When the Golden Globe and SAG nominations came out, there were few surprises. The acting categories have been firming up for two months now, and there’s little chance that we will get some huge, out-of-nowhere nomination for someone like Ralph Fiennes. Which is too bad, because apparently his supporting performance in A Bigger Splash is completely Oscar-worthy. Many critics included the film and Ralph’s performance in particular on their “best of the year” lists. Alas, I don’t think Ralph really cares enough to campaign, nor does anyone want to spend the money for a campaign.
That’s basically why I’m writing about Ralph right now, even though this Evening Standard interview is about a month old. I totally missed it when it came out (sad) but Ralph did the interview to chat about A Bigger Splash, and he ended up saying many interesting things about politics and love. Some highlights:
His politics: In the past, he has expressed left-leaning politics, but lost faith in Blair over Iraq. Of Jeremy Corbyn, he says: ‘I’m curious, but I can’t say I’m a fan. I think he’s a decent man with a socialist conscience, but I’m sceptical that he’d be able to lead the Labour Party. I know him to be a good constituency MP, but what we need is a strong coherent opposition. I feel that very strongly. There’s divisiveness in the Labour Party that is not helpful. God knows we need a strong opposition now to push this Tory government and push it hard.’
On Donald Trump: He describes it as ‘distressing’ that the liberal values he was brought up with are now treated ‘in America with contempt’. ‘Liberal values: it doesn’t mean you don’t have a core. It means you are open to inclusivity and tolerance. We have to be prepared to defend those things and when we’re called on those values by the likes of Trump, we need to stand up for them.’ He sees shades of Shakespeare in Trump. ‘He’s a weird mix of King Lear in the first act — that attitude of “This is what I’m going to do and f**k you if you disagree” — with the sort of sensuous egregiousness of Falstaff. I’d put him somewhere in the mix between the two.’
He hasn’t spent Christmas with his family in three years: For Christmas, he ‘usually — often’ goes to New York, where he has an apartment. Three years ago was his last family Christmas. ‘Mostly because my brother Joseph [also an actor] generously invited us all. It was great.’ Has he not been invited back since? He laughs. ‘There’s not been an invitation forthcoming since, no.’ They didn’t have turkey, he assures me, ‘but a less conventional ham’.
His perfect woman: ‘This sounds a bit clunky but I’m always attracted to… I like being with women who are quite strong and seem to come from a sense of knowing themselves, that sit in who they are with confidence, and can be quite confrontational — even aggressive. I’ve always found that very attractive. It’s confidence. Their sense of their purpose.’
An unconventional life: ‘I do not want a picture-postcard family life, no. Definitely not.’
He doesn’t want to be in a relationship & he’s not lonely: ‘I think loneliness is quite good for people. To confront who you are; time for thinking and confronting and accepting. I don’t feel I’m lonely. I like being alone.’
I hate it when anyone tries to make Donald Trump sound like a Shakespearean-level character. He is not. Pres. Obama has Shakespearean depth. Bill Clinton has Shakespearean depth. Dick Cheney has Shakespearean depth. Donald Trump is like a villain from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale – someone evil, vile, base and deep as a puddle. As for what Fiennes says about what he wants in a woman… someone confidant, confrontational, aggressive, purposeful… God, I want him. I want to argue with him. I want to eat Christmas ham with him.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
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