I love Vera Farmiga.
I realize that means nothing to you, and I should remain more analytical and level-headed on this site. But we all have our favorites, and Ms. Farmiga is one of mine. Whether cheekily stealing scenes in “Breaking and Entering” or fearlessly carrying the searing “Down to the Bone,” she has an unusual onscreen empathy and intelligence that has long reminded me of pre-stardom Cate Blanchett, which is about the highest compliment I can pay.
Since surprising virtually everyone by taking the 2005 LA Critics’ Best Actress award for “Down to the Bone,” she has seemed on the cusp of big things, but things haven’t quite clicked into place. She should have been an Oscar contender the next year for her precise, sexually calibrated turn in “The Departed,” but she somehow slipped by unnoticed amid the testosterone-charged ensemble. Oscar rumblings have been heard again this year for “Nothing But the Truth,” but the film doesn’t seem to be generating much heat.
So I was excited to learn today that she’s landed her most mainstream lead role to date: a romantic comedy opposite George Clooney, no less. “Up in the Air” will be the third feature from this year’s surprise Best Director nominee, Jason Reitman, which makes for an intriguing match-up of talent all round. Variety reports as follows:
Story centers on a human resources exec whose only joy in life comes from the prospect of notching his millionth frequent-flyer mile, a goal he pursues with zeal as the rest of his life falls apart because he is constantly on the road.
Farmiga will play a businesswoman who develops a romantic relationship with Clooney’s character through meetings in airports and hotels around the country. Reitman adapted the screenplay from Walter Kirn’s novel of the same name.
Count me in. Clooney and Farmiga are an unusual pairing, not least because Farmiga is so much more jagged and alert a presence than the sweetheart types he often gets paired with. It will be interesting to see how two such resolutely grownup stars handle the trappings of the romantic comedy, especially with Reitman’s tart, wry touch governing proceedings.
Rewatching “Juno” the other day, I was struck anew by what a fresh, delicate feat of direction it is, something that I think got slightly forgotten amid the fuss over Diablo Cody’s script. And as a massive fan of Reitman’s self-penned debut, “Thank You For Smoking,” I’m glad to see him working from his own script again.
Something to look forward to, then. If nothing else, hopefully it will finally tell the rest of the world what some of have known for a while now: that Vera Farmiga is a star.
Comments
16 responses to “Is Vera Farmiga about to go big?”
She is my favorite actress right now and she is pretty thrilling in “Nothing but the Truth”. Have you seen it, Guy?
Sadly haven’t had the opportunity to see it yet, Jerry. Looking forward to it, though — she’s never let me down.
big fan of reitman so im pumped for anything hes ready to throw at me. like every1 else to some degree, i love clooney, and i thot farmiga was one of the most interesting components of the departed, my 2nd favortie film of the decade thus far
I fell in love in with Vera after watching The Departed. The things she does with those eyes, wow. She made my supporting actress top five that year. She is not what I would say is traditionally beautiful, but I’m in love. THOSE EYES!
I fell in love with her too after The Departed.
Glad to see I’m not the only one… She looks great in “Nothing but the Truth”
those eyes is right. eyes are the sexiest part of a woman’s body to me. she has great eyes
Vera Farmiga is one of my top three favorite actresses working today (along with Blanchett and Watts). She is so natural and fascinating to watch. She reminds me of Blanchett and Streep in some ways, but she definitely has her own unique characteristics as a performer. I’ve been hoping for a while now that she would get a bigger break. She’s such a marvelous talent. So, good for her. I hope this venture is a success!
Very much looking forward to Nothing But the Truth… I have a feeling she’ll get nodded this time. :)
She deserves that Oscar Nomination in this awful 2005 for “Down to the Bone” instead Judi Dench or/and Charlize Theron. i hope this is her real begining of a fantastic career. She’s beautiful and talented
Vera Farmiga is hot and a very good actress, she was great in running scared (great body in that picture) and in the The Departed she was very good.
Standing up between all that male acting macho violence in The Departed was one of the greatest things a woman ever did on screen. Wow, she was stunning there.
She’s beyond yummy in Running Scared; that bit on the washer/dryer is so hot.
When she tore her shirt off at the kitchen table in Down to the Bone I nearly had a coronary, not just because she looks beautiful topless, but because of the emotional intensity she brought to the role and that specific moment. It’s a tour de force of acting, and a criminally underseen film.
She was top-notch in The Departed and yes, she stole those scenes in Breaking and Entering.
I have heard she’s a tough cookie though, which makes me like her even more. I love how she send out audition tapes from her farm in upstate NYC and has virtually shunned all of the Hell-A bullshit that the industry feeds from.
She’s hot, she’s classy, and she’s a great actress.
Can’t wait to see her work in Nothing But the Truth.
She was also quite good in Quid Pro Quo even though nobody saw it.
Read the “Up in the Air” script. It’s a yawner, to be honest. Small movie. Nice change of pace for Clooney. Doesn’t do much for Fermiga. The role is only so-so.
That said, I’m a big Vera Fermiga fan myself. Very under appreciated.
[…] any case, I’m quite pleased to see some credit for Farmiga, my admiration for whom I recently expressed on these […]
I too love Vera since Departed and have seen everything she has been in at least twice. She is vulnerable but blended with a stoic wariness that comes across unlike anyone else especially with her unusual beauty. Her eyes are icy but her aura is warm. She is so very sexy, in fact her and Cate Blanchett could melt glaciers!
I love the way she stares at people as though she has no personality whatsoever. Huge fan!