|
As a child, Kim Basinger seemed so
withdrawn her parents asked doctors if she had autism or some other
psychiatric disorder, but tests revealed nothing. By high school, she had
developed a self-deprecating sense of humor that helped her make friends.
At 16, Basinger won the Athens Junior Miss contest, singing "Wouldn't It
Be Loverly" in the talent competition. She was later crowned Junior Miss
Georgia, and traveled to New York City to compete for the national crown.
She didn't win, but returned to New York after graduating from high school
to pursue a modeling career.
She was quickly signed by the Ford Modeling Agency, and over several years
Basinger appeared on dozens of magazine covers and in hundreds of ads. She
decided to try acting, moved to L.A., and lived in a low-rent apartment
with a view of the neighboring freeway. For six months, she lived on her
savings, before finally getting some work as an actress.
She appeared in such mid-1970s staples as The Six Million Dollar Man,
McMillan and Wife, and the original Charlie's Angels. She starred in a cop
show called Dog and Cat that lasted six episodes (Basinger was the rookie
female cop, "Cat", partnered with a gruff old-fashioned cop, "Dog"). She
had the title role in a schlocky 1978 teleflick, Katie: Portrait of a
Centerfold, and later, Basinger did a nude pictorial in Playboy.
In her first feature film, a low-budget 1981 drama called Hard Country,
she starred opposite 1970s pretty boy Jan-Michael Vincent. During filming,
she married Ron Britton, a worker on the film's make-up crew. Basinger did
good work in more B-movies before finding success as a Bond girl in Sean
Connery's final outing as 007, Never Say Never Again. In other memorable
roles, ruined Robert Redford's batting average in The Natural, endured
repeated boinkings by Mickey Rourke in 9½ Weeks, and fell for Michael
Keaton in Batman.
She divorced Britton in 1989, and the following year she met Alec Baldwin
on the set of The Marrying Man. After several proposals, she agreed to
marry him in 1993. They were famous photo fodder for the tabloids, even
guest-voicing together on The Simpsons, but finally divorced in 2002.
In her mid-40s, Basinger won the 1997 Oscar playing a hooker in L.A.
Confidential. Hollywood generally has little interest in women past
menopause, but she has kept busy since winning her statuette. Her recent
roles include Eminem's trailer trash mom in 8 Mile, and a grieving mother
and unfaithful wife in The Door in the Floor.
In 1989 she paid $20 million to buy the entire town of Braselton, Georgia,
about 60 miles from Atlanta. Four years later, she was sued for backing
out of a film she had agreed to star in, and was forced to sell Braselton
for just $1 million. During that media ruckus, then-husband Baldwin
angrily defended Basinger to the media: "The trial is a good example of
people assuming 'glamorous movie actress, self-involved bitch, $100
million bank account'. That sells papers, not 'shy and quiet, very
private, animal lover'. That stuff's boring. She knows she could paint her
body on the cover of Vanity Fair [as Demi Moore did] and reap the
benefits. What that has to do with a movie career, I don't know."
Court documents from that case show that Basinger's monthly expenses for
clothing tallied $6,100. She was also spending $7,000 a month for "pet
care and other personal expenses". She is an activist for animal rights,
and a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Basinger remains shy, susceptible to panic attacks and agoraphobia. |
|
The Informers (2008)
While She Was Out (2008)
The Mermaid Chair (2006) (TV) .... Jessie Sullivan
The Sentinel (2006) .... 1st Lady Sarah Ballentine
Even Money (2006/I) .... Carol Carver
Cellular (2004) .... Jessica Martin
... aka Final Call - Wenn er auflegt, muss sie sterben (Germany: DVD
title)
Elvis Has Left the Building (2004) .... Harmony Jones
The Door in the Floor (2004) .... Marion Cole
People I Know (2002) .... Victoria Gray
... aka Im inneren Kreis (Germany)
... aka Innere Kreis, Der (Germany: video title)
8 Mile (2002) .... Stephanie Smith
... aka 8 Mile (Germany)
Bless the Child (2000) .... Maggie O'Connor
... aka Prophezeiung, Die (Germany)
I Dreamed of Africa (2000) .... Kuki Gallmann
L.A. Confidential (1997) .... Lynn Bracken
Prêt-à-Porter (1994) .... Kitty Potter
... aka Prêt-à-Porter: Ready to Wear (Canada: English title)
... aka Ready to Wear
The Getaway (1994) .... Carol McCoy
Wayne's World 2 (1993) .... Honey Horneé
The Real McCoy (1993) .... Karen McCoy
Cool World (1992) .... Holli Would
Final Analysis (1992) .... Heather Evans
The Marrying Man (1991) .... Vicki Anderson
... aka Too Hot to Handle
Batman (1989) .... Vicki Vale
My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988) .... Celeste Martin
Nadine (1987) .... Nadine Hightower
Blind Date (1987) .... Nadia Gates
... aka Blake Edwards' Blind Date (USA: complete title)
No Mercy (1986) .... Michel Duval
Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986) .... Elizabeth
Fool for Love (1985) .... May
The Natural (1984) .... Memo Paris
The Man Who Loved Women (1983) .... Louise Carr
Never Say Never Again (1983) .... Domino Petachi
... aka James Bond 007 - Sag niemals nie (West Germany)
Mother Lode (1982) .... Andrea Spalding
... aka Search for the Mother Lode: The Last Great Treasure
Killjoy (1981) (TV) .... Laury Medford
... aka Who Murdered Joy Morgan?
Hard Country (1981) .... Jodie
"From Here to Eternity" (1980) TV Series .... Lorene Rogers
"From Here to Eternity" (1979) (mini) TV Series .... Lorene Rogers
"Vega$" .... Allison Jorden (1 episode, 1978)
- Lady Ice (1978) TV Episode .... Allison Jorden
Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold (1978) (TV) .... Katie McEvera
The Ghost of Flight 401 (1978) (TV) .... Prissy Frasier
"Dog and Cat" (1977) TV Series .... Officer J.Z. Kane (unknown
episodes, 1977)
Dog and Cat (1977) (TV) .... Officer J.Z. Kane
"McMillan & Wife" .... Janet Carney (1 episode, 1977)
... aka McMillan (USA: sixth season title)
- Dark Sunrise (1977) TV Episode .... Janet Carney
"The Six Million Dollar Man" .... Lorraine Stenger (1 episode, 1977)
- The Ultimate Imposter (1977) TV Episode .... Lorraine Stenger
"Charlie's Angels" .... Linda Oliver (1 episode, 1976)
- Angels in Chains (1976) TV Episode .... Linda Oliver
"Gemini Man" .... Sheila (1 episode, 1976)
- Night Train to Dallas (1976) TV Episode .... Sheila |
