There is a long list of actresses who have never won the Oscar they rightfully deserved, and surely, the list of actresses who haven’t even been nominated at the Academy Awards is longer.Isabella Rosselliniwould have remained on the latter, but she finally secured her first Oscar nomination with her performance of a steely nun in the religious thriller,Conclave. But Rossellini deserved to be recognized much earlier in her decades-long, versatile career.Blue Velvetshould have gotten her a nominationand possible win, aneo-noir classicby the late master of surrealismDavid Lynchthat changed both the careers of its filmmaker and actress.
‘Blue Velvet’ Has One of Isabella Rossellini’s Best Characters
Rossellini has shown a silly side in her acting credits, promising immortal beauty (with a catch) in the dark comedyDeath Becomes Herand reenacting animal sex inthe absurd, educational nature seriesGreen Porno.But dramatic roles have been particularly career defining, most recently withConclave, but first inBlue Velvetwith a haunting performance as lounge singer Dorothy Vallens. She is stuck in horrific circumstances that almost no one knows about in the small town of Lumberton. Away from the blue stage lights, her child has been kidnapped by the drug dealer, Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), who forces the mother into being his sex slave. One night, she discovers Jeffrey (Kyle MacLachlan) hiding in her closet, a young man obsessed over the crime Dorothy is embroiled in, and awarped sexual relationshipforms between them. Rossellini was not the first choice by Lynch, but she was cast because she was at the right place at the right time.
From the making-of documentary,Mysteries of Love, Lynch wantedHelen Mirrenand when he went out to dinner, Rossellini ended up sitting at his table due to a mutual friend.He tried to get her to bring the script to Mirrenafter finding out she had just doneWhite Nightswith the British actress, but Rossellini didn’t think she had the relationship to do so. The next day, the dinner chat had stayed with Lynch. He switched his interest to Rossellini, finding she had the character qualities he wanted. After having done a fewItalian films,Blue Velvetwould be her second American production, as well as her breakthrough role.
She makes Dorothy Vallens feel seductive and mysteriousin the lounge scenes as Lynch’s take on thefemme fatale tropein noir. Isabella Rossellini’s slow rendition of the titular song is captivating and brings a sense of calm, which is ripped away by the sadistic violence of Frank Booth.Blue Velvetis an important entry in Lynch’s filmography, where he develops his trademarks, likeiconic musical momentsand references to the 1950s. But Dorothy, too, has a special place in the director’s evolution. She is a precursor to other troubled women in later projects, fromSheryl LeeinTwin PeakstoNaomi WattsinMulholland Drive. For some, the dark storyline is what Rossellini is most remembered for here, where she is angry, numb, and traumatized.
Isabella Rossellini Embraced How Challenging Her ‘Blue Velvet’ Role Was
Dorothy is victimized by Frank in scenes whereRossellini portrays an unsettling responseby going limp with her abuser. She later attempts to reclaim power by forcing Jeffrey to be brutal to her, only this time she is in control. Even more shocking is when a distraught, nude Dorothy walks out in a neighborhood at night, searching for help from Jeffrey. Revealed in the making-of doc,the disturbing image was pulled from Lynch’s childhoodwhen he saw a similar distressing event. The final shot of the film has a now-freed Dorothy hugging her son at a park, but the big smile on her face doesn’t last, implying the darkness she endured won’t be gone so easily.
David Lynch Asked To Be Paid in Cheetos for This Iconic Cameo
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Roger Ebertwas one of the film’s haters, writing in his infamous review that he loathed how Dorothy was treated, but praised Rossellini’s “convincing and courageous” performance. The actress, herself, didn’t understand the criticism. In aninterview with IndieWire, she shared what made her comfortable in accepting the part, “I wanted to ensure that what you’re seeing is a person who has maybe a kind of Stockholm syndrome, and we rehearsed for a full day. I felt reassured that what I saw in the character, the way I wanted to play, he (Lynch) had agreed.” In another interview,Rossellini recalled feeling safe on the setduring the shoot,which motivated her to be more daring.
The role should have been worthy of a nomination at the1987 Oscars.While Lynch was nominated for Best Director forBlue Velvet, Rossellini should have been nominated too, even though she would have faced tough competition. That was the year whenMarlee Matlinwon for Best Actress andDianne Wiestwon for Best Supporting Actress. Nevertheless, Isabella Rossellini more than deserved recognition for the mystery, intensity, and vulnerability she brings, along with her commitment to what Dorothy Vallens goes through. For an actress trying to establish a career at the time, it makes fora truly fearless performance.
Blue Velvetis available to watch on Max in the U.S.
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Blue Velvet
The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.
