after 40” Elizabeth McGovern is in her prime. She’s Downton’s lady of the manor, an accidental rock singer, mother of two and now the star of a movie she made happen. But it hasn’t all been plain sailing, she tells Juliet Rieden.

t’s Elizabeth McGovern’s first time my age are out in the world and like to women aged between 40 and 100, who in Australia. The American-born see themselves reflected in the stories are frankly tired of being ignored. -based actress is fighting they see, because we don’t just curl up In the case of The Chaperone, jetlag, but itching to explore, while and die after the age of 30 or 40. Elizabeth’s argument is also very much also frantic to do everything she can “I yearn for it as an audience member. part of the film’s narrative. On the face Ito alert the world to her latest movie, I don’t want to see every woman my of it, her character Norma should be a The Chaperone. At 57, Elizabeth is the age just as the supportive wife or the cipher, a dowdy lady in the background star of the show, which shouldn’t be a embittered singleton. I don’t want these of the soon-to-be-famous and thing, but in an industry that extols clichés over and over again. I want to precociously vivacious Louise Brooks. fresh young faces and regularly shelves see people making discoveries, growing, Although the piece is fictional, its women over 40 to character roles, she’s learning and I feel, if I have an appetite screenplay drawn from the best-selling right to feel empowered. for it, why wouldn’t other women? We US novel of the same name by Laura “I do feel there is a dearth of women deserve to be represented.” Moriarty, it focuses on the real Louise my age represented in any field, in TV, Elizabeth is right, of course, and the Brooks, the rebellious 1920s dancer, film movies and music,” Elizabeth says as tide is slowly turning, with beauty star and flapper icon, with her razor- she settles down to have her hair and companies, advertising agencies and sharp bob and Jazz-Age glamour. PHOTOGRAPHY by CORRIE BOND make-up done in preparation for The television networks all finally catching And yes, Louise – played by Haley STYLING by MATTIE CRONAN Weekly’s exclusive photo shoot. “People on and embracing women of substance, Lu Richardson – is a big part ➝

MAY 2019 | The Australian Women’s Weekly 93 94 The Australian Women’s Weekly |

MAY 2019 “I really like shaking it it shaking up abit.”

PICTURE CREDITS TO GO HERE PLEASE

HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY MICHAEL BRENNAN. PREVIOUS PAGE: ELIZABETH WEARS MAX MARA SUIT AND MAJE SINGLET, JAN LOGAN EARRINGS AND RING, WORN THROUGHOUT. OPPOSITE PAGE: ELIZABETH WEARS BIANCA SPENDER BLOUSE, CARLA ZAMPATTI PANTS, EDWARD MELLER HEELS AND JAN LOGAN JEWELS. ALAMY. GETTY IMAGES. STUDIOCANAL. culture,” saysElizabeth. to them, butalsoslowlychangesour that seemstoaffectonlythose closest things workforthemselvesin a way Norma, who, undertheradar, make but theworldischangedbypeople like extraordinary persononthesurface, Abbey –thetwoareworldsapart. best for–LadyCorainDownton with thecharacterElizabethisknown the periodcostumesdrawcomparisons turns outtobeprettyballsyand, while relationship toourownsexuality.” we havetogiveoneanotherandour relevant todayaboutwomenandwhat also touchesonthingsthatIfeltwere has gravitas,” explainsElizabeth. “But it history isimpactingtheminawaythat the charactersareimpactinghistoryand interesting periodinhistorywhich wonderful characterssetagainstan in thekindofmovieIlike, whichis is utterlyfascinating. by Elizabeth, wholeads, andtheresult quietly revolutionaryNorma, played of thefilm. Butitisherchaperone, the an orphanage and then by adoptive an orphanageand thenbyadoptive Norma was raised first by nuns in Norma wasraised firstbynunsin “She doesn’t seemlikeavery Beneath herdemureexterior, Norma “It hasthatthingyoulookfor Sean Penn. with then-beau Julian Fellowes; chatting with Ordinary People; on theset of Robert Redford Hutton and actor Timothy far left: With Clockwise, from

confesses at the beginning she was confesses atthe beginningshewas rather incongruous, but Elizabeth fame withherfirstjob, thissounds by creatingmyowncareer.” Norma felt. Ifeelveryempowered experience hasbeenabitlikehow say anddo... Butforme, thewhole getting dressedandbeingtoldwhatto again sittinginthemake-upchairand going tofeelwhenIgobackjustonce world tome. Idon’t knowhowit’s table havingthediscussionsmeant beams. “Just tobeagrownupatthe of thecreativeprocess. “I lovedit,” she also aproducerandverymuchpart she wasnotonlytheleadingladybut “action” command. OnTheChaperone, She receivedherlinesandwaitedforthe little inputbeyondspeakingherlines. was verydifferent. movie, butthislatestcollaboration on theupcomingDownton of thehitseriesandagainrecently worked withJulianforsixseasons impressed andgottowork. Elizabeth creator ofDowntonAbbey, andhewas screenwriter sheknew, JulianFellowes, smitten. Shehastilytookittothebest hired tovoiceitsaudioreleaseandwas She discoveredthebookwhenshewas baby or “my fixation”, asshecallsit. surprising andquiteshockingway. a – andspecificallyhersexlifein inspires Normatograbholdofherlife film, notjustemotionallybecauseit and daughterisaturningpointinthe birth mother. That meetingofmother too youngandalwayslongedtofindher parents. Shemarriedcomfortablyand For someone who found immediate For someonewhofoundimmediate On The movieisverymuchElizabeth’s Downton, Elizabeth had very Elizabeth hadvery Abbey Abbey

film directorSimon Curtis, some ‘Oh, heistheone’. No, never.” right. There wasnopartofme thatfelt, I wasbusydoingmythingand itfelt now. Shewasjust ontheriseand wasn’t theMadonnathatwethink of Elizabeth laughs. “When theymet, she being upsetlosingSeantothediva, wife. When askedifsheremembers up withMadonna, whobecamehis but Ihaven’t seenhiminages.” feel reallyalotofaffectionforhim, just wonderfullydramaticandIstill were both22and23, soIthinkitwas work. “We wereacoupleofkids. We agreeing thatitwasnevergoingto the opposite,” shesaysenigmatically, being acombinationofecstaticand and evengotengaged. “I rememberit Hollywood hottieSeanPenn. roles followed, includingoneopposite in Oscar-nominated forherperformance close toadecade. Elizabethwas any performertofindtheirsweetspot.” intimidated –whichissoimportantfor which onefeltverycomfortableandnot created awonderfulatmosphere, in gentle, charmingandthoughtful, and What apersontolearnfrom!Hewas I didn’t understandhowluckyIwas. one ofthemostextraordinarypeople. says Elizabeth. “Robert Redfordis bang, shewasastar. “It was amazing,” performing artsinNew York, when, at thefamousJuilliardSchoolfor be,” shelaughs. the filmbusinessasyoucanpossibly a teacher. “My familyisasfarfrom university professorandhermother when shewas10. Herfatherwasa US MidwestandmovedtoLos Angeles McGovern hadarrived. and, beforesheknewit, Elizabeth People. The filmwonfourOscars Redford’s directorialdebut, Ordinary the biggestfilmsof1980s, Robert was almostimmediatelycastinoneof production at17, goingon18, she talent scoutwhileactinginaschool never reallyincontrol. Spottedbya MAY 2019 Elizabeth found hersoulmate, British After Elizabeth, Seanfamouslytook They datedonandofffortwoyears That “sweet spot” continuedfor Elizabeth had just completed a year Elizabeth hadjustcompletedayear Elizabeth wasborninIllinoisthe and a string of high-profile Ragtime andastringofhigh-profile | The Australian Women’s Weekly ➝

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Celebrity interview

years later. They were working The guys were all very laid-back together in on a TV play and shy, so I thought I’d give them and the attraction was instant. “I felt a stage persona also and I called absolutely at home with him, right them the Hotheads. So we became from the start. We were just natural Sadie and the Hotheads. We great friends. [Marrying Simon] was started performing these songs the best decision I ever made.” at open mikes and pubs, and it They married in 1992 and was really good for fun.” Elizabeth fell pregnant pretty quickly Elizabeth says she was terrified with their first daughter Matilda. at first, but slowly found her “Since he had this permanent job voice. At the same time, her acting and I couldn’t work anyway because career was back on the front foot I was pregnant, our lives began [and with . With her have remained] in England. That Downton fame speaking for her, seemed like a crazy decision career- Sadie and the Hotheads was wise, but it felt like the right thing for picked up by a powerful music us personally.” agent and soon they were England was “a slight shock to the performing at mainstream venues. system”, admits Elizabeth, laughing. “We had amazing gigs like She always felt like the outsider, the opening for Sting at the Montreux American in the room “and I still Jazz Festival. We toured with do”, she adds. “America is a country It all started with an innocent guitar Mike and the Mechanics.” To date, built on an influx of various cultures, lesson. “I thought it would be a fun Sadie and the Hotheads has cut four but England isn’t. It treasures its thing to go back to the guitar that I had albums, the last under Elizabeth’s name. tradition and history, and quite rightly. not played since I was 15,” she says. What does Elizabeth’s family think Unlike America, when you’re there, if “There was a guy [Steve], who was of her being a rock star? She raises her you’re not English you’re never going advertising guitar lessons in the local eyebrows. “At first, my daughters were to be British, whereas if you’re not paper. I called him up and it quickly mostly totally embarrassed, but, I think, American to start with you’re going to became weekly song writing sessions. secretly proud. They came to some of be American eventually,” she explains. It took over my brain. I became obsessed the gigs and they quite liked the music. Despite her huge Hollywood success, with writing a song every week for Steve When I started, they could see I was not in London Elizabeth felt she had to that he and I could play together.” good at performing. I was very green. build her career all over again from Elizabeth’s repertoire grew and two But they saw that I kept doing it and got scratch. But first she devoted herself to years later she found herself making better and better, and that was really raising their two daughters, Matilda an album with a bunch of musicians in interesting for them to see. Sometimes and Grace, both now in their 20s. the kitchen of Steve’s brother. “Then you have to work at something. It Although she welcomed motherhood, we needed to have a name, so I had doesn’t necessarily happen overnight. Elizabeth found she had a lot of time this inspiration that I could create a They could watch that whole process.” on her hands, which is when she took character for myself that would give me Elizabeth is certainly a role model up singing in a band under an alter courage to actually perform these songs for women of all ages. Sadie aside, this ego, Sadie. publicly – I called that character Sadie. year is turning out to be huge for her. When she returns from opening The Chaperone around the globe, she starts a 13-week West End theatre run in The Starry Messenger, opposite Matthew Broderick. She is also part of an eight-part TV adaptation of War of the Worlds with Gabriel Byrne and later in the year the movie version of Downton Abbey comes out. Theatre, TV, film and singing live. “I really like shaking it up a bit,” she says as she shimmies into a satin pants suit for our shoot. Striking the right note with her band, Sadie A woman of substance, indeed. AWW and the Hotheads (left); with husband Simon

Curtis and daughter Matilda (above). The Chaperone is in cinemas now. IMAGES. GETTY ALAMY. SUIT. SPENDER BIANCA WEARS ELIZABETH

96 The Australian Women’s Weekly | MAY 2019