#RespectYourElders: Glenn Close, age 71, is an award-winning television, film and stage actress. In January 2019, she received her third Golden Globe for her portrayal of a woman whose ambitions are eclipsed by her husband’s career in “The Wife.”
Close began her career in theatre, performing on stages across New York City during the 1970s and 80s. She won her first Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 1980 for her role in “The Real Thing.” She went on to win two more Tonys, for “Death and the Maiden” and “Sunset Boulevard” before taking a break from Broadway until 2014 for the revival of “A Delicate Balance.”
Close made her feature film debut in 1982 in “The World According to Garp,” then “The Big Chill” and “The Natural,” receiving Academy Award Nominations for all three. Close is no stranger to the small screen either, starring in the series “The Shield” in 2005 and “Damages” alongside Rose Byrne from 2007-2012. She’s also voiced Mona Simpson on “The Simpsons” since 1995.
Close has received numerous awards for her on-screen performances. She won her first Emmy Award in 1995 for the TV film “Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story.” She’s been nominated for an Academy Award six times, including for her leading roles in “Fatal Attraction” in 1987, “Dangerous Liaisons” in 1988 and “Albert Nobbs” in 2011 — but has never won. In fact, Close has received more nominations without wins than any other living actor. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Aside from acting, Close keeps busy as the president of Trillium Productions, which has produced films like “Albert Nobbs” and “Sarah Plain and Tall.” She also founded a dog accessories website, FetchDog, in 2007, where she posted interviews with celebrities about their relationships with their dogs, however she sold the business in 2012. Close also founded the campaign Bring Change to Mind, which aims to end stigma and discrimination around mental illness.
Close has also been a longtime advocate of social issues like gay marriage and women’s rights. She received a standing ovation during her acceptance speech at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards for her message to women.
“I feel what I’ve learned through this whole experience is that women, we’re nurturers. That’s what’s expected of us,” she said. “We have our children, we have our husbands, if we’re lucky enough, and our partners, whoever. But we have to find personal fulfillment. We have to follow our dreams. We have to say, ‘I can do that and I should be allowed to do that.'”
While she’s already won a Golden Globe this year, it remains to be seen whether she’ll finally get the coveted Oscar. Do you think this will be the year she finally receives an Academy Award?