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Geneviève Bujold

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Geneviève Bujold
Geneviève Bujold in Anne of the Thousand Days
Born (1942-07-01) July 1, 1942 (age 82)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
OccupationActress
Years active1962–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1967; div. 1974)​
PartnerDennis Hastings (1977–2017)
Children2

Geneviève Bujold (French pronunciation: [ʒənvjɛv byʒo]; born July 1, 1942) is a Canadian actress. For her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in the period drama film Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), Bujold received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her other film credits include The Trojan Women (1971), Earthquake (1974), Obsession (1976), Coma (1978), Murder by Decree (1979), Tightrope (1984), Choose Me (1984), Dead Ringers (1988), The House of Yes (1997), and Still Mine (2012).

Early life

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She was born in Montreal, Quebec, the daughter of Laurette (née Cavanagh), a maid,[1] and Joseph Firmin Bujold, a bus driver.[2] She is of French Canadian descent, with distant Irish ancestry.[3]

Bujold received a strict convent education for twelve years, which she disliked. She was expelled from the convent for reportedly reading Fanny by Marcel Pagnol.[4] She entered the Montreal Conservatory of Dramatic Art,[5][6] where she was trained in the classics of French theatre.

Career

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Early work

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Two months before she was to graduate she made her stage debut as Rosine in Le Barbier de Séville in 1961 with Theâtre de Gesù. She quit the school and was rarely out of work, being in demand for radio, stage, TV and film.[4] Bujold made her TV debut with Le square (1963), a 60-minute TV film based on a play by Marguerite Duras, co-starring Georges Groulx. She was in episodes of Jeudi-théâtre ("Atout... Meurtre") and Les belles histoires des pays d'en haut ("La terre de Bidou") and guest starred on Ti-Jean caribou. Her Canadian feature film debut was in Amanita Pestilens (1963). She was then in an international co production La fleur de l'âge, ou Les adolescentes (1964) and had a lead role in La terre à boire (1964), the first Quebec feature to be privately financed.[7] Bujold starred in two 30 minute shorts, La fin des étés (1964) and Geneviève (1964). She toured Canada performing plays also worked steadily in radio and was voted actress of the year in Montreal.[4][8][9]

French films

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In 1965, she toured Russia and France with the company of the Théâtre du Rideau Vert. While in Paris, Bujold was in a play A House... and a Day when she was seen by renowned French director Alain Resnais. He selected her for a role in his film The War Is Over, opposite Yves Montand and Ingrid Thulin. She returned home briefly to appear in "Romeo and Jeannette" by Jean Anouilh alongside Michael Sarrazin, for a Canadian TV show Festival.[8] Also for that show she did productions of The Murderer and A Doll's House. She contributed with vocals in The Devil's Toy, a documentary about skateboarding in Montreal, directed by Claude Jutra (1966).[10]

She stayed in France to make two more films: Philippe de Broca's King of Hearts (1966), with Alan Bates, and Louis Malle's The Thief of Paris (1967), with Jean-Paul Belmondo. Bujold won the Prix Suzanne as the Discovery of the Year and Elle magazine called her The Girl of the Day. Despite having established herself in France, however, she returned to Canada.[4]

Return to Canada

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Then-husband Paul Almond directed her in "The Puppet Caravan" for Festival in 1967. She appeared in Michel Brault's film Between Salt and Sweet Water (1967), then went to New York to play the title role in a production of Saint Joan (1967) for Hallmark Hall of Fame on American TV. Although she said she preferred film most and television least out of all the mediums, she received great acclaim for this including an Emmy nomination.[11][12]

In Canada she starred in Isabel (1968), written and directed by Almond. It was one of the first Canadian films to be picked up for distribution by a major Hollywood studio.[13]

Anne of the Thousand Days and international stardom

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International recognition came in 1969, when she starred as Anne Boleyn in Charles Jarrott's film Anne of the Thousand Days, with Richard Burton. Producer Hal B. Wallis cast her after seeing her in Isabel.[14]

For her performance, she received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama,[15] and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.[16] It was released by Universal who signed her to a three-picture contract.[4]

Back in Canada, she did a second feature with her husband, The Act of the Heart (1970), co starring Donald Sutherland, which earned her a Best Actress at the Canadian Film Awards. She wrote and starred in a short film, Marie-Christine (1970), directed by Claude Jutra. Wallis and Universal wanted Bujold to star in Mary, Queen of Scots (1971) but she refused so they sued her for $450,000.[4]

Instead she played the role of Cassandra, a Greek prophet, in Michael Cacoyannis's film version of The Trojan Women (1971), opposite Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, and Irene Papas. It was shot in Spain. In Canada, she made Journey (1972) with Almond and co-starring John Vernon. Bujold won another Canadian Film Award for Best Actress.

She starred in Claude Jutra's Kamouraska (1973), based on a novel by Anne Hébert, for which she received her third Canadian Film Award for Best Actress.[17] In the US, she appeared in an adaptation of Jean Anouilh's Antigone for PBS's Great Performances in 1974.[1]

Hollywood

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In 1973, after her marriage ended, she relocated to Los Angeles.[18] Shortly thereafter, she settled the lawsuit with Universal, agreeing to a three-picture film contract starting with Earthquake (1974), with Charlton Heston.

Bujold went to France to make Incorrigible (1975) with de Broca and Belmondo. For Hallmark Hall of Fame and the BBC she appeared in Caesar and Cleopatra (1975) alongside Alec Guinness.

At Universal Studios, she was the lead in Swashbuckler (1976) alongside Robert Shaw. In an interview she said, "Robert Shaw is a man worth knowing."[18]

In 1976, she appeared in Obsession (1976) directed by Brian De Palma[19] co-starring Cliff Robertson (1976). Bujold made Alex & the Gypsy (1976) with Jack Lemmon and Another Man, Another Chance (1977), co-starring James Caan (1977) for Claude Lelouch.

She was lead with Michael Douglas in the medical thriller Coma (1978), directed by Michael Crichton, which was a box office hit.

Bujold returned to Canada to play a key role in the Sherlock Holmes film Murder by Decree (1979), which won her a Best Supporting Actress Award at the Canadian Film Awards.

For Walt Disney she appeared in the fantasy film The Last Flight of Noah's Ark (1980) with Elliott Gould and Charles Jarrott, director of Anne of the Thousand Days. She was directed by Almond once more in the Canadian Final Assignment (1980).

Bujold starred in a TV movie Mistress of Paradise (1981), then supported Christopher Reeve in Monsignor (1982), and Clint Eastwood in Tightrope (1984).

Alan Rudolph

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Bujold starred in Choose Me (1984), directed and written by Alan Rudolph. She promptly made two more films for Rudolph: Trouble in Mind (1985) and The Moderns (1988), the latter set in Paris in the 1920s. She was part of his informal company of actors that he repeatedly used in his films, including Keith Carradine.

Bujold starred in David Cronenberg's Dead Ringers (1988) opposite Jeremy Irons, then made a TV movie Red Earth, White Earth (1989).[20] She did False Identity (1990) with Stacy Keach.

Canada

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After a long absence from Quebec, she returned to appear in two more films by Michel Brault: The Paper Wedding (1989), and My Friend Max (1994). In between she went to France to make Rue du Bac (1991), and did another film with Almond, The Dance Goes On (1991). She had support roles in Oh, What a Night (1993), and An Ambush of Ghosts (1993).

Star Trek

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In 1994, Bujold was chosen to play Captain Nicole Janeway (subsequently renamed Kathryn Janeway),[21] lead character in the ensemble cast of the American television series Star Trek: Voyager. However, she left the project after just two days of filming. Kate Mulgrew was subsequently cast in the role.[21]

Later career

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Bujold had supporting roles in The Adventures of Pinocchio (1995), The House of Yes (1997), Last Night (1998), You Can Thank Me Later (1998), Eye of the Beholder (1999), The Bookfair Murders (2000), Children of My Heart (2001) and Alex in Wonder (2001)

Bujold co-starred with Graham Greene in Dead Innocent (1997) and appeared in a short Matisse & Picasso: A Gentle Rivalry (2001).

Bujold was back in Quebec to star in Chaos and Desire (2002), directed by Manon Briand. That year she said "I like doing studio films, independent films. I want to step up to the plate and do it. The role doesn't have to be long, but it has to be essential to the film. And it's got to be truthful to me. I defend my characters. They're like my babies."[22]

Bujold's later appearances include Jericho Mansions (2003), Finding Home (2004), Downtown: A Street Tale (2004), By the Pricking of My Thumbs (2005), Disappearances (2006), and Deliver Me (2006).

Bujold was also in The Trotsky (2009), For the Love of God (2011), and Northern Borders (2013).

In 2012, Bujold played a woman battling dementia in the sleeper romantic drama Still Mine.[23] Stephen Holden of The New York Times commented: "Ms. Bujold imbues Irene with a starchy tenacity and a sharp sense of humor",[24] while The Washington Post called her performance "superb" and "remarkably detailed".[25]

Bujold's later films include Chorus (2015).

Personal life

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In 1967, Bujold married Canadian director Paul Almond. They had a son, Matthew, in 1968. After a separation of approximately two years, the couple divorced in 1974.[26]

In 1980, she had a second son, Emmanuel, with Dennis Hastings, a Reno-born carpenter she met in 1977 when he was contracted to build her Malibu house.[27] They separated quietly without publicity in 2017. Hastings died in 2020.[28]

Accolades

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Year Association Category Work Result
1967 Prix Suzanne Bianchetti Most Promising Young Actress[29] The Thief of Paris Won
1968 Emmy Awards Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Drama[11] Saint Joan Nominated
Canadian Film Awards Best Actress[17] Isabel Won
1970 Academy Awards Best Actress[16] Anne of the Thousand Days Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama[15] Won
Canadian Film Awards Best Actress[17] The Act of the Heart Won
1973 Kamouraska Won
1980 Genie Awards Best Supporting Actress[30] Murder by Decree Won
1981 Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role[30] Final Assignment Nominated
1988 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress[31] Dead Ringers & The Moderns Won
Prix Gémeaux Best Actress[32] L'Emprise Nominated
1989 Genie Awards Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role[30] Dead Ringers Nominated
1990 Prix Gémeaux Best Actress[32] The Paper Wedding Won
1994 Genie Awards Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role[30] My Friend Max Nominated
1998 Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role[30] Last Night Nominated
2010 Canadian Comedy Awards Best Performance by a Female - Film[16] The Trotsky Nominated
2013 Canadian Screen Awards Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role[33] Still Mine Nominated
2018 Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award (Film)[34] Won

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1963 Amanita Pestilens Sophie Martin
1964 Geneviève Geneviève Short subject
1964 La fleur de l'âge, ou Les audolescentes Genevieve
1964 La terre à boire Barbara
1964 La fin des étés Marie Short subject
1966 The War Is Over Nadine Sallanches
1966 King of Hearts Coquelicot
1967 The Thief of Paris Charlotte
1967 Between Salt and Sweet Water Geneviève
1968 Isabel Isabel
1969 Anne of the Thousand Days Anne Boleyn
1970 Marie-Christine Short subject
1970 The Act of the Heart Martha Hayes
1971 The Trojan Women Cassandra
1972 Journey Saguenay
1973 Kamouraska Élisabeth
1974 Earthquake Denise
1975 L'incorrigible Marie-Charlotte Pontalec
1976 Swashbuckler Jane Barnet
1976 Obsession Elizabeth Courtland / Sandra Portinari
1976 Alex & the Gypsy Maritza
1977 Another Man, Another Chance Jeanne Leroy née Perriere
1978 Coma Dr. Susan Wheeler
1979 Murder by Decree Annie Crook
1980 The Last Flight of Noah's Ark Bernadette Lafleur
1980 Final Assignment Nicole Thomson
1982 Monsignor Carla
1984 Tightrope Beryl Thibodeaux
1984 Choose Me Nancy
1985 Trouble in Mind Wanda
1988 Rough Justice
1988 The Moderns Libby Valentin
1988 Dead Ringers Claire Niveau
1990 False Identity Rachel Roux
1991 Rue du Bac Marie Aubriac
1992 The Dance Goes On Rick's Mother
1992 Oh, What a Night Eva
1993 An Ambush of Ghosts Irene Betts
1994 My Friend Max Marie-Alexandrine Brabant
1996 The Adventures of Pinocchio Leona
1997 The House of Yes Mrs. Pascal
1997 Dead Innocent Suzanne St. Laurent
1998 Last Night Mrs. Carlton
1998 You Can Thank Me Later Joelle
1999 Eye of the Beholder Dr. Jeanne Brault
2001 Alex in Wonder Natalie
2002 Chaos and Desire Colette Lasalle
2003 Jericho Mansions Lily Melnick
2003 Finding Home Katie
2004 Downtown: A Street Tale Aimee Levesque
2005 By the Pricking of My Thumbs Rose Evangelista
2006 Disappearances Cordelia
2006 Deliver Me Irène
2009 The Trotsky Denise Archambault
2011 For the Love of God Soeur Cécile 72 ans
2012 Still Mine Irene Morrison
2013 The Legend of Sarila Saya (English version, voice)
2013 Northern Borders Abiah Kittredge
2015 Chorus Gabrielle
2018 Two Girls Johanna as an Adult (voice)

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1962–63 Marcus TV series
1963 Le square Her TV movie
1963 Jeudi-théâtre Elle / La standardiste de l'hôtel TV series
1963 Ti-Jean caribou TV series
1963–64 Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut Julie Fourchu TV series
1965–67 Festival Jeannette / Nora / Sonia TV series
1967 Saint Joan Joan of Arc TV movie
1974 Antigone Antigone TV movie
1976 Caesar and Cleopatra Cleopatra TV movie
1981 Mistress of Paradise Elizabeth Beaufort TV movie
1988 L'Emprise TV movie
1989 Red Earth, White Earth Madeline TV movie
1989 The Paper Wedding Claire Rocheleau TV movie
2000 The Bookfair Murders Margaret Dourie Cantor TV movie
2000 Children of My Heart Gabrielle Roy TV movie

References

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  1. ^ a b Windeler, Robert (1978-03-20). "I'm Insecure but Strong". People.com.
  2. ^ Genevieve Bujold Biography (1942-)
  3. ^ Bell, Joseph N. (1970-06-19). "She Didn't Really Enjoy Anne The First Time". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
  4. ^ a b c d e f What Is a Bujold? Hard to Circumscribe Los Angeles Times 1 Dec 1974: o31.
  5. ^ Stone, Jay (2013-04-15). "Still Mine star Genevieve Bujold in 'a state of grace'". Canada.com. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  6. ^ "Genevieve Bujold". Hollywood.com.
  7. ^ MACLEAN'S REVIEWS Maclean's; Toronto, Canada Vol. 77, Iss. 22, (Nov 16, 1964): 79.
  8. ^ a b GENEVIEVE BUJOLD: STARDOM-BOUND Gzowski, Peter. Maclean's; Toronto, Canada Vol. 78, Iss. 24, (Dec 15, 1965): 16.
  9. ^ "Who's Playing Saint Joan? Genevieve Bujold?". The New York Times. October 22, 1967. p. 147. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  10. ^ "The Devil's Toy". National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Geneviève Bujold - Television Academy". Emmys.com. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  12. ^ TV's first St. Joan: Distinguished predecessors Her film credits By Louise Sweeney. The Christian Science Monitor 1 Dec 1967: 10.
  13. ^ Artistic Merger of Actress-Wife, Director-Spouse: Artistic Merger Brown, Vanessa. Los Angeles Time29 Sep 1968: n1.
  14. ^ Burton Plays Pre-Tyrant Henry VIII Johnson, Patricia. Los Angeles Times 20 July 1969: o20.
  15. ^ a b "Geneviève Bujold - Golden Globes". Archived from the original on 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
  16. ^ a b c "Geneviève Bujold - Awards". IMDb.
  17. ^ a b c "Awards Database (Canadian Film Awards)".[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ a b At the Movies: Genevieve Bujold on love, marriage and acting. Flatley, Guy. New York Times 11 Nov 1977: 57.
  19. ^ Ebert, Roger (1976-08-27). "Obsession Movie Review & Film Summary (1976)". RogerEbert.com.
  20. ^ Howe, Desson (1988-09-23). "Dead Ringers". The Washington Post.
  21. ^ a b Meisler, Andy (1994-09-15). "Real 'Star Trek' Drama: Enlisting New Skipper". The New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  22. ^ Bujold returns to her roots: Despite living in California for almost 30 years, Quebec culture remains close to actor's heart Kelly, Brendan. The Gazette, 7 Sep 2002: E1
  23. ^ "Still Mine (2013)". RottenTomatoes.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  24. ^ Holden, Stephen (2013-07-18). "The Rules, Not the Labor, May Kill Their Plans; In 'Still Mine,' a Couple in Their 80s Resist Aging". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2013.
  25. ^ O’Sullivan, Michael (2013-07-18). "'Still Mine' movie review". The Washington Post.
  26. ^ Wilson, Earl. "It Happened Last Night". The Tribune. 16 May 1974.
  27. ^ Wolf, William. "Superstardom eludes Bujold, despite talent". The Californian. 16 November 1984.
  28. ^ "Obituaries". Reno Gazette-Journal. 3 May 2020.
  29. ^ Meeuf, R (2013). Transnational Stardom International Celebrity in Film and Popular Culture. Palgrave Macmillan US. ISBN 978-1-137-26827-3. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  30. ^ a b c d e "Awards Database (Genies)".[permanent dead link]
  31. ^ "LAFCA". www.lafca.net. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  32. ^ a b "Awards Database (Gémeaux)". Retrieved 29 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
  33. ^ "Awards Database (Canadian Screen Awards)". Retrieved 29 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
  34. ^ "Governor General's Performing Arts Awards". Award Recipients. Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Foundation. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
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