Marisa Berenson

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Marisa Berenson
Marisa.png
Berenson in 2013
Born
Vittoria Marisa Schiaparelli Berenson

(1947-02-15) February 15, 1947 (age 77)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1967–present
Spouses
James Randall
(m. 1976;div. 1978)
Aaron Richard Golub
(m. 1982;div. 1987)
ChildrenStarlite Melody Randall
Relatives Elsa Schiaparelli (grandmother)
Berry Berenson (sister)
Oz Perkins (nephew)
Elvis Perkins (nephew)

Vittoria Marisa Schiaparelli Berenson (born February 15, 1947) is an American actress and model. [1] She appeared on the front covers of Vogue and Time , and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Natalia Landauer in the 1972 film Cabaret . The role also earned her Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations. Her other film appearances include Death in Venice (1971), Barry Lyndon (1975), S.O.B. (1981), and I Am Love (2009).

Contents

In 2001, she made her Broadway debut in the revival of Design for Living .

Early life

Childhood

Berenson was born in New York City, the elder of two daughters. Her father, Robert Lawrence Berenson, was an American career diplomat turned shipping executive of Russian Jewish descent & Polish Jewish descent, and his family's original surname was Valvrojenski. [2] [3] Her mother was Maria-Luisa Yvonne "Gogo" Radha de Wendt Schiaparelli, a socialite of Italian, Swiss, & French descent. [1] [4]

Family

Berenson's maternal grandmother was the fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, [5] [1] and her maternal grandfather was Wilhelm de Wendt de Kerlor, a theosophist and psychic medium. [4] [6] [7] Her younger sister, Berinthia, became a model, actress, and photographer as Berry Berenson.

She is also a great-grandniece of Giovanni Schiaparelli, an Italian astronomer who was the first to describe the canals of Mars, and a second cousin, once removed, of art expert Bernard Berenson and his sister Senda Berenson, an athlete and educator who was one of the first two women elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. [8]

Career

Berenson at the 2009 Venice Film Festival Marisa Berenson.jpg
Berenson at the 2009 Venice Film Festival

A fashion model discovered as a teenager by Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, [1] Berenson came to prominence in the 1960s ("I once was one of the highest paid models in the world", she told The New York Times ).[ citation needed ] She appeared on the cover of the July 1970 issue of Vogue as well as the cover of Time on December 15, 1975. She appeared in numerous fashion layouts in Vogue in the late 1960s and early 1970s. [1] She was known as "The Queen of the Scene" for her frequent appearances at nightclubs and other social venues in her youth, [9] and Yves Saint Laurent dubbed her "the girl of the Seventies". [10] [1]

Berenson's early film roles included Gustav von Aschenbach's wife in Luchino Visconti's 1971 film Death in Venice and the Jewish department store heiress Natalia Landauer in the 1972 film Cabaret . The latter role led to two Golden Globe nominations, a BAFTA nomination, and an award from the National Board of Review.

She also portrayed tragic beauty Lady Lyndon in the Stanley Kubrick film Barry Lyndon (1975). [1] Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote: "Marisa Berenson splendidly suits her costumes and wigs." [11] [12] She recalled her experience working under Kubrick's direction:

I liked him very much. He had a lot of dry humour. Contrary to what people think — they have this image of Stanley as this difficult ogre — he wasn't at all. He was a perfectionist, but every great director I've worked with has been a perfectionist. You have to be to make extraordinary films. [13]

Berenson's other performances included Casanova & Co. (1977), Killer Fish (1979), the Blake Edwards comedy S.O.B. (1981), The Secret Diary of Sigmund Freud (1984), and Clint Eastwood's White Hunter Black Heart (1990), as well as in made-for-TV movies in the United States, such as the Holocaust-themed drama Playing for Time (1980). She guest-starred in an episode of The Muppet Show during its third season in 1978. [14] She made her Broadway debut in the 2001 revival of Design for Living , which also starred Jennifer Ehle, Alan Cumming, and Dominic West. In 2009, she appeared in the film I Am Love .

In August 2016, she appeared in a production of Romeo and Juliet at the Garrick Theatre in London, as Lady Capulet. [15]

Berenson is chairman of the board of Culture Project, an organization that sponsors the theater.

Personal life

On September 11, 2001, her younger sister and sole sibling, Berry Perkins, widow of actor Anthony Perkins, was killed in the first flight to hit the World Trade Center. Marisa was also in an airplane during the terrorist attacks, flying from Paris to New York. In an interview with CBS, she told of the experience and how hours later she landed in Newfoundland (flights were diverted to Canada), and was told of her sister's death by a phone call with her daughter. [1] Said Berenson: "I have hope and tremendous faith. I think that's what gets you through life ... through tragedies is when you have faith." [16]

Of her practice of Transcendental Meditation [1] she said:

India changed my life, because I was searching for my spiritual path, and I ended up in an ashram in Rishikesh with Maharishi and the Beatles. We'd sit on the floor at night, and George and Ringo would play the guitar, and we'd meditate all day, and have meals together, and become vegetarians, and live in huts. But it was just normal. It wasn't like, "Oh, here are the Beatles." The most important thing was my transcendental meditation. [17]

Berenson lives in a villa on the outskirts of Marrakesh. [1] She is fluent in English, Italian, [18] and French. [19]

Relationships

Berenson's first husband was James Randall, a rivet manufacturer; [1] they wed in Beverly Hills in 1976 [20] and divorced in 1978. The couple have one daughter, born 1977, who is a social worker. [21]

Her second husband was Aaron Richard Golub, a lawyer, whom she married in 1982 and divorced in 1987. During the divorce proceedings, the judge ruled "the increased value of Ms. Berenson's acting and modeling career during the marriage were marital property" and therefore subject to consideration in any settlement agreements. [22] [23] [24] [25]

Filmography

Film

TitleYearRoleNotes
Death in Venice 1971Frau von Aschenbach
Cabaret 1972Natalia Landauer NBR Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated – Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Nominated – Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer - Female
Nominated – BAFTA Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
Un modo di essere donna1973Sibilla Ferrandi
Barry Lyndon 1975Lady Honoria Lyndon
Some Like It Cool1977The Caliph's Wife
Killer Fish 1979Ann
S.O.B. 1981Mavis
Led by the Nose1984Vera
The Syringe1984L'Arbalète'
The Secret Diary of Sigmund Freud 1984Emma Herrmann
Flagrant désir1986Jeanne Barnac
Via Montenapoleone 1987Francesca
White Hunter Black Heart 1990Kay Gibson
Night of the Cyclone1990Françoise
Il giardino dei ciliegi1992Charlotte
Venti dal Sud1994Anne de Bois
Le grand blanc de Lambaréné1995Helene Schweitzer
Tonka 1997Mme Pflaum
Elles 1997Chloé
Riches, belles, etc. 1998Alizéa
Retour à la vie 1999Stéphanie
The Photographer 2000Julie Morris
Primetime Murder2000Martha Werther
Lisa 2001Princess Maruschka
Lonesome2001Verena
People 2004Daniella
Le plus beau jour de ma vie 2004Barbara
Color Me Kubrick 2005Alex Witchell
24 Bars2007La mère
Vote and Die: Liszt for President2008Dr. Elizabeth Dyson
I Am Love 2009Allegra Rori Recchi
Cinéman2009Lady Lyndon
The Disciple2010Maria
Weddings and Other Disasters 2010Lucrezia
Hitler in Hollywood2010Marisa Berenson
Gigola 2011Solange
Opium  [ fr ]2013Marquise Casati
The Love Punch 2013Clothilde
Branagh Theatre Live: Romeo and Juliet 2016Lady Capulet
Halston 2019Herself
DogMan 2023Aristocrat Woman

Television

TitleYearRoleNotes
Coronet Blue 1967Mary BarclayEpisode: "Faces"
The Muppet Show 1978HerselfEpisode: Marisa Berenson
Tourist1980MarianTelevision film
Playing for Time 1980ElzvietaTelevision film
Bel ami1983Clotilde de MarelleLimited series
The Equalizer1985Andrea BrowneEpisode: "Back Home"
Sins 1986Luba TcherinaRecurring role (3 episodes)
Who's The Boss? 1986Genevieve PescherEpisode: "Not with My Client You Don't"
ABC Afterschool Specials 1986Liz ChildsEpisode: "Getting Even: A Wimp's Revenge"
Lo scialo1987NinaRecurring role (3 episodes)
Hemingway1988Pauline PfeifferMain role (4 episodes)
Spy Wars1989Isabella De AmbrosisMain role (3 episodes)
Ocean 1989Muneca ChavezMain role (6 episodes)
Have A Nice Night1990Barbara JenkinsTelevision film
Blaues Blut 1990Ann RyderEpisode: "Schatten der Vergangenheit"
Chillers 1990Professor Rebecca VernayEpisode: "The Thrill Seeker"
L'enfant des loups1991RadegondeTelevision film
Hollywood Detective 1991Dorothy ParkerEpisode: "Romanoff a Clef"
Ti ho adottato per simpatia1991UnknownTelevision film
Murder, She Wrote 1992Claudia CameronEpisode: "Danse Diabolique"
Notorious1992Katarina SebastianTelevision film
Maigret 1995Mme CrosbyEpisode: "Maigret et la tête d'un homme"
Het verdriet van België1995Madame LauraRecurring role (2 episodes)
Maintenant et pour toujours1998MarianneTelevision film
Ama il tuo nemico 22001UnknownTelevision film
Commissaire Valence2004Mme IrèneEpisode: "Machination"
Julie, chevalier de Maupin2004Madame de MaintenonTelevision film
Venus and Apollo2005Albina de BraiseEpisode: "Soin défraîchi"
Le juge est une femme2005Julie de BergEpisode: "La petite marchande de fleurs"
Mafiosa 2006–
2007
Caterina PaoliRecurring role (6 episodes)
Lost Signs 2007Irène de LestradeRecurring role (12 episodes)
Il peccato e la vergogna 2010Elena FontamaraRecurring role (2 episodes)
Caldo criminale2010LucreziaTelevision film
Le sang de la vigne2011ShirleyEpisode: "Le dernier coup de Jarnac"
La collection: Ecrire pour... la trentaine vue par des écrivains2014MarianneEpisode: "Rose Mystica"
Velvet Colección 2018Sandra PetribelloRecurring role (2 episodes)

Theatre

TitleYearRoleVenueRef.
Holiday 1980Julia SetonAhmanson Theatre, Los Angeles [26]
Design For Living 2001Grace TorrenceBroadway, Roundabout Revival [27]
Romeo and Juliet 2016Lady CapuletWest End, Kenneth Branagh Revival [28]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Saner, Emine (October 30, 2019). "'I did the first nude in Vogue': Marisa Berenson on being a blazing star of the 70s and beyond: Interview". The Guardian . London. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  2. Berenson, Bernard (1949). Sketch for a Self-Portrait. Pantheon.
  3. "Robert L. Berenson, Ex-Envoy And Head of Shipping Line, Dies". The New York Times . February 3, 1965. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Elsa Schiaparelli, Shocking Life, NY: Dutton, 1954
  5. Linda Greenhouse, "Schiaparelli Dies in Paris; Brought Color to Fashion", The New York Times , November 15, 1973
  6. Thurman, Judith (October 20, 2003). "Mother of Invention". The New Yorker via www.newyorker.com.
  7. Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica entry Archived May 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. "Senda Berenson | Biography & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. March 15, 2024.
  9. John Corry, "About New York", The New York Times , February 4, 1974
  10. Judy Klemesrud, "And Now, Make Room for the Berenson Sisters", The New York Times , April 19, 1973, p. 54
  11. Vincent Canby, Barry Lyndon review, The New York Times , December 19, 1975
  12. "marisa berenson". Archived from the original on December 13, 2021 via www.youtube.com.
  13. "Marisa Berenson on the making of Barry Lyndon: Kubrick wasn't a 'difficult ogre - he was a perfectionist'", Independent, July 13, 2016
  14. Video on YouTube
  15. Kellaway, Kate (July 24, 2016). "Marisa Berenson: 'Being directed by Branagh is an amazing adventure'". The Guardian . London.
  16. "48 Hours: And Then There Were 2". CBS. October 12, 2001.
  17. "Chatting Up Marisa Berenson", Leslie Camhi, September 27, 2011. The New York Times . Retrieved Sept 2011
  18. "Actors who speak Italian". January 29, 2013.
  19. Marisa Berenson "Kubrick disait que je ne serai jamais aussi belle..." Archive INA.
  20. "People, Nov. 22, 1976". Time. November 22, 1976 via content.time.com.
  21. "Milestones, Nov. 21, 1977". Time. November 21, 1977 via content.time.com.
  22. David Margolick, "Divorce Quandary: Is Fame Property?", The New York Times , September 26, 1990
  23. Ronald Sullivan, "Her Fame Is Ruled His Too: Soprano Must Share Income", The New York Times , July 3, 1991
  24. Joyce Wadler, "Public Lives: Still a Bad Boy, as a Lawyer and a Novelist", The New York Times , April 7, 2000, B2:4
  25. "Claude Solnik, "Breaking up is even harder to do for celebrities", Long Island Business News, 20 January 2006". Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2007.
  26. "Holiday".
  27. "Marisa Berenson – Broadway Cast & Staff". IBDB.
  28. "Marisa Berenson Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos".