I'm going to take some time to chat about Angelina Jolie...those of you who hate her for one reason or another should probably leave now.
I was watching SALT this afternoon and I recalled that this role had originally been intended for Tom Cruise and they rewrote it just for Angelina Jolie. Now I'm sure Tom would've done a nice job but Angie just shines in that type of environment.
It was then that I reflected on how she had started as a hardcore dramatic actress. Her roles like Gia and Lisa in Girl Interrupted were alot like Angie herself in those days, dark and brooding.
After she took on the role of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider things started to change. She became a bona fide action star. Movies like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Wanted, and The Tourist showcased her tough, physical side. She'd transformed as a person and an actress.
She continued to push the envelope by taking on roles that challenged her range such as Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart, The Changling, and now as writer and director with the debut of her on screen debut of The Land of Sun and Honey.
Say what you will but Angelina Jolie is a renaissance woman and one the best damn actresses to come down the path in long time.
The multitude of characters she's portrayed over her career is a great reflection of how many choices can be made when writing a female heroine.
The courage to defend, protect, or even extract revenge can come from any one in any field. It doesn't always have to be a homicide detective running into the scene with her gun drawn. Look around at real life. The possibilities are endless. I grew up with an appreciation of strong women as role models. Valeria from Conan; Scarlett from GI Joe; Cheetara from Thundercats; Rogue from Xmen and of course Xena were some of my favorites. But it doesn't always have to be an ass kicker taking charge. Sometimes using your mind is just as useful if not more...yeah, I sound like Mr. Miyagi but go with me for a minute.
A novel I'm reading right now has taken a different perspective. It isn't a female lead but Rick Mofina's Vengeance Road is following a newspaper reporter as he gets entangled in a very shady murder investigation. I am anxiously awaiting the outcome to see how the hero pieces everything together and maybe saves the day.
I like to draw from real life and sprinkle in imagination to develop some characters that readers can relate to. Character development is fun to me. I like to see how the characters change throughout the story, and that's true for reading as well as writing.
Point is they say every story has been told before. It is up to you to put your own spin on it to make it interesting. Creating new and interesting characters is one way to make that happen.
Happy writing!
Hey, who are some of your favorite characters that you've written, read, or seen on the screen?
It was then that I reflected on how she had started as a hardcore dramatic actress. Her roles like Gia and Lisa in Girl Interrupted were alot like Angie herself in those days, dark and brooding.
After she took on the role of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider things started to change. She became a bona fide action star. Movies like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Wanted, and The Tourist showcased her tough, physical side. She'd transformed as a person and an actress.
She continued to push the envelope by taking on roles that challenged her range such as Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart, The Changling, and now as writer and director with the debut of her on screen debut of The Land of Sun and Honey.
Say what you will but Angelina Jolie is a renaissance woman and one the best damn actresses to come down the path in long time.
The multitude of characters she's portrayed over her career is a great reflection of how many choices can be made when writing a female heroine.
The courage to defend, protect, or even extract revenge can come from any one in any field. It doesn't always have to be a homicide detective running into the scene with her gun drawn. Look around at real life. The possibilities are endless. I grew up with an appreciation of strong women as role models. Valeria from Conan; Scarlett from GI Joe; Cheetara from Thundercats; Rogue from Xmen and of course Xena were some of my favorites. But it doesn't always have to be an ass kicker taking charge. Sometimes using your mind is just as useful if not more...yeah, I sound like Mr. Miyagi but go with me for a minute.
I like to draw from real life and sprinkle in imagination to develop some characters that readers can relate to. Character development is fun to me. I like to see how the characters change throughout the story, and that's true for reading as well as writing.
Point is they say every story has been told before. It is up to you to put your own spin on it to make it interesting. Creating new and interesting characters is one way to make that happen.
Happy writing!
Hey, who are some of your favorite characters that you've written, read, or seen on the screen?
I'll admit I'm not a big fan of hers.
ReplyDeleteI love character development too. It's one of my favorite parts about writing. :D
Not a fan of her as a person or not her work?
ReplyDelete