ega-stardom
has always eluded actress Kelly Lynch.
She's been on the movie scene since the '80s and has worked with a number
of Hollywood hotties - but she has never been the "It" girl of
Tinseltown.Her latest role, as Tim Allen's ex-wife in the comedy Joe Somebody, likely won't change that situation. But then, Lynch's emphasis has always been on artistic fulfillment rather than stardom. And that may be the secret to her longevity in the business. While many a pretty young thing fizzles out when her 15 minutes is up, Lynch moves from role to role - and often very different roles at that.
Lynch made her movie debut in 1988 with a bit part in Bright Lights, Big City. Later that year she landed a more substantial role in the
However, Lynch did an about face when she next starred in a commercial family comedy called Curly Sue (1991), directed by John Hughes. The move no doubt caused dismay to her die-hard indie fans and those who would categorize her.
Refusing to be pigeonholed, Lynch followed that up with the role of a lesbian in the unconventional romantic comedy Three of Hearts (1993), which was co-scripted by her husband Mitch Glazer. Lynch's character, Connie, hires a male escort to seduce her former lover Ellen and break her heart.
Lynch explained the freedom her approach allows. "Whether playing a drug addict or whatever, I've never thought 'Oh God, what does this mean? Will I only get cast as a junkie now?' My whole career is based on taking a left turn after each film and doing the opposite of what I've just done."
And indeed, sometimes she's turned down opportunities that would have made her a star. She passed on the lead role for the thriller Basic Instinct (1992). Instead it was Sharon Stone who criss-crossed her legs to fame and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.
Lynch's attitude to stardom may seem surprising considering she is a former Elite model who was discovered by the head of the agency in an elevator and shortly thereafter signed a $250,000 modeling contract. However, going back a little further into her history you discover acting roots.
As a young woman, the Minnesota-born native spent two summers training to be a director at the Guthrie Theater and then moved to New York to study drama with Sanford Meisner. Her lucrative modelling contract sidetracked her career for three years, but film opportunities drew her back to her original goal.
Lynch's choices may not always bring her success. She appeared in a slew of forgettable movies in the late '90s, including White Man's Burden (1995), Mr. Magoo (1997) and Homegrown (1998). But don't count her out, because you never know what her next move might be. In this case, it was onto a blockbuster hit of 2000, Charlie's Angels.
In the babelicious movie, Lynch portrays dominatrix vixen Vivian Wood, a software company executive who hires the Angels to find the person who
kidnapped her business partner and his voice recognition software. One reviewer commented that "When you appear in Charlie's Angels, and you're not one of the Angels, and you're a woman - as far as babe roles go, it's over."
Yeah, probably. But at 42, she's not reading for the same roles as Mena Suvari or Jennifer Love Hewitt. And the actresses she admires, Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange, aren't young either. In fact, she said, "I can't wait 'til I get the chance to be a character and how my face looks isn't the first consideration."
Without a doubt, she'll get the chance. Hollywood doesn't afford many opportunities to mature women but after 13 years on movie sets, Lynch has proven that she's here to stay. Because, just like Tim Allen's character in Joe Somebody, Lynch has learned that you don't have to be a star to be a somebody.
- Deena Waisberg