At 78, Glenn Close remains one of Hollywood's most formidable talents, seamlessly transitioning between glamorous red carpet appearances and her quiet life in rural Montana. The actress, who terrified a generation with her iconic 'bunny boiling' role in Fatal Attraction, continues to captivate audiences with her remarkable career span and personal resilience.
From New England Roots to Hollywood Stardom
Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, Close describes her childhood as both wild and traumatic, despite the town's reputation for 'smug affluence'. Her family roots run deep in New England, where she draws strength from the region's historic stone walls that she describes as becoming part of her DNA. 'I grew up on those great stone walls of New England,' Close recalls, her gaze steady and determined. 'Some were 6ft tall and 250 years old! I have a book called Sermons in Stone that says more energy went into building them than the pyramids.'
This imagery of stone walls has become a governing metaphor for Close's life philosophy - one of resilience and getting back up no matter what knocks you down. It's a lesson she learned early when, as a struggling actress in New York, a cherished family heirloom - a Russian troika - shattered on her apartment floor. 'I remember sinking to the floor and sobbing,' she confesses. 'All the rejection I'd had, everything. Then I remembered the stone walls and thought: you get up. YOU GET UP.'
A Career Defined by Intensity and Range
Close's filmography reads like a masterclass in character acting, from the terrifying Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction (1987) to the maniacal Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians (1996) and her seething protagonist in The Wife (2017). Long before A-list actors rushed to television, she was delivering five critically acclaimed seasons of legal drama Damages from 2007.
Her current projects showcase her incredible range: she's filming the sixth Hunger Games instalment as Drusilla Sickle, working on Channel 4's drama Maud, and appears in Ryan Murphy's new Disney+ divorce drama All's Fair alongside Kim Kardashian. Despite eight Oscar nominations, Close has never won the award - a curious omission that somehow makes her more interesting and nimble compared to contemporaries like Meryl Streep.
Her newest release is Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third instalment in Rian Johnson's popular franchise. Close plays Martha Delacroix, 'a sad character with no life outside the church' who has the unsettling habit of materialising behind people. 'I leapt at it!' she says of the role. 'I'd heard from everyone what a wonderful human being Rian Johnson is. He's incredibly bright and funny - I'd marry him if he wasn't already married.' She adds with dry humour: 'And if he'd have me, at my age.'
Montana Living and Political Engagement
Close's primary home is now outside Bozeman, Montana, where her extended family has gathered - her sisters, brother, and daughter Annie with her husband and new baby. 'It's such a gift! All the cousins will grow up together!' she enthuses, clearly relishing this tight-knit family arrangement that contrasts sharply with her own childhood.
Living in a predominantly Republican state hasn't muted her political voice. She recently attended an anti-Trump 'No Kings' march and notes that Bozeman's university creates 'a blue island in a largely red state.' She's considered going down to the courthouse with a sign to express her views, demonstrating that retirement from activism isn't on her agenda.
Despite Montana's cowboy country reputation, it has become a haven for the ultra-wealthy seeking peace and stunning scenery. Michael Keaton, David Letterman, and Ted Turner all own properties there. Close lives more modestly and is building her community connections, even attending local women's club meetings. 'People bring little cakes. The community will have potluck dinners. You get to meet Betty Biggs, whose family's been ranching there for five generations,' she says, embracing the ordinary moments that ground her.
Embracing the 'Undefined' Life
Close's social media reveals a woman comfortable in both glamorous and bare-faced authenticity. She appears without makeup frequently, citing both laziness and the belief that 'makeup doesn't necessarily make you look better. It's all about lighting.' For The Hunger Games, she spends two and a half hours daily in makeup, making her home time precious for being herself.
This comfort with being 'undefined' stems from her childhood, where she felt largely unshaped by external influences. 'I was completely undefined for a very long time. I still am undefined,' she reflects. This quality serves her acting, allowing her to piece together characters from minute details that spark her imagination.
Her childhood took a dramatic turn when she was seven and her surgeon father joined Moral Re-Armament, a rightwing religious cult founded in 1938 by American minister Frank Buchman. The family moved to Switzerland, and Close still carries triggers from what she describes as 'psychological abuse couched in underlying misogyny.' She focuses instead on her first seven years running free in rural Connecticut as her sustaining foundation.
Enduring Legacy and Future Projects
Nearly forty years after Fatal Attraction terrified audiences, Close reflects that Alex Forrest remains 'a tragic figure' to her. The film continues to find new audiences, with college students recently watching it for her masterclass reacting with 'their mouths open.'
As for working with Kim Kardashian on All's Fair, Close is surprisingly complimentary. 'She's lovely! And very smart. Very, very conscientious with her kids. When we were filming she was going through working towards her law degree.' She adds with a burst of laughter: 'I've seen all nine episodes and it's pretty fucking good. It is what it is: juicy and outrageous at times and touching.'
At 78, Close's energy seems boundless, powered by work schedules that impose discipline she admits she lacks at home. 'I'm energised when I have to be. I'm very good when I'm working, when I have a schedule imposed upon me.' Her secret remains that stone wall mentality - the determination to get up, no matter what life throws at her.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery arrives in cinemas from 28 November and on Netflix from 12 December, offering audiences another chance to witness Glenn Close's unparalleled character work that continues to define her extraordinary career.
