Julianne Moore names one of the greatest performances she’s ever seen: “I can barely talk about it”
Julianne Moore has been a powerhouse within the film industry since the beginning of her career in the 1990s, forging an eclectic path through a collection of challenging and unconventional roles. From her star-making turn in Short Cuts, directed by Robert Altman, she went on to appear in films such as Safe, Vanya on 42nd Street, Boogie Nights and The Hours.
Whether it’s the whimsical mystery of Maude in The Big Lebowski or her devastating performance in May December, Moore has never shied away from complex, often unlikeable characters, bringing depth, nuance and vulnerability to each role, regardless of how questionable their actions or intentions may be.
As a result, she is widely considered one of the most versatile and intriguing performers of her generation. This has made her an authority on her craft and given her a keen eye to spot these qualities in other actors. As a result, she weighed in on the films that have most caught her attention in recent years, highlighting a surprising film that contains one of her favourite performances.
Despite having very different bodies of work, Julianne Moore crossed paths with Sean Penn when starring in Paul Thomas Anderson’s mammoth film, Magnolia, with both actors becoming regulars within his filmography. After his leading role in Mystic River, Penn shot to fame and became known for his portrayal of emotionally complex experiences and a sense of maturity that seemed to exceed his age.
Since then, he worked with directors like Terrence Malick, Spike Jonze and David Fincher, becoming recognised for his mysterious yet weighty performances, portraying real life figures such as Harvey Milk and even himself.
However, there was one performance of Penn’s that had a great impact on Moore, with the actor citing the moving power of his 2003 film Mystic River, which follows the lives of three men who have been friends since childhood, becoming shattered after one of them experiences a great tragedy.
When describing the role, Moore said, “I think about Sean Penn in Mystic River. Yeah, Sean was extraordinarily moving, I mean that was really something… to watch somebody actualise grief that way. I can barely talk about it. It’s that thing about loss, you know”.
Penn’s performance is intense and deeply moving, tugging at your heartstrings in the most visceral way as you watch his character attempt to process his pain and come to terms with unimaginable loss. His dramatic power is captivating, capturing the human cycles we find ourselves trapped in when dealing with trauma and trying to move on.
