Furious Seasons

March 19, 2009

Natasha Richardson

I don't often comment on this site about famous people who've died, but as most of you know the wonderful actress Natasha Richardson died yesterday, following a skiing accident on Monday. She was 45 and had won a Tony award, appeared in many films and was married to Liam Neeson. Her mother was Vanessa Redgrave and, of course, her aunt was Lynn Redgrave.

Much of the press coverage of Richardson's death notes that she was a very real person who didn't take herself too seriously, despite coming from the royal family of theatre (her grandfather was Sir Michael Redgrave, as great a stage actor as Olivier). I didn't know Richardson, but I did know her aunt. Lynn Redgrave was in a production of Chekov's "The Cherry Orchard" at La Jolla Playhouse in 1990 (here's a production picture), where I worked as an accounting clerk at the time, about as low on the rung as anyone in the place, but since I wrote the actors' paychecks I got to know several of them (some famous, some not; some cool, some not).

I'll never forget how at the cast party for the play, I was sitting alone on a couch at the director's house, stoned on Prozac (I'd begun taking it a few months before) and feeling very lost. Suddenly, Lynn Redgrave (Georgie Girl for God's sake) sat down next to me and began chatting me up for oh, like, a half hour (we also talked several other times during the production's six-week run). I can assure you that she is one of the most charming, real people on the planet and if Richardson was anything like her, then the world is poorer. I'm simply shattered for her family. Last evening, I sat at home with the strangest feeling of ennui. It's all just so sad.

The other thing I find so disturbing is that Richardson's fall was apparently quite minor and it's not even clear to me that she struck her head on the snow. I've been skiing hundreds of times and have fallen hundreds of times, sometimes at very high speeds. I've never worn a helmet skiing. Aside from one concussion after crashing from a risky jump, nothing ever happened to me. Richardson falls once and she's dead. That rattles me in ways I cannot explain.

Sometimes, life is even more fragile than we think.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at March 19, 2009 12:01 AM

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Comments

I have never worked with Natasha but friends tell me she was simply lovely. These sudden, tragic deaths certainly make me want to get out there and enjoy each day to its fullest. I was terribly saddened when Heath Ledger died simply because I had met him and hung out with him-he was such a gentle soul and extremely talented. I simply did not want to believe he was dead.

The accident is quite a mystery. It will be interesting to see what the autopsy shows. It's possible she had a brain aneurysm and it ruptured during the fall. I don't know...anyway...yes, terribly sad.

A few years ago Natasha's husband, Liam, was in the same town I was working in. He was with Steven Spielberg researching and scouting for LINCOLN. Spielberg is finally going to make the film after years of development. Talk about a man (Lincoln) who suffered from depression and I must wonder if Liam will back out of the role he's been heavily involved in for years. I hate to say this aloud, but the sudden loss of his wife, well he wouldn't have to dig too deep for his portrayal of Lincoln if they do indeed stick to schedule and start filming soon. sigh. I will stop now.

Posted by: kim at March 19, 2009 12:52 AM

I just found out a few minutes ago after getting online about Ms. Richardson's death. I wish her family and loved ones all the best in dealing with their loss.

Life can be shorter for some than others. Enjoy it while you can.

Posted by: Jen at March 19, 2009 02:31 AM

Philip,

Your description of yourself and Lynn Redgrave at the cast party is touching. Thanks for sharing it. And for helping us all remember how precious life is, and what a good and rare thing it is when privileged people value their humanity over their privilege.

Hope your back if treating you better.

Posted by: Gene Combs at March 19, 2009 04:08 AM

How very sad. The fact it was such a seemingly innocuous tumble, combined with Ms. Richardson's and her family's down-to-earthness makes it shocking, arrestingly so. I live in a skiing state, have skied all my life, never with a helmet. I mostly do cross-country in the woods by myself so I've never actually seen anyone wear a helmet skiing. I didn't realize people had started doing that. We all just crashed into trees a lot, mostly broke legs and skiis, so I'm totally stunned by this.
Sherry

Posted by: Sherry at March 19, 2009 09:48 AM

I'm really sad.
Don't want to talk just show my condolences to her family.
Ana

Posted by: Ana at March 19, 2009 12:05 PM

There are times life has no answers and these sudden tragic deaths are reminders to live every day as if you really mean it.

I lost my Dad to an unexpected plane crash, and life stopping so suddenly for those left behind is unbelievably sad, and eerie when you think they are still a phone call or a doorway entrance away. And, life goes on. Which is easier said than done, but it does go on.

Posted by: Stephany at March 19, 2009 09:06 PM

It's very sad to lose such a talented and lovely woman in the prime of her life. It certainly sounds like a freak accident and I admit to wondering if she was on anything that made bleeding more likely and more profuse. There is a lot of resilience in life but there is also a lot of fragility. We need to be grateful for every day we have.

Posted by: Sara at March 20, 2009 11:33 AM

this was a beautiful and moving piece Philip, clearly a labour of love.

I once saw Vanessa Redgrave and her brother Corin on Broadway. She was incredible. I am sorry I never have seen any other members of the family except in TV or film.

Posted by: susan at March 27, 2009 03:15 PM

She was great in the Parent Trap and a the White Countess... RIP Natasha

Posted by: coffee maker at March 30, 2009 11:24 PM